Teaching ideas and inspiration to celebrate the month of January including Burns Night, Jackson Pollock Sensory Art, World Braille Day, Big Schools Birdwatch, Martin Luther King Day, National Handwriting Day, Tu BiShvat, sign up for the FREE 'Holi' themed multisensory workshop and more!
Dates At a Glance
4th Jan World Braille Day
6th Jan - Epiphany
6th Jan - 20th Feb Big Schools Birdwatch
16th Martin Luther King Day
23rd Jan - National Handwriting Day
24th Jan - Tu BiShvat
25th Jan - Burns Night
4th Jan World Braille Day
Can students write their name using the letters from the braille alphabet?
Roll playdoh or plasticine into little balls to place on a template of the braille alphabet.
Play a game of dominoes matching the dots.
Match physical items to the words
6th Jan Epiphany
Epiphany Day or ‘Three Kings Day’, is a Christian holiday celebrating the day the Three Wise Men travelled to visit Jesus.
Smell frankincense and myrrh (these can be purchased as essential oils, incense, and hand cream)
Touch & look at gold items: dress jewellery, gold foil, gold paper, gold material and fabric, mark make using gold paint.
Listen to the sound coins make as they hit the bottom of the money box/tin when posted. Taste: Foods traditionally eaten at Epiphany include: clementines, dates and dried fruit. Taste gold chocolate coins.
Other Activities
Make and decorate crowns.
Make star shaped cookies.
Explore an Epiphany sensory bin or box.
Listen to, sing, sign, and/or play instruments to the song 'We Three Kings'
Dress up as Kings.
Promote Literacy Skills
Traditionally, people bless their home by writing the letters C, M, and B, + the year, above the door to the house. The letters represent Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. The + signifies the cross. The letters also represent the Latin words 'Christus mansionem benedicat,' which translates to 'May Christ bless the house'
Practice mark-making, writing and recognising the numbers, letters and symbols 20 + C + M + B + 24 in chalk.
Big Schools Birdwatch
8th Jan - 19th Feb
Register - It's free and you will be sent lots of resources to help with your birdwatch and ideas for activities to spark students' interest in wildlife and the world around them.
Visit the RSPB website for your free pack Big Schools’ Birdwatch 2024 (rspb.org.uk)
25th January
Burns Night
'Celebrate Burns Night' my friend said to me,
'Robert Burns' I asked, 'Who is he?'
'Follow me and you will see...'
This fully resourced, step by step multisensory story is set on Burns Night as we join our main character at a traditional Burns Supper.
This teaching resource includes sensory extension activities linked to excerpts of Robert Burns poems.
This story presents a wonderful opportunity to connect individuals to literature, Scottish culture and the exploration of the rhyme and rhythm in poetry.
Table of Contents
Introduction
How to tell a Multisensory Story
Story Props Checklist
Burns Night Full Poem
Burns Night Fully Resourced, Multisensory Poem
'Bessie and her Spinning Wheel'
'To a Mouse' Sensory Bin
'Winter'
'One Night as I did Wander'
'The Whistle'
'Lines on the Fall of Fyres'
'Ye Flowery Banks'
'The Dusty Miller' (See Below)
Burns Supper Invitation
Burns Supper Mud Kitchen (Including Burns Supper Recipes)
Scotland Sensory Flag
Scottish Dancer Craft Activity
Vegetarian Haggis Recipe
Burns Night Sensory Ideas & Inspiration
Excerpt: 'The Dusty Miller' by Robert Burns
‘Hey the dusty miller
And his dusty coat!
He will spend a shilling
Or he win a groat.
Dusty was the coat’
'The Dusty Miller' Sensory Activity.
Explore the verse from the poem through the senses.
You will need:
Flour
An Old Coat/Jacket/Chef's Whites/Dark T-Shirt
Money
Present the dusty flour for sensory exploration.
Activity
Present the flour for sensory exploration/ Can the student feel how soft the flour is to the touch?
Model sprinkling the flour between your finger and thumbs.
Can the student copy this action?
Dust the flour onto an old coat.
Dust the flour onto coins.
Mark-make in the flour using fine motor tools or press coins into the flour to make an imprint.
Can the student create a pattern pressing the coins into the flour?
Can the student make handprints in the flour?
Grind grains using a pestle and mortar to make flour. (Explore griding flour using other ingredients (rice, semolina, coconut, oats, rye, tapioca,
Add water and oil to make mouldables exploring the flours above.
Roll pastry.
Taste bread.
