What can sensory experiences do to improve capacity to focus on learning? It’s about newness…
A three minute read
Sensory learning experiences are accessible to and benefit everyone.
Not just for the benefit of young people with mental health issues, us grown ups would do well to learn to play again, appreciate a moment outside or wonder at the things in nature which we don't stop to notice each day because we’re so busy having to take ourselves so seriously.
This is where sensory experiences can improve wellbeing for everyone and our capacity to engage in or focus on new learning, knowledge and understanding is enhanced, no matter our age or learning needs.
When we stop to look, touch, feel, hear and taste, we allow ourselves to welcome in, absorb and enjoy, newness.
photo by willscammell.com
A key adult modelling joy, joining in, playfulness, and awe to a young person who is struggling to piece together the world around them, is one of Beyond Creative Educations most valuable (and favourite) teaching tools.
[Key Adult = Professional speak for the person a child is connected to and knows they are in the mind of during the school day]
Half term break is the perfect time for you and your child or the young people you work with to discover, explore, create and be, no matter their age or social emotional need.
Sensory play sounds like it’s just a brain-break from academic study. It’s actually a super smart vehicle you can use to make finding-out and retaining new knowledge available to a child who may be experiencing sensory challenges and therefore feeling like they can’t take any newness in.
For a student who is spooked by the looming prospect of academic study, having ‘fallen behind their peers’; or the social aspect that’s a big part of any education setting (when sometimes just arriving at the gate is enough to cause distress); learning how to get grounded by yourself is best done by observing others first. Time for the key adult to start demonstrating what they're encouraging - simply explaining it won't get the buy-in required. Some suggestions might include:
Jumping in puddles with eyes closed - what can you hear and how does it feel to not know when the cold water will hit your legs?
Making mud pies - can you squelch and squash the pie into a plastic dish without saying a word, making a fart noise or belly-laughing?
Building wet-sand sculptures - how does the loose water and sand mixture trickle through your fingers to make the tower and what words can you find to describe them?
Tiptoeing over wet grass in bare feet - can you move lightly and as if you’re stepping on hot coals or gliding over an ice lake?
Searching for naturally occurring heart shapes on a pebble beach - what shapes do you see emerging when you alter what you’re looking for?
The senses are an important pillar in the way that learning and wellbeing activities are woven through our programmes at Beyond Creative Education. Through them, research has found that students can develop executive functioning skills, self-regulation, motor skills, emotional regulation, attention and focus (Beck, 2022). I’m keen to share how senses learning can be made a part of any time and needn’t be popped into the extra-curricular time file and left there.
Do get in touch if you'd appreciate some ideas or would like to book a one to one for further discussion. Beyond Creative Education is here to help with structured creative learning activities for students as well as training, coaching and professional development for the adults and professionals supporting them.
A friendly reminder that our first creative wellbeing workshops are running in Ashburton through October Half Term, 28th October to 1st November - Go to our events page to find out more and book up to five consecutive workshops for your 11-16 year old or school group that week. Places are limited to 8 per workshop.
