We need you!

Issue 71 Spring 2007 

A beautiful picture of Abbie 

for everyone to enjoy

Contents 

Information Exchange celebrates the journey that we all 

make along the 'journey of understanding' about the 

special babies, children, young people and adults who 

share our lives. It exists as a Forum and support for all 

who have, along with sensory needs, other complex ones. 

Information Exchange is compiled with help from many 

corners of the world - ideas written and spoken, ideas 

seen and experiences shared. It is fully independent and 

the Editorial Team work hard on a voluntary basis to 

bring out the magazine - three times a year. There are 

also unseen supporters of the magazine who help in 

many ways. 

Information Exchange has a buzz that is fostered when 

readers get together through the magazine itself. The 

basic remit of the magazine is the exchange of 

information in an accessible and unbiased way. There is 

a delight in newly found discoveries, sensory trinkets, 

soothing aromas, new ideas, books, technology, issues 

to discuss and Rag Bag ideas to share. 

Information Exchange is for everyone - family members, 

parents, carers, educators, therapists or anyone who 

needs to find out more or gain confidence from others 

by reading, challenging and discussing. In this inclusive 

way, everyone is learning and growing together through 

the medium of the magazine. 

Copyright 

We have requests to reprint articles that have 

appeared in Information Exchange from time to time. 

Please note that such requests are passed on to the 

original authors for their decision on publication. 

Price - £6.00 per individual copy 

Advertising Rates 

Back Cover £350.00 

Full Page £250.00 

Half Page £150.00 

Quarter Page £75.00 

Disclaimer 

The views expressed in Information Exchange are those of 

individual authors and so do not necessarily represent the 

views of the Editorial Team. Also, neither the individual 

contributors nor the team can be held responsible for any 

consequences resulting from the purchase or use of 

equipment, toys, techniques or ideas featured or advertised 

in the magazine. 

Contents 

2 Issue 71 Spring 2007 

Editors page 3 

Abbie and the drums 4 

‘The dark dark tale’ box 5 

Book Reviews 6 

A Singing Sack 7 

Lilli Nielsen writes ... 8-9 

Education 10 

Sensabout – new resource from Sally Slater 11 

Teenage Chillout 12 

News from “New Scientist” 13 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 14-15 

Rag Bag To Buy 16-19 

Rag Bag To Make 20-22 

Rag Bag To Do 23 

The Sensory ‘Auditory’ wall by Audrey Forbes 24 

Smart Moves 25 

Electronic Exchange 26 

Setting up an exciting visual environment 27 

Hirstwood Multisensory Training 28 

An incredible journey 29 

SLD forum – exchange of ideas 30 

“The Magic Classroom” 31 

Thank you to Abbie 

and her parents Nick 

and Mandy Jones for 

giving permission for the beautiful picture 

of Abbie to be seen on the front cover. 

Sally Silverman tells me they are amazing 

parents, and are so modest. They have 

set up a website for Abbie on 

www.abmanic.co.uk 

Abbie is also very special too!

Editorial 

Editorial 

Dear readers, 

Welcome to a spring issue full of ideas 

and articles for you to enjoy – and also 

ponder upon. 

I wonder if we realise what a rich multisensory resource 

is waiting for all special children and teenagers in the 

community. We can stick to the tried and tested visit to 

shops or the park or try something new. 

Last night I took my grandchildren to an amazing 

wrestling event for the evening. What a multisensory 

experience, the cheering crowd, the feeling of being 

welcomed into a large crowd, the bright lights, a fog 

machine (for the grand entrance of the wrestlers) the 

amazing antics of the wrestlers, some dressed in loud 

brash outfits. The master of ceremonies ‘using call and 

respond’ to egg on the crowd and giving permission for 

everyone to shriek, yell and gesture as much as you 

wanted! Even the ring itself was a wonderful resonance 

bard. 

I am pleased to say there were special children and 

people in the audience; the theatre had fine facilities to 

accommodate all. A young man who was a wheelchair 

user was as loud in his sounds and movements as 

everyone else –a wrestling match is a 

great leveller. So, use your 

imagination. Get out there and use 

what is waiting for the very special 

person. 

Best sensory wishes, 

Flo Longhorn 

We need you! 

Please send your ideas 

articles, an interesting 

buy or idea to make. 

Without you, the 

magazine will not be 

full to the brim with 

exciting reading, in the 

summer! 

The editor! 