Burns Night Kilt Craft Activity
You will need
Tartan paper (Tip this can be printed from the internet then photocopied in colour or students can design their own)
Two craft sticks
Two buttons
Paint/felt tips/crayons
Glue
Activity
Paint or colour the craft sticks, these will be the hose (socks)
Draw on the shoes, adding a button to decorate
Draw zigzags onto the hose (socks) to represent the laces of the shoes.
Fold the tartan paper into a concertina shape (as if making a fan)
Gather one end of the paper to form the waist of the kilt.
Using the glue, stick the craft sticks (legs) onto the back of the kilt.
16th Jan - Martin Luther King Day
Make a dreamcatcher.
Make a friendship potion using edible flowers and herbs.
You will need:
A Container: Bowl, bucket or beaker (or for a less mess alternative, place your potion ingredients directly into a large clean, empty water bottle, fasten the lid, secure with tape to make a potion sensory bottle.)
Liquid: Water (still or carbonated), Glycerine, Food Colouring, Hair Conditioner, Vegetable Oil.
Infuse tea in water: Chamomile, Echinacea, Ginger, Green, Lemon Balm, Rose, Turmeric, Peppermint.
(Mix tea leaves to create a new blend)
Items to Stimulate Vision and Touch: Calcite, Feathers, Foam Shapes, Gems, Glass Pebbles, Glitter, Googly Eyes, Pom Poms, Polished Pebbles, Rhinestones, Seeds, Sequins, Shells, Tassels, Water Beads.
Items to Stimulate the Sense of Smell: Fresh or Dried Herbs: (Basil, Cinnamon Sticks, Cloves, Lavender, Lime Leaves, Lemon Grass, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Star Anise, Thyme, Turmeric), Edible Flowers, Orange/Lemon/Lime Peel, Rose Petals.
Essential Oils: Bergamot, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Orange, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Ylang-Ylang.
Items to Stimulate Hearing: Beads, Buttons, Coins, Pasta, Pulses, Rice.
Items to Promote Fine Motor Skills and Encourage Scientific Investigation & Exploration: Chopsticks, Food Tongs, Funnels, Plastic Safety Scissors,
Measuring Beakers/Cylinder/Jug, Plastic Safety/Easy Grip/Jumbo Tweezers, Magnifying Glass/Handheld Magnifier, Pestle & Mortar, Pipettes, Plastic Test Tubes, PVC Tubing, Spatula, Spoons, Water Droppers.
23rd Jan - National Handwriting Day
Explore sensory mark making in different mediums flour, foam, oats, pulses, rice, sand, soil
Use different tools to mark-make: brushes (bottle brush, hairbrush, nail brush, pot brush, scrubbing brush, toothbrush), chalk, charcoal, feathers, kitchen utensils, paint rollers, sponges, toy cars, sticks and twigs
Explore printing using leaves, fruits, vegetables, and bubble wrap.
Make bark rubbings.
Spray paint from a water spray bottle.
Carve into plasticine, clay or wax.
Draw around shadows.
24th Jan Tu BiShvat
This is the Jewish New Year for Trees. Many fruits associated with the Holy Land are eaten, in particular the ones mentioned in the Torah, such as pomegranates, dates, figs, grapes and olives.
Some people will try a new fruit.
Engage the Senses & Try New Foods
Explore the texture, smell and taste of pomegranates, (de-stoned) dates, figs, grapes* and (de-stoned) olives. (*Be aware of choking hazards)
Explore food containing dates, figs, grapes, and olives:
Pomegranate: Chutney, Juice, Sorbet, Tea.
Dates: Cereal Bars, HP Sauce!
Olives: Bread, Butter, Oil.
Figs: Fig Roll Biscuits, Dried Figs, Chutney, Fresh Figs, Jam, Yogurt, Relish.
Grapes: Grape Juice, Raisins, Sultanas.
Try a new exotic fruit:
Chayote, Coconut, Kiwi, Kumquat, Mango, Papaya, Persimmon, Physalis, Pomelo.
Alternative Activity to Food Tasting
Offer a hand massage using fruit scented and olive hand creams, lip balms*, hand wash/bubble bath (pour a little into a foot spa) and explore essential oils.
*Be Allergy Aware
January Birthdays
4th Jan - Sir Isaac Newton
Eat an apple and explore apple printing. Can the students make a repeating pattern using different colours?
Explore gravity by trampolining/rebound therapy.
Explore the law of acceleration by riding a bike, go cart or scooter or sending a toy car or ball down a ramp.
8th Jan - Elvis Presley
Listen to a song by 'The King of Rock and Roll'
Can the students join in playing musical instruments?
