Sensory Activities for Adopted and Fostered Children

Lots of children who have had abusive and/or neglectful early lives are delayed in their abilities to understand and use their senses in the same way that non-traumatised people do. This is all linked with the way in which we learn about our bodies through sensitive attuned care in babyhood.

If children have missed out on these experiences in infancy they may continue to struggle with sensory integration. This is why lots of adopted and fostered children, of all ages gravitate towards what we might think of as “younger child”, sensory activities e.g. cooking, playing with mud, spending ages in the bath playing with water or why some children have an aversion to sensory stimuli.

The following are some ideas and tips for getting your child involved with you in fun sensory activities. Click on the numbered Top 5 Tips buttons below to reveal some sensory activities that I really love. First let’s look at some of the practicalities.

Practicalities

Don’t get hung up on age and don’t let your child get hung up on it either. If you go into the activity confidently then your child will most likely feel confident about it too. If your child is very reluctant then you could find way to adapt the process, e.g. play-dough can become sculpture with clay or salt dough or water play could happen naturally whilst watering the garden or washing the car together.
To make the most of these sensory activities you can use them as an opportunity to build up your relationship too. These activities should be done side by side with you. Take your child’s lead, chat and explore as you play together. To be honest there is something so surprisingly soothing and fascinating about sensory play that you might just find that you love it too! I know I do.
Think ahead about how to manage the mess. These activities are, of their nature, messy. If you’re someone who struggles to feel calm around mess then invest in a waterproof mat, put your child (and yourself) in an old shirt or a tabard, clear the decks of things that you might worry about getting dirty or, best of all, go outside and worry about hosing down the patio later.
Don’t force the issue. Some children will struggle more than others with these kinds of sensory activities. Give one a go at your child’s pace and if, after giving them a chance to feel confident in the activity, it doesn’t seem fun or interesting to your child then give up and try another day. However, don’t be put off by grimaces and slight aversion to the mess, just encourage and show your child how to have fun with the mess.

Some simple activities that you may like to try if you haven’t already

Using a sand tray

You can hide objects of different sizes shapes and textures in the sand for you and your child to find together.
A water tray or a bowl of warm soapy water.
You can use bottle tops and different size containers to allow your child to tip, pour and splash the water to their heart’s content.

Digging the garden.

Encourage the mud-pie production line! Provide a mixing bowl, some water and maybe some old yoghurt pots for maximum muddy fun.

Painting hands/feet/faces.

Make multi-coloured hand and foot prints or encourage your child to paint your face as you do theirs (of course make sure you use non-toxic, child-friendly paint).

Cooking.

Mixing together any ingredients that make a fabulous gloopy mess is a great way of introducing sensory play. Encourage your child to get as close to the mixture as possible e.g. mixing with a spatula rather than an electric mixer and actively encourage your child to play with their food! Things like bread dough are fabulous because you just have to get your hands in.

There are lots of website that give some great ideas for sensory play for example

http://www.growingajeweledrose.com/search/label/sensory%20play?max-results=10

http://www.learnwithplayathome.com/2013/08/cornflour-slime-how-to-make-and-what.html

Rainbow Spaghetti Treasure Hunt

Materials

spaghetti,
vegetable or sunflower oil,
several different food colourings,
bowls,
some treasures to hide, E.g. plastic toys, large coloured beads (or even pocket money coins!),
a large plastic storage box or tray.

Instructions

Cook a batch of spaghetti as per the packet instructions. Drain and run under a cold tap for several minutes. Add some oil to the spaghetti to stop the strands sticking together. When the spaghetti has completely cooled separate into batches (one for each colour you’d like to make) and add a few drops of food colouring to each bowl. Give each batch a good stir and leave until completely cool and dry.

When the spaghetti is ready put your treasures in the bottom of your storage box or tray, layer your spaghetti on top and give the treasures a good mix in.

Then set your children the task of finding everything you’ve hidden. Try to resist any temptation you might have to try and keep the colours separate, remember the mess is the biggest part of the fun.

You can use your spaghetti a few times if you keep it in an airtight container in the fridge but use your common sense about when it needs throwing away

Slippery Slime

Materials

2 cups cornflour,
1 cup water,
large bowl and spoon,
food colouring,
a large plastic storage box or tray.

Instructions

Add 3-4 drops of food colouring to your water. Tip your cornflour into a bowl and then add most but not all of your coloured water (you might need a little more but stir and see first). Your Slippery Slime is ready when it is quite liquid when you stir it slowly and stiffens so that you can form a ball when you use more force. Feel free to add more cornflour or water to get the consistency right.

You can set your child challenges such as: “can you make it into a ball?”, “can you stop it from “melting?”, “will it run through your fingers?” “what happens if you hit it hard?” (try this one outside!). Watch something sink slowly into the Slippery Slime.

You could also make a treasure hunt out of the Slippery Slime (see no. 1 Spaghetti Treasure Hunt, above).

Slippery Slime will keep in the fridge for 2 or 3 days but I’d suggest using an airtight container.

Play Dough

Materials

2 cups plain flour,
2 cups warm water,
1 cup salt,
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil,
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar (optional for improved elasticity),
food colouring.

Instructions

This is a cooked play-dough which gives a great consistency but non-cook versions are available if you’d like to make it with a younger child.

It couldn’t be simpler! Put all the ingredients (except the food colouring) together in a pan on a low heat and stir until it starts to pull away from the sides and form a ball of dough. If it’s still too sticky just cook and stir for a little longer. Leave the dough until it’s cool enough to handle then divide into balls and knead 2- 3 drops of different food colouring into each ball, making a well in the centre and then folding the dough over the colouring works well. You might want to protect your work surfaces from the colouring with a plastic mat. You could also add glitter if you’d like to.

Wrap in cling film when your child has finished playing with the dough and put it all in an airtight container. Keep an eye on it but stored well the play dough can keep for quite a few weeks.

Jelly Treasure Hunt

Materials

packets of jelly (the cheapest you can find),
hot water,
either several small jelly moulds (or any heat proof containers) or one large bowl,
treasures e.g. plastic insects, marbles, plastic figures, coloured glass beads.

Instructions

Break up the jelly, and dissolve in hot water as per the packet instructions (make different coloured jellies separately if you’re using them). Pour into mould(s). Drop your treasures into the mould(s) and leave to set as per the packet instructions.

Turn out your jelly/jellies and encourage your child to rummage in the jellies to find all of the treasures.

Fizzy Mud

Materials

500g bicarbonate of soda,
Food colouring (dingy greens and browns work well for the authentic muddy effect, whilst brighter colours are good to add to the vinegar),
1-3 cups of water
large plastic storage box or tray,
squirty bottle (a washed out washing up liquid bottle works well),
cheap vinegar.

Instructions

Put the bicarb. and food colouring in the plastic container then slowly add the water, stirring as you go, until you’re happy with the consistency. Add in mud-loving toys such as plastic dinosaurs. To add fizz to your mud encourage your child to squirt the vinegar (coloured if you prefer) in small areas of the mud and watch it bubble.

WARNING: using food colouring in this activity will stain hands for a while. If you’re worried you could try water-based paint instead.