The Information Exchange Editorial Team 

Flo Longhorn: Managing Editor, Consultant in Special 

Education 

Catherine de Haas: Parent and Speech and 

Language Therapist 

Pat Robinson: Subscriptions Secretary 

Roger Longhorn: Webmaster 

Kay Evans: Teacher and regular reader of IE 

Sue Granger: A volunteer who lives in France 

Sally Slater: Consultant in Special Education 

Karen Buckley: Advisory teacher working in Sheffield 

Additional advice and support from Sally Silverman 

our roving reporter 

Kate Sullivan, Bronwen Campbell and Naomi 

Rosenberg: Support teachers for the Sensory Impaired 

Service in Bristol 

Evelyn Varma who lives in Somerset: Editing and Word 

Processing 

And you - the reader, send your ideas and articles to 

the Editor! 

Subscriptions 

All enquiries to: 

Sara Cliff 

Subscriptions 

Information Exchange 

1A Potters Cross 

Wootton 

Bedfordshire 

MK43 9JG 

Tel and Fax: 01234 764108 

Email: saraCERL@aol.com 

Editorial and Administration Address 

Flo Longhorn: Managing Editor 

1A Potters Cross 

Wootton 

Bedfordshire MK43 9JG 

OR 

24 Fazantenlaan 

Bredene-Am-Zee 

B8450 Belgium 

Tel/Fax: 0845 127 5281 

Email: Flocatalyst@aol.com 

3

Abbie and the drums 

Abbie had a great time using the Timponi Drum, tapping 

with the drumstick, tapping with her hands, trying to 

‘catch’ the coloured spots which were being projected 

onto the drum. 

Trying to ‘eat’ the spots on the drum. 


She had a great time with the Timponi drum, but an 

even greater time lying under this type of drum. 

She loved it, lots of smiling, laughing, eye contact, 

stilling, reaching up to tap drum herself. I wanted to 

know what it was like so tried it myself. What an 

amazing experience. The vibration and sound was 

great, a real ‘in your tummy’ feeling. 

Thank you so much to Gill for taking time to write 

this article and take some amazing photos 

– And to the star, Abbie! 

– Gill Scutt 

Nursery Nurse, Sensory Support Service, Bristol.

‘The dark dark tale’ box 

– as told by staff at Curnow School in Cornwall 

Recently I visited Curnow School in Cornwalll and was 

made very welcome. A member of staff showed me this 

really good story box. The story is printed on the box 

with the contents. This means that the all the parts can 

go back at the end of the story – nothing gets lost. 

Here is the story with some of the special effects. 

Thank you Curnow School! 

In a dark dark wood 

‘In the dark dark wood there 

was a dark dark house’ 


There was a dark dark house 

And in that dark dark house 

There was a dark dark door 

And behind the dark dark door 

Was a dark dark stairway 

Up the stairs was a dark dark room 

And in that dark dark room 


‘In the dark dark house there was 

a dark dark door’ 

‘Behind the dark dark door there were 

some dark dark stairs’ 

(The door opens and the stairs are made of carpet 

so fingers can climb them) 

‘And at the top of the dark stairs was 

a dark cupboard’ 

(The stairs are cut out of black card and lie on a piece of 

card. When the card is moved, it looks as if you are 

moving up the stairs too) 

‘And in the dark 

dark cupboard 

was a dark 

dark box’ 

(The box is painted 

black inside and out 

with a Velcro latch) 

‘And in the dark 

dark box there 

was – a mouse!’ 


(A little box is placed 

inside the cupboard 

and inside is a mouse! 

You could vary the contents of the box so the listeners 

have an extra surprise!) 

There was a dark dark cupboard 

And in that dark dark cupboard 

Was a dark dark shelf 

And on that dark dark shelf 

There was a dark dark box 

And in that dark dark box 

................ There were mice! 

5

Book Reviews 

“Music Makers“ 

by Hannah Mortimer (2006) 

Music circle times to include 

everyone. 

A practical book for all early 

years’ settings who are looking for 

ideas of additional activities to 

motivate participation by their 

pupils. Intended for use by nonmusic 

specialists, this book includes more than 40 

activities to encourage listening, enjoyment, movement, 

communication and understanding. All activities are 

linked to the ‘Early Learning Goals’ and ‘Birth to Three 

Framework’ and in addition, record keeping and 

planning sheets are included. – A useful publication and 

very good value at £12. Fits in with special children as 

well. 

Available from QEd. 

Tel: 01785 620 364 

www.qed.uk.com 

Handbook on Medication for Carers of 

People with Learning Difficulties 

I have been shown this 

book written by a 

pharmacist Miriam 

Wilcher. I thought it looked 

excellent and that you 

might like to share – says 

Mandie Lewis in Bristol! 