17th Jan - Benjamin Franklin
Explore torches, LED Battery lights, and bells.
Fly a kite
Explore printing activities
18th Jan - AA Milne
Listen to a Winnie the Pooh story
Taste honey
27th Jan - Lewis Carroll
Hold a Mad Hatter's Tea Party
28th Jan - Jackson Pollock
Create Jackson Pollock Artwork.
Lay a large sheet of paper on the floor, dip balls of assorted sizes and textures into paint then roll!
Fill pipettes/turkey basters with different coloured paints then squeeze onto paper.
Place a sheet of paper in a tray. Squeeze poster paints onto the paper then roll a marble or a small ball around the tray.
Add different coloured watered-down paints or food colouring to water spray bottles explore the different nozzle settings, spray, spritz and squirt.
Squeeze a little poster/acrylic paint onto paper. Provide a selection of toy cars and vehicles (with different sized wheels) for students to 'drive' over the paper.
Line a large box with paper, add a little paint, secure the lid...then shake!
Tie rubber bands around a rolling pin, dip into paint then roll.
Soak sponges with paint, drop them over paper and watch the paint splatter. Experiment using different shaped sponges thrown from different heights.
Add paint to the paper then blow through a straw to create random patterns.
Place a sheet of paper in the basket of a salad spinner, add watered down paint...then spin!
Gently pour paint into a funnel. Place your thumb over the small opening at the bottom then release over the paper to create a picture.
Take the learning outside, place a large sheet of paper on the floor, fill water balloons with paint, take aim...then throw!
Continuing with the outdoor theme, make tyre tracks by riding a bike scooter over paint on a large sheet of paper.
Stimulate the senses. Add a few drops of food flavouring (peppermint, strawberry, vanilla essence) to the paint.
Explore using different liquids for 'paint' food colouring, coffee, fruit juice, teabags, washing up liquid.
Paint using herbs and spices mixed in water: allspice, cumin, (mild) curry powder, paprika or ground up seed and herbs mixed with water.
'Jackson Pollock Sensory Art' by the Students of Harbour House
I was delighted to receive these fabulous pictures from the talented students of Harbour House - a specialist SLD provision which is part of Gloucestershire College.
Look at the scale of this artwork!
Some students made smaller pieces of artwork using paint and a salad spinner which they glued onto their masterpiece, and they also made their own environmentally friendly scented paint!
(Thank you to the students, their lovely teacher Amy and the team)
January Arts, Crafts and Promoting Literacy Skills
STOP! Don't throw away your Christmas Cards!!!
Receiving Christmas cards is one of the joys of the season. Before you pop them in the recycling bin, take a look at these low-budget educational, yet fun activities!
Next Year's Gift Tags!
This activity promotes creative art & design, decision making and fine motor skills as students handle materials.
You will need:
Christmas cards
Scissors
Ribbon or string
Hole punch
Select a Christmas card.
Cut down the edge and use the front of the card.
Encourage the student to look for different pictures to use for gift tags within the card.
Using the scissors, carefully cut around your chosen picture.
Punch a hole in the top corner.
Thread string or ribbon through the hole.
Jigsaws
This activity will develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, shape recognition, promote problem solving, patience and a feeling of achievement once the puzzle is completed.
You will need:
Used Christmas Cards
Scissors
Ruler
Select a Christmas Card. Cut down the edge and use the front of the card.
Cut the card into shapes
Experiment with different shapes, rectangles, squares, triangles etc.
Speech Bubbles
This activity engages the imagination, develops communication and language skills, encourages social interaction by means of a two-way conversation and helps students to build on storytelling skills.
You will need:
The front of a Christmas Card
A pen/felt tip
Select a card.
Draw a speech bubble on the card next to a character (Option to print out templates to stick on)
Write the speech inside the speech bubble - it could be a question, command, comment, or a joke.
Extend the learning by using a 'thought bubble' and discuss the difference between and 'though bubble' and a 'speech bubble'
Story Cards
This activity is a fun way to engage imaginative thinking, promote communication & language skills and explore storytelling.
Take a look at this Christmas card.
Point to characters in the card and ask open ended questions e.g. 'What gifts do you think the girl is carrying?'
'Why do you think the man is pulling the presents on a sleigh'?
What season/month is it?
'Why are the people wearing hats/carrying presents?
'Why do the chimneys have smoke coming out of them?'
'How many dogs can you see?'
Build a story around the card.
'The people who live in this village are preparing for a Christmas party.'
'The boy at the bottom of the card is singing Christmas Carols.'
