My Kind of Blog
Our blog about books for children with additional needs, and ideas for turning them into sensory stories.
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- Halloween Sensory Activity Round-up
We wanted to share some of the lovely sensory activities for Halloween that we have come across recently… Pumpkin carving is a great sensory activity – but remember you can try other vegetables as well. It is hard work turning… - Book recommendations and a free sensory story for Halloween
We are looking forward to celebrating Halloween with lanterns by the door and treacle scones to eat – and we are also celebrating with three new additions to our bookshop shelves and a free Halloween sensory story download! Room on… - Book recommendations – and a book giveaway for Down’s Syndrome Awareness Month
October is Down’s Syndrome Awareness Month – below are four lovely books which include images or characters with Down’s Syndrome. And we’re giving some books away! Keep reading to the end of the list to find out how to enter… - A Sensory Story about Building
This call and response sensory story is great for topics around building or work. It was originally written for a school that was undergoing major building works to help pupils with complex needs cope with the noise and upheaval. Feel… - Book suggestions with sensory story tips for Black History Month
As Black History Month approaches I wanted to highlight two brilliant picture books: Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush and Hey You. I created sensory story resources to accompany both of these books for The Edinburgh International Book Festival… - Stories to read on Father’s Day
Something old and something new for Father’s Day! Both these books contain lovely depictions of kind and patient fathers or male role models. My first suggestion is the classic Peace At Last by Jill Murphy. Forty years old but still… - Sensory Story Suggestion for the Platinum Jubilee
The picture book The Queen’s Hat by Steve Antony is a lively London adventure, perfect for sharing as we celebrate the Jubilee. Buy it here in our book shop: https://mykindofbook.org.uk/shop/ And then follow these hints and tips for turning it… - My Top Five Sensory Props for Springtime
After a long gap I’m back with my top five list of sensory props for Springtime. Natural objects such as flowers, buds and leaves are great to use in Springtime sensory stories…but here are a few other things to try:… - Strictly Come Dancing Sensory Story
It’s that time of year again! Here’s a fun short story for those of you (adults and children) who can’t get enough of Strictly! You can tell this story with one pupil as the hero/heroine or you can tell it… - A Sensory Poem for National Poetry Day
National Poetry Day is coming up on the 7th October. Why not mark the occasion by taking a few minutes to read some poetry aloud in your classroom, letting everyone enjoy the sensory language? Look for poems with a strong… - My Top Five Sensory Props for Autumn
Another list of my favourites for you – and hurray for autumn – the sensory season! Autumn provides us with so many sensory props: conkers, leaves, blackberries, apples…but here are a few others to add to the mix: 1) ‘Crinkle’… - My Top Five Props for Seaside Sensory Stories
Here are some fun props to add to your seaside stories along with the buckets and spades, shells and sun lotion! These props would be useful for many sensory stories set at the beach. 1) Seagull A seagull that makes… - My Top Five Intriguing Sounds for Sensory Stories
An unusual sound is great for getting people’s interest in a sensory story. There are some noises that I love to include in my stories. My feeling is that if you know a noise will help a story along shoehorn… - The Little Red Hen, a sensory story about plants and growing things
Here is a sensory story version of The Little Red Hen – last in a series of sensory stories for The Wigtown Book Festival. I have kept all the basic elements of the traditional tale, but changed it to make… - The Big Sneeze, Ruth Brown
Sticking with the farmyard theme The Big Sneeze by Ruth Brown lends itself beautifully to becoming a sensory story. It has a simple narrative, clear actions and only a little bit of text on each page. It’s perfect for a… - A Spring-time Sensory Story
Lambs, chicks and ducks…enjoy some spring-time sensory storytelling at the Big Dog Children’s Book Festival. - Kite Flying, Grace Lin
It’s been a week of wild March winds here – and this is the perfect book for windy weather! - A Sensory Story for Mother’s Day
Here is a story that would go well with a Mother’s Day theme when we celebrate the power of mums! - A Sensory Story for World Book Day
World Book Day is on the 4th of March this year. A perfect day for a sensory story with lots of books in it! - A Pancake Day Sensory Story
This time I have a script for you rather than a book recommendation. This script is for an easy-to-tell sensory story for pancake day. - Chinese New Year
The Runaway Wok by Ying Chang Compestine and Sebastià Serra is a fun lively tale for Chinese New Year. - Stone Soup
It’s back to Wigtown Book Festival again for a big bowl of Stone Soup. This traditional tale about sharing is told all over the world. - The Magic Porridge Pot
I am very happy to be working with the Wigtown Festival on a series of Sensory Story and Rhyme videos. First up is the Magic Porridge Pot. - A Squash and a Squeeze, Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
Many of us may be feeling a little bit squashed and squeezed at the moment as we are stuck at home more than normal. - Even More Autumn and Halloween Sensory Stories!
I’ve come across a couple more lovely books so I can’t resist giving some more seasonal sensory story suggestions… - More Sensory Stories for Autumn and Halloween
Here are some links to Autumn and Halloween sensory stories available online. - It Was a Cold, Dark Night, Tim Hopgood
Autumn is definitely here – time for some nice Autumn sensory stories. - Baby Goes to Market, Atinuke, illustrated by Angela Brooksbank
This lovely story about a mother and child visiting a West African market is very simple to follow and has big bright illustrations. - Stanley’s School, William Bee
Stanley’s School is a cheerful story about a school day that will give you a chance to remind your wee ones about their school routine. - The Carrot Seed, Ruth Krauss
Here is a sensory story for those of you who are enjoying pottering in the garden. - What a Wonderful World, illustrated by Tim Hopgood
It’s the last week of term here in Scotland so I wanted to write about a feel-good book in the lead up to the holidays. - Peace at Last, Jill Murphy
This picture book is perfect for telling as a multi-sensory story to a child with complex additional needs. It has a simple narrative with lots of lovely repetition and includes some very engaging noises! - The Three Billy Goats Gruff
This satisfying tale can easily be turned into a multi-sensory story using only regular household objects. The rhythm and repetition in this story make it perfect to share with a child with complex additional needs. - All Join In, Quentin Blake
A joyful book guaranteed to cheer up even the gloomiest of days! All Join In is is made up of a series of rhyming poems. All of these are lovely to read aloud, and all include lots of engaging noises. - The Crow and the Pitcher
One of Aesop’s fables, The Crow and the Pitcher (or The Crow and the Jug) is a very simple little tale, fun to act out and it even includes some science! It uses objects that you will have around your house.