Thanks Mandie! 

Go to: www.amazon.co.uk and 

search for: “Handbook 

–Medication – Carers” 

Sensory Stimulation 

”Sensory-Focused Activities for 

People with Physical and Multiple 

Disabilities” by Susan Fowler 

We learn about the world 

constantly through our senses and 

by interacting with it. Children 

explore and play in different 

environments and in doing so they find out what burns 

them or hurts them, what can be eaten, which things 

smell nice and what different sounds signify. This process 

of exploration and learning continues throughout our lives. 

Because of physical, sensory or intellectual disabilities 

many people have not had the same opportunities to 

explore and interact with their environment. Sensoryfocused 

activities are designed to provide environments 

in which people with disabilities can have the 

opportunity to use their senses to learn about and 

interact more meaningfully with the world. 

This photocopiable resource provides the reader with a 

step-by-step approach to organising sensory-focused 

activities for carers and other professionals working with 

people with physical, multiple or complex disabilities. 

Importantly, it also presents information on sensory 

stimulation within a framework that embraces the 

person’s daily environment. Activity ideas are based 

around food, drink, personal and household care and 

crafts and are kept simple so they can be slotted into 

daily routine with minimum disruption. 

Assessment forms and checklists will help carers and 

support staff to monitor and understand their clients’ 

needs and progress. 

Published with Scope from Jessica Publishers 

Price: £29.99 

www.jkp.com 


From the editor 

Susan has written a very useful multisensory book – 

especially for older students. It s full of ideas that 

incorporate everyday living skills. 

There are lots of unusual ideas such as homemade 

cosmetics. 

Within the book are also some useful checklists that 

are easily adapted. 

Well done Susan! This book fills a sensory gap for 

teenagers and students.

A Singing Sack 

A Singing Sack! 

Adapted from 

www.Under5s.co.uk 

When you are thinking of singing songs or nursery 

rhymes… 

•Have you ever wondered what to sing today? 

•How to introduce a new song? 

•How to encourage the children to suggest a song to 

sing, that is the same one as yesterday, and last week? 

•help… I can’t think of 

anything? 

The answer lies in a 

‘singing sack!’ 

It is easy to make, and 

everyone can make one, all 

you need is a bag such as a 

draw-string bag, a pillow case, a strong canvas bag. 

The bag can be decorated with the singers handprints or 

musical items sewn on securely-how about bells! 

When you get together for a song, pull out the singing 

sack and let it lead the music session. Choose someone 

to delve into the sack,a nd select an object, and off you 

go. 

In larger settings, it may help to have a song list – a list 

of songs relating to objects, so that if different 

practitioners are carrying out the activity, they have 

inspiration, and then to change and vary the toys 

occasionally. 

What do you put in a ‘singing sack’? 

Anything that inspires a song! Think about objects that 

are already used as objects of reference such as a 

wooden spoon for cookery-link it to a cooking song such 

as the ‘Queen of hearts, she made some tarts…..’ add a 

heart to personalise the rhyme as well. 

A selection of small world objects, pictures, or real 

objects that l relate to lots of different songs could also 

be used. 


Here are some ideas…… 

Nursery rhymes 

A toy bus The wheels on 

the bus 

A fresh pea pod How many peas in a 

pea pod pressed 

A doll Rock a bye Baby 

A stethoscope Miss Polly had a dolly who 

was sick, sick, sick 

A happy face If you’re happy and you know it 

A rabbit Little Peter Rabbit had a fly 

upon his nose 

A teddy When Goldilocks went to the 

house of bears 

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear 

If you go down to the woods today 

A scarecrow I’m a dingle dangle 

scarecrow 

A spider Little Miss Muffet 

There was an old lady who 

swallowed a fly 

You can change the singing sack to 

relate to your theme – if you are doing 

a spring theme, add spring animals – colours then add 

a rainbow, or little boy blue, for weather you can add a 

rain hat, or a piece of drain pipe (for Incy Wincy Spider 

to climb). … 

Think about students too and use the latest top hits for 

the singing sack. Find out what they like best of all and 

include in the sack – use a cd player to back up the 

objects with the stars singing along: 

Queen – we are the champions – a football scarf and 

colours 

The theme from Coronation street – a bar of Cadburys 

chocolate 

Lady in red – a red dress 

7

Lilli Nielsen writes..... 

