We’re Going on an Elf Chase by Martha Mumford (Author) and Laura Hughes (Illustrator) is a lovely picture book to share in the run up to Christmas. It makes a great festive sensory story that is particularly suitable for children who enjoy rhythm, actions and being part of a cheery group.
If you are reading this book in school encourage your staff team to all join in with the actions and chanting. (The story is quite similar to We’re Going on a Bear Hunt so it should feel familiar.)
As always it is not necessary to translate all the elements of the text and illustrations into sensory props; add things in and leave them out according to the needs and interests of the children you are sharing the story with. You may also want to skip one or two pages of the story if it is a bit long for your class.
We’re going on an elf chase…
Put on a woolly hat and scarf – encourage your staff team and the children to put woolly hats on as well!
Run, run, run
Whilst sitting down make running noises by stamping your feet and slapping your knees with your hands. Encourage everyone to join in so the running sound surrounds the children. (If you do this each time there is a ‘run, run, run’ page the children will enjoy the repetition.)
Penguin pages: try some ice as a prop. Make penguin wing flapping actions and skating actions – encourage everyone to join in.
Robin pages: Try giving the children some bark and/or branches to explore. Record some robin song onto a switch recorder (one similar to a BIGmack) or try one of these soft toy robins which sing when you squeeze them. Make tip toe actions – like the running actions above but quieter and gentler.
Igloo and polar bear pages:
Try making some shaving cream snow! (google ‘shaving cream snow’ online) Or use a large piece of white cloth as ‘snow’. Some children may enjoy being covered in this like the polar bears (particularly if you use light translucent cloth) or having it draped around them.
Make some snoring noise and ‘tiptoe’ past the bears as you say ‘don’t make them roar!’
Christmas tree and reindeer pages:
If the children you are sharing the story with are all right with essential oils you could use some pine scent here. (Sprinkle a few drops on some cotton wool and put the cotton wool in a little drawstring bag, then tie the bag tightly shut.)
Experiment with the lids from laundry liquid bottles to make ‘clop clop’ noises (bang two lids together). You could also use some small bells for jingling harnesses.
For the ‘quick, quick’ page make all the noises and the running actions very fast…then as you turn the page become very quiet and say ‘ssh!’ as the bunnies go to bed. You could try using some blankets here and tucking these around the children.
The ‘big surprise’ can be lots of stockings, confetti, tinsel, streamers, party hats and cheering!
Remember – not all of my props recommendations are toys! The props I suggest should not be used by children unsupervised.