One of the best things we can do with our children is to get out of the house and go for a walk. But, we can all agree that going for a walk in Autumn is a lot different when it starts to get cold and wet. When the weather changes in Autumn, it’s not easy for us to go for a walk. Our children can get a bit run down with the weather, so we try and find ways to make it more fun for them.
So, how can you make walks fun in Autumn? Easy! Use it as a chance to collect some goodies that you can take back with you to make a fun sensory walk!
You can go for walks to different areas like;
– the beach
– a forest
– fields
– a park
– the farm
– or even just out on the streets
You will find different items to collect in each of the different places that you can visit. Meaning, you can use the same activity – an Autumn Sensory Walk – many times throughout the season. And collecting different items to use.
What items can you collect?
You can collect whatever items you want to use in your sensory walk! Think of the textures that your child(ren) like the most and collect these. For example, one of my children LOVES anything soft. So, we collected grass and leaves, flowers, soil etc. for our forest themed sensory walk. It was lovely to see the different colours of the items as the season changed.
How can you collect the items?
We love making a visual ‘shopping list’ as such, where we tick off the items as we collect them. Having the visual there allows my children to be able to see what they have to find as well as hear about it. Then, collect them in a bag or basket so that they are easy to carry around and take back with you.
What is a sensory walk?
Sensory walks are great for your children. They can experience a range of different sensory textures. This can be by walking over different objects. Or, if you know they will not be able to cope with walking over the different textures, you can put them into trays. Then, encourage them to touch the objects with their hands or smell them instead. You can work your way up to providing a sensory walk for your children. And this is the best way to ensure they will get the best experience from a sensory walk.
How do you make a sensory walk?
Easy! However you want! We love to put different textures and items into trays. Then, we have our children walk their way through each of the trays from one end to the other.
What are the benefits of a sensory walk?
A sensory walk is a great way for you to allow your child(ren) to explore their sense of touch by using their feet. Or, other body parts if this is more suitable. It also gives them that extra movement break. You can get them up and moving around instead of staying in one area while working.
Do you use sensory walks in your classroom or home environment?
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