Here is the third article 

by Lilli Nielsen about her 

work with very special 

people 

This article describes how 

Lilli devised the HOPSA dress to enable 

children to move around without help, 

despite being unable to walk. 

The HOPSA-Dress 

Scientific research? 

Or just the evidence gained from 

the improvement in children? 

In the beginning of the 1980s 

we got a new pupil in our 

classroom. She was 7 years old; 

she was blind and suffered from 

cerebral palsy. She did not have 

any verbal language but she 

was very good in smiling. She 

was unable to control head 

movements and so also unable 

to sit unsupported. Her hands were always clenched 

and each was situated next to each side of her head. 

Her legs were very thin and she was always found with 

very cold legs. The colour of the skin on her legs was 

violet and red showing that the blood circulation was 

very poor. Her feet were dropped. 

In order to make her feet and legs warmer we gave her 

massage, vibrating footbath, thick woollen socks, fur 

backs, and you just name it. 

Of course she also had a physiotherapist who treated 

her 2-3 times per week. She has had physiotherapy for 

years before she came to our classroom. 

None of these efforts had helped 

the girl to achieve warm feet. 

At that time I could only see one 

thing that would help, namely that the girl started to 

move her legs by her own. 

I designed the HOPSA-dress, which at that time was 

attached to a hook in the ceiling. I placed her so high 

up that she was unable to touch the floor but had the full 

freedom to touch the material placed under her feet. This 

was sometimes a plastic dog bed with warm water, 

sometimes big pieces of silk paper, or wrapping paper, 

sometimes 50 plastic balls. 


The girl was very pleased. During the first month she 

had difficulties in holding her head up. To support her in 

this aspect we placed a neck bag (such one you use in 

the airplane on long distance flight) under her chin. After 

a few months she became able to control her head 

movements. Gradually she also learned to bend her 

ankles. And she achieved warm legs. 

To be sure that the environment was renewed now and 

again we sometimes hung the HOPSA-dress so high up 

that there were space for an ESSEF Board with a 

Resonance Board placed upside down on top of it to be 

placed under her feet. On the Resonance Board we 

placed some glass marbles. The 

girl found out that if she pressed 

a little on the board the marbles 

would run to the left or right 

according to which foot she used. 

After 8-9 months she did not have the dropped feet any 

longer. 

Then she started to walk in circles, an activity I could not 

accept (she is blind and will never be able to see how 

we walk). To help her to learn to walk straight forward 

we got a track attached to the ceiling. Now the girl 

could walk up and down the corridor along a wall to 

which was attached several objects for her to play with. 

Her coordination between arms and leg movements 

became better and better. 

In other settings we facilitated her learning to use hands 

in midline organisation, and we also facilitated her 

learning to swallow without spastic reactions, etc. etc. 

Having seen her reaction to the HOPSA-dress I began to 

expose other children to this devise. Or I should rather 

say learners because I have done 

this for learners of all ages. The 

oldest one was 81 years old. 

So what is it that the HOPSA-dress is 

doing? 

Here is a list, which surely is not the final list. 

1. The blood circulation is enhanced. Better blood 

circulation affects the function of the lungs, the 

brain, the muscles and the renewing of cells of the 

skeleton as well as the rest of the body. 

2. The muscle strength is enhanced, which also means 

that the receptors for haptic perception become less

Lilli Nielsen writes..... 

lazy than in the past, which again means that the 

brain get more input to work with. This again helps 

the learner to control his movement, and makes it 

easier for the learner suffering from cerebral palsy 

to counteract his spastic reactions. 

3. Increased intestinal functioning 

4. Better bronchial condition 

5. Increased the ability to use feet for tactile 

orientation (especially very important for the visual 

impaired learner. 

6. Learning to balance, an ability, which is very 

important to achieve in order to be able to walk. 

7. As a whole activities performed while in the 

HOPSA-dress impact the learner’s entire health 

conditions. 

Details about the hopsa suit can be found at the website 

www.lilliworks.org 

Who is 

Dr. Lilli Nielsen R? 

Dr. Lilli Nielsen (Dr. phil) grew up in a family with four blind siblings. She has 

been working with disabled people for over thirty years. For 29 years, she 

acted as an advisor in the field of special educational needs at the national 

institute for blind and visually impaired children and young people in Denmark. 

She is a trained preschool teacher and psychologist. 

She was awarded a doctorate (PhD) by the 

University of Aarhus for her investigation into spatial 

perceptions in congenitally blind children. In 1997, 

the Queen of Denmark awarded her the “Knights 

Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog” for her work with 

disabled children and young people. 

