Alicia, from Norfolk UK, shares her indoor sensory walk with us…
What did you do?
We did this sensory walk on a rainy day. I went and collected different materials from around the house; velvet material, bubble wrap, fleecy material and fake grass. I used masking tape to tape them on the floor in a line like stepping stones on the living room floor.
Both my children 4yr old and 1yr old really enjoyed stepping on the different material. I made sure they did this bare foot to get the full sensory experience.
I extended my 4 yr old’s learning by talking about the materials and coming up with words to describe them for example he said the bubble wrap was shiny and the velvet was smooth. We also wrote all the words we talked about down and made labels and I got him to label the different materials.
It all went well. Easy to set up but once my 1 yr old had had enough she decided to peel the masking tape off the floor. That was it – her interest was redirected.
It gave a golden opportunity for my children to play together which is a rare occurrence due to their age gap.
Do you have any other projects planned?
I am definitely going to do this again but do a messy play version in the garden with gloop, mud, foam etc.
Tell the Housebound With Kids community a bit about yourself…
Hi I am Alicia, an Early years teacher now stay at home mum to my two children 4 yr old boy and 1 yr old girl. I mainly come up with play ideas from following my children’s interest. I am passionate about creative play and love watching my children learn and make all those cognitive connections.
@everydayweeatplayandlearn
How are you finding being housebound so far?
Well, I would be lying if I said it has been fine. My daughter has had multiple teeth through. So lots of sleepless nights, I have found new levels of exhaustion too. However, I am thankful we have remained safe at home, we have some outdoor space to burn off energy and we have had time to slow down and notice things more. I have always loved spring but I noticed so much more this year.
Do you have any tips for other parents?
Be kind to yourself. If you have to drink more caffeine, eat more sugar to survive then do it. It is all OK to feel overwhelmed, frustrated and exhausted. Don’t compare yourself to other people or worry you are not doing enough because the fact you are worried shows you are doing enough.
Has this website and community helped you?
It is great there is a community sharing really fabulous ideas.