'The lady at the top of the picture has baked mince pies for the villagers.'
'The people have decorated the tree ready for the big light switch-on later this evening.'
Spark conversation by asking 'Who?', What?', 'When?' 'Where?' and 'Why?'
Can the student develop the plot? What happens next?
Can the student relate events in the picture to events or experiences in their own lives?
Word Play
This activity builds word recognition and comprehension skills.
Cut out the verse from a Christmas card.
Ask the student to read the verse out loud.
Photocopy or write the verse onto the top of a piece of paper.
Cut out the individual words then scramble them for the student to place into the correct order.
Can the student use the words to compose their own sentences or phrases? e.g., 'New Year Wishes', 'Best Christmas Greetings.'
Poetry Page
The rhythm and rhyme of Poetry helps individuals to learn new vocabulary and encourages speech and language
You will need:
A Christmas card verse page
PVA glue/glue stick or sticky tape
Piece of card or paper
Carefully cut out the verses from the Christmas Cards.
Glue the verses onto the card or paper.
Read the poem aloud to the student.
Identify and define any unfamiliar words.
Can the student read the poem or any sentences aloud?
Summarise and discuss the poem's meaning.
Can the student create their own verse?
The Sensory Card
I love the cause and effect of this flip-up sequined card!
The senses are stimulated as the shiny silver reversible sequins change into a colourful star as the fingers are brushed over the surface. It is also very tactile.
This beautiful card will be promptly popped into my sensory box!
For more January ideas...
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Other Titles in this Series
Fully resourced, step-by-step multisensory stories linking individuals to literature, culture, history & topic through the senses.
Each resource includes themed, sensory activities aimed at promoting communication skills, independence and areas of learning.
FULL LIST OF TITLES
The Seasons Collection
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
The Weather (Free resource)
Christmas
Dear Santa (Free resource)
Dear Santa Adapting into a Play (Free resource)
Culture & Celebrations Collection
A Train Ride Through India
Burns Night
Chinese New Year
Halloween
Holi
St Patricks Day
History
The King's Coronation
The Queen's Jubilee (Free resource)
The Romans
Life Skills
Jobs and Work Experience
Maths
Shapes - A Multisensory Exploration (includes 130 shape themed, sensory activities)
Reference
Listen - An A-Z of Sensory Inspiration to Stimulate the Auditory System
Sensory Resources for Sensory Learners (800+ ideas)
January 2024 Teachers Almanac
Self-Care
The Dentist (Free resource)
Washing Hands (Free resource)
Topic/Theme
Airports & Airplanes
Elephants
Journey into Space
Minibeasts
Superheroes
The Beach
The Farm
The Rainforest
Traditional Tales Collection
The Gingerbread Man
Goldilocks
Jack & the Beanstalk
Little Red Riding Hood
The Three Little Pigs
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Visit the shop £3.98
Visit the Story Library for your FREE resources
Download the Latest Catalogue
Training
'Multisensory Storytelling & Engagement Through Sensory Activities' Workshop
1-1
Groups
The workshop covers all aspects of multisensory storytelling from sourcing story props to adapting existing texts into multisensory stories plus we will explore lots of sensory ideas, activities, and inspiration plus an in-depth look at a multisensory story.
Pricelist
1-1 Workshop
£45
Digital certificate of completion
Course notes (pdf)
Private Group Workshop
£99
Digital certificate of completion
Course notes (pdf)
Whole school/setting INSET
£199
Includes a free 6-month subscription to the Members Library
Digital certificate of completion
Course notes (pdf)
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Thank you for your support
See you in February!
Your questions, queries, comments and feedback are always welcome!
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The Health & Safety Bit!
Please Read Before Engaging in any of the Activities
Health & Safety Advice & Disclaimer
The author has used their best efforts in preparing the information on this website and makes no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness or completeness to the contents.
The information is for pleasure purposes only.
If you wish to apply any ideas and activities contained in this blog, on the website or in any of the multisensory stories or resources, you are wholly responsible and take full responsibility for your actions.
The activities are designed to be led and supervised by a responsible adult at all times.
A Note on Allergies/Intolerances
If you have any doubts regarding any activity or prop used, then seek advice before starting.
Be aware of potential choking hazards.
Check the ingredients in any items you may be using for any potential food or skin allergies or respiratory reactions. If you see any signs of redness, swelling or other symptoms of a suspected reaction seek immediate medical advice.
The interactions should be led by the sensory explorer who should be allowed to participate without expectation.
Never force stimuli and stop the activity if the story explorer shows signs that they are not enjoying the session.
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