Dr Lilli Nielsen has already written ten books on her 

work with disabled children. And in 1999, the first 

video was released on the use of perceptualizing aids. 


9

Education 

The Whitworth Art 

Gallery: Manchester 

The Art Treasure 

Chest 

A specially designed 

teaching resource for 

children with special educational needs. 

Packed full of activities and resources, the Art Treasure 

Chest brings the Gallery and its artworks to life. 

Resources and activities have been tried and tested on 

children with a range of special educational needs. 

Some groups felt the chest was a “wonderful idea”, “a 

great hands on experience” for their children and they 

“could use it again as it was a wonderful idea, all the 

children enjoyed looking at objects and being able to 

feel the textures and hear sounds – especially the 

visually impaired”. 

Teacher’s commented that their experience with the 

chest has helped the children “understand the gallery is 

a place of beauty and fun”. One teacher commented 

that she intends to “use it a lot with all age groups” 

and another said that she would “return in the future to 

explore more of the Gallery”. 

When your group visit, they will be assisted by two 

members of our Treasure Chest team – volunteers who 

know the Gallery and can provide support during your 

visit. 

We recommend no more than 12 pupils per visit and 

that sessions last no longer than 90 minutes. 

The Art Treasure Chest is FREE. 

For further information please email 

education.whitworth@manchester.ac.uk or telephone 

0160 275 7453 

Try your local museum or 

gallery and see if they 

have similar resources 


Courses and Conferences 

Sensory Tool Kit and 

Tools for Teens 

Edinburgh 15th to 17th May 2007 

London 23rd to 25th May 2007 

Cork 29th to 31st May 2007 

Do you need some tools to address SENSORY 

INTEGRATION, SENSORY PROCESSING and 

CHALLENGING classroom behaviours in INCLUSIVE 

classrooms? The sensory Tool Kit TM workshop inservices 

school administrators, psychologists, social 

workers, nurses, regular education teachers, special 

education teachers, occupational therapists, 

physiotherapists, speech therapists and parents. 

SI Network UK and Ireland Ltd are delighted to 

announce that Diana Henry OT will be coming to 

Edinburgh. She will present a three day course on 

Sensory Processing. www.sensoryintegration.org.uk 

The three day course will cost £350 or £515 to include 

all equipment, handouts and copies of Diana’s books 

‘Tool Chest’ and ‘Sensory Integration (SI) Tools for 

Teens: Strategies to Promote Sensory Processing’. 

Further details from 

www.sensoryintegration.org.uk 

Aromatherapy and massage for 

children with complex needs – 

an introduction 

This course is with Jane Harrison who is co-author the 

excellent book’ aromatherapy and massage for people 

with learning difficulties’ and has taught courses in the 

subject both here and abroad. 

This practical course will give participants an 

introduction to massage, concentrating on its use to 

relax or invigorate children with complex needs. 

The dates are 

15 may Leeds 

8 June Birmingham 

28 June Preston 

2 July Leeds 

Organised by the RNIB further details on 

www.rnib.org.uk/training 

Or call 0121 665 4221

Sensabout – new resource from Sally Slater 

Splashing away in the harbour – 

A ‘Sensabout’ multisensory experience 

Sally Slater, on the editorial board of Information 

Exchange, has been involved with other colleagues in 

beginning a new range of interactive materials. These 

materials have been carefully designed to meet the 

requirements of all learners, and in particular, complex 

needs. 

Sensabout is an inclusive educational package created 

around the theme of simple shapes found in different 

places. 

The package contains 

•A DVD of 60 photos with sound effects 

•Original songs 

•Recording sheets linked to P levels 

•A resource book that has photocopiable materials 

The first resource pack is called 

‘Stars at the harbour’ 

which focuses on stars found in the 

harbour and at the seaside 

-with photos, songs and activities. 


Here is an example: 

The beach Party 

You can use the photos depicting the 

party on an interactive board, the 

special song ‘Lets dress up for the party, 

dress in our finery, shine and sparkle…..’ 

There is a list of suggested props such as glitter face 

paints, steel band instruments…. 

There are ideas on how to link the 

props and actions 

‘Hands around and enjoy the drinks at 

the party 

Experience ice and lemon, smell rum 

and gin!’ 

So this is a pack of high quality materials at a very 

reasonable cost. 

Well done Sally and associates! 

Flo Longhorn 

Look at the website www.sensabout.com 

11

Teenage Chillout 

The Beauty/Barber Shop 

This is a Propbox for a beauty 

or barber shop. It Includes 

collections of objects and 

materials for teenagers to 

discover, use and find out more. 

The materials can be set up in a 

corner or in a big barber or beauty box. (updated 

2006) 

•Combs, brushes, pins, hairnets, clippers, curlers 

•towel, plastic apron, plastic basin, smocks, small cape 

(to drape on shoulders) donated from beauty shop (or 

small blanket with clothes pin can be substituted) 

•pretend nail polish, emery board nail dryer, nail polish 

bottles 

•shaving mug, shavers 

•make-up, make-up brushes 

•wigs or hair pieces, bobby pins, hair accessories 

(ribbons, bows, barrettes, large scrunchies, hair clips) 

•hair dryers and/or curling tongs with the cords cut off 

(watch out for the curling tongs with bristles – they can 

really tangle hair) 

•clean empty shampoo/conditioner and hairspray 

bottles (hot-glue caps on if necessary) 

•cash register and play money/credit cards 

•make scissors out of heavy cardboard and attach two 

pieces with a fastener, 

•mirror, broom & dustpan, telephone, appointment 

book, paper, pencils, magazines for waiting room, old 

hairstyle books or pictures from magazines pasted into 

a book or put into a PowerPoint presentation. 

Visit www.allthedaze.com and click on the Propbox link 

for more ideas. 

iZ 

A unique mix of character and 

music creates a personality with 

attitude. His horn glows and his 

eyes move to express his inner 

“cool”. Create your own personal 

mix by picking a beat, rhythm and 

lead. He speaks, laughs, farts and 

burps while his eyes move. Connects to your iPod (or 

other music source) to play your tunes – and he can 

stand on any single leg. 

Approximate price: £25 

Available from: Vivid Imaginations Ltd. 

Tel: 01702 200660 

www.evivid.co.uk 

The following solar mobile and girly pink ideas for 

teenagers are all available from www.initialideas.co.uk 

Tel: 08702 402407 

Solar System Mobile 

Explore the wonders of the 

solar system on the ceiling of 

your own room! A huge 

ceiling mobile featuring all 

nine planets orbiting around a 

light up sun. Transforms a 

child’s room and captivates 

them at bedtime! Includes 

remote control to turn on the 

movement of planets and an 

audio CD teaching 

fascinating facts on the 

planets and solar system. An 

educational masterpiece! 

Price: £35 

Be Tickled Pink… 

…with this see-through 

inflatable bath pillow 

filled with light fluffy pink 

feathers inside! It seems 

completely incongruous 

resting your head on a 

pillow filled with feathers 

whilst in the bath but it 

sure does give you a feeling of luxury and relaxation! 

Ideal for the beach, by the pool, in the sensory room or 

even for travel. With suckers on the underside to attach. 

Inflatable Feather Bath Pillow Price: £4.99 

For a Girl’s Car! 


The Pink Car Kit is a pink zipped bag containing the 

following: Notepad, 

pencil and pen, tax 

disc holder, air 

freshener, emergency 

hammer with light and 

seat belt cutter, 

disposable gloves, torch with strobe effect and flashing 

hazard, jump leads, ice scraper, mobile phone charger 

with all necessary bits and of course instructions on how 

to use the jump leads etc.! 

Price: £29.99

News from “New Scientist” 

This article was abstracted from ‘New Scientist ‘ and is of interest to 

readers who are involved with children who are over sensitive to sounds; 

this may be a reason why. 

You can download white brown or pink noise from the web. 

Just do a search, any feedback is welcome! The editor 

Hyperacusis 

Imagine waking up one day to find that the world has become louder. Sounds that were once tolerable 

– running water, footsteps, and a ringing phone – are suddenly deafening. It’s as if someone has 

turned up the volume. You want to run and hide but it follows you everywhere. 

This is the world experienced by sufferers of hyperacusis – literally excessive sensitivity to normal sounds. 

It can range from an annoyance to a completely debilitating disorder. Sufferers don’t have better 

hearing than everyone else; rather, they perceive sounds to be much louder than they actually are. 

While an average person can tolerate anything up to 100 decibels, which corresponds to the sound of 

a car horn blasting in your ear, the maximum level someone with hyperacusis can tolerate is usually only 

60 decibels, the level of normal conversation. An ordinary voice sounds more like gunshots. To a 

sufferer, even the sound of their own voice can be intolerable. 

