Here is a sensory story for those of you who are enjoying pottering in the garden, strolling past your local allotments or growing some herbs on the window sill…
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss, with lovely simple illustrations by Crockett Johnson, is a simple story which celebrates the wonder of growing things and the virtues of patience. It is available in hardback, paperback or as a board book.
A little boy sews a carrot seed and waits and waits for it to grow…
Although I have made some suggestions for props you might want to buy or make this is another sensory story you could easily tell using things you have around your home or classroom.
When I am telling this as a sensory story I often use a little shaker for the ‘seed’. These ones from Myriad are my favourites for this: (https://www.myriadonline.co.uk/)
You could also just use a packet of seeds. (If you replace carrot seeds with some rice or lentils you will get a better rattling sound when you shake the packet!)
I ‘plant’ a seed or seeds in a cloth bag or sack. Then I mime the actions of the story and exaggerate all the voices!
Use a little watering can – you could tie blue or silver ribbons to the spout to make some ‘water’. Or – if the child you are reading the story to would enjoy the feel of water – you could spray the back of their hand gently with a water sprayer.
I like to read the pages where the boy is watching for the seed to grow very slowly to give the listener the feeling of waiting. You could also repeat these pages several times so that the child really gets the feeling of time passing slowly.
I usually have a carrot or bunch of carrots all ready in the bag/sack where I planted the seed and then I pull this out with a big cheer at the end.
If you happen to know any keen knitters it could also be fun to have a huge knitted carrot in the bag at the end, with big leaves. The child you are reading the story to can help pull it out of the bag!
Remember – not all of my props recommendations are toys! The props I suggest should not be used by children unsupervised.