What causes hyperacusis? Nobody knows. It can be brought on by, among other things, head injuries, 

and exposure to extremely loud sounds, Lyme disease and autism. It has also been linked with tinnitus, a 

disorder that causes people to hear phantom sounds, such as ringing or buzzing. 

Is there a cure? Not yet, though there are treatments. The most successful is a therapy using so-called 

“pink noise” – a sound spectrum in which the amplitude decreases with increasing frequency; so low 

notes are louder than higher ones. It is a good model for everyday environmental sounds. If 

hyperacusis sufferers can gradually be desensitised to pink noise they will learn to better tolerate the 

sounds of the outside world. They can do this by listening to specially recorded pink noise CDs, or 

better still by wearing custom-fitted sound generators that transmit pink noise straight into the ear. 

New Scientist, 15 July 2006 


13

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 

IF YOU CAN’T SEE THE BABY IN THE PICTURE, DON’T GIVE UP. 

ITS REALLY COOL WHEN IT ACTUALLY APPEARS. THIS IS NOT 

A JOKE AND NO – NOTHING IS GOING TO JUMP OUT AT YOU! 

‘When a baby is born, they open their eyes and have a 

peep into the world around 

Soon a face hovers into view and the baby alerts, looks 

and shows lots of interest in this face. The face responds 

and cuddles and loves the baby. The reason the baby 

shows so much interest in the face is because there is a 

special reflex in the lens of each eye called the ‘face 

reflex’. This means that most babies cannot help but seek 

and look for a face so they can bond and survive. 

This face reflex stays with most of us all our lives- hence 

we see faces in the clouds, in doodles, in soot in the 

chimney…! 

Faces are stored in the brain along side facial emotions. 

Can you remember dipping into this face box in the 

brain, feeling the ‘brain strain’ as you try to remember 

and put a name to a face you have seen before. What 

a relief when it pops out! 

Children with autism have a different way of looking at 

faces, they are usually not too keen to look and avoid 

eye contact like the plague. Research tells us that when 

they do scan a face and the brain stores it –it is not 

stored in a specific area for faces but goes into general 

You have to have an open mind, 

Don’t look for a baby, and you will see the baby. 


memory storage. Perhaps this reflects in how they find it 

hard to read emotions in faces, as they cannot recall 

emotional faces from the correct area of the brain. 

Babies who are born with visual impairment will need 

alternatives to seeking out faces to survive; this can be 

through touch, smell and sounds, a bigger challenge for 

them for them than just looking at a face. 

When we see faces upside down, the brain interprets 

them in a different way. It interprets the face as an 

object, without any emotional input. 

Have a look at the famous ‘ Mona Lisa’ painting upside 

down. Most probably your brain will store this as an 

object and not with emotions. It is just the face of the 

Mona Lisa.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder 

Now look at the same picture which is now the right 

way up-do you see 

a difference as the 

brain looks, and 

now reads it with 

emotion and then 

stores it? You will 

probably see a 

rather miserable 

looking Mona! 

Wheelchair or buggy users will probably see a lot of 

upside down faces if the person involved does not move 

down to their eye level. Then they can read the face with 

more meaning, as it is the right way up! 

Now have a look at the picture below 

You will probably see the face of an old man with a 

beard first-your eye reflex leaping into action! But now 

try and look at it in a different way, using your little grey 

cells to help you. You should see a woman sitting on 

grass under a tree, looking at the view in the distance. 

What you have done, is overridden your urge to look at 

a face and used abstract thought, imagination and logic 

to work out what else you can see in the picture. 

This is what very special people find the hardest thing to 

do, to switch from a built in reflex or concrete thinking to 

abstract imaginative thought. They are not ready to enter 

the stage of ‘theory of the mind’, which means they have 

difficulty in using imagination, curiosity and abstract 

thought. 


When working with very special learners think about 

using this desire to search for faces, in planning for them. 

For example, look at the skills they will be sharpening 

when looking at a range of faces 

• Seen on a face power point put on an interactive board 

• Seen in a scrapbook of faces 

• A symbol face painted with glow paint 

• Their own face in a mirror 

• A face with a false nose or 

glasses 

• a face made with pasta 

In order to identify a face they have to recognise a 

whole range of face features: 

• The contours of a face 

• The boundaries of the face-where it begins and ends 

• The edges of face parts-such as the nose 

• The brightness and contrast within the face 

• Shadings of colour 

• The symmetry of two sides of the face 

• The parts of the face 

• The whole face 

• Figure/ground discrimination-seeing the face distinct from 

the backgroun 

Quite a lot of work and what excellent literacy targets to 

aim for! 

There is a lot of research work being done in this 

interesting area; here are some references for those who 

want to follow this in more depth. 

I have a big power point presentation of ‘male faces’ – I 

use this for recognition of faces, reading of faces, sex 

education, history time line of ‘young to old’, art 

appreciation and fun! I am happy to share this with you. 

If you would like a copy of this then send me a CD with an 

enclosed envelope addressed to yourself- and I will copy 

and send it to you. It is too big to send by email! 

My address is on page 2 of the magazine 

Flo Longhorn 

15

Rag Bag To Buy – younger children 

Family House 

This Family House features table, chairs and oven 

together with 2 figures. The 

set features bold colours 

and no small parts. 

Approximate price £13 

Available from Playmobil 

Tel: 08704170007 

www.playmobil.com 

DJ Piano 

An electronic keyboard with integral microphone and 4function 

mixer for mixing music, fun and creativity. 

Features a drum button, a lights and sounds effect 

sphere, a joystick with fun sounds and a “scratch” effect 

lever. You can also select different musical sounds by 

simply pressing one of the six corresponding buttons. 

The keyboard has 3 modes 

of play. 


Available from Chicco 

Tel: 01623 750870 

www.chicco.co.uk 

Mamma Lullaby Night Light 

A cot panel that allows mum to record her voice and 

replay it to help her child sleep or to reassure them 

when they wake. It has a double function: it projects soft, 

coloured lights to the rhythm of sweet classical or new 

age melodies and relaxing nature 

sounds. 


Available from Chicco 

Tel: 01623 750870 

www.chicco.co.uk 

Funky Footprints 

Following the footprints triggers silly sounds. Also a 

counting mode. 


Available from: Early 

Learning Centre 

Tel: 08705 352352 

www.elc.co.uk 

Discovery Dome 

Combines fun and developmental activities with a child’s 

very own play space, to interact with the world. Each 

wall of the Discovery Dome has specially designed 

activities to develop manual dexterity and introduce 

colours, shapes and numbers 

for hours of fun! 


Available from TOMY 

Tel: 02380 662600 

www.tomy.co.uk 

Learn-Around Playground 

Links physical movements to learning experiences. Over 

45 interactive touch points introduce the alphabet, 

numbers, language, opposite words, music, different 

textures, colours and shapes, 

growing more age appropriate. 


Available from LEAPFROG 

Tel: 0800 169 5435 

www.leapfroguk.com 

Ideal Blox 


A wonderful educational puzzle which can be used at 

the individual development level of each child. It works 

on spatial awareness and three dimensional reasoning. 

It is excellent for children with learning difficulties as it 

provides a fun and frustration 

free learning tool. 

Approximate price: £9 - £13 

Available from: Oops A Daisy 

Tel: 01895270089 

www.oopsadaisyltd.com 

Kiddie Tune Bench 

Take your pick of the instruments and join in the music. A 

unique toy. 

Size: 10 x 34 x 34cm 

Price: £37.99 

Available from: 

www.woodandtoys.co.uk 

Telephone: 0845 458 9292

Rag Bag To Buy 

Rainbow Sound Blocks 

These six different shape and colour blocks can be 

stored in the wooden box. Beads can be seen through 

the transparent coloured surface and when each block 

is shaken it will produce its own sound according to the 

size and number of beads. Fun can be had fitting the 

blocks back into the container when play is finished. 


Available from: DKL 

Marketing 

Tel: 08700 129090 

www.dkl.co.uk 

FurReal Cuddle Chimp 

Chimp is the lovable, huggable chimpanzee that just 

adores being cuddled! He can reach out to give you a 

hug and loves to clap his hands when he’s happy. 

Watch his facial expressions change and listen to him 

make realistic baby chimp sounds. 

“Feed” him when he gets hungry 

with his banana shaped bottle. 


Available from: Hasbro 

Tel: 00800 2242 7276 

www.hasbro.co.uk 

This Knight’s tent and cushions would make a 

magnificent little room for older children or teenagers. 

A wonderful exciting environment! 

Knight’s Tent 

Even Knights have to take a break 

sometime. Rest from your adventures 

in your Knight’s Tent. Includes floor 

mat. Cushions sold separately – see 

below. 

Price: £109.99 

Cushions 

Merlins and Artus Cushions 

Price: £29.99 

Available from: 

www.woodandtoys.co.uk 

Tel: 0845 458 9292 


Fun Gripper Target Toss 

Fun target for throwing activities. Different sized pockets 

give increasing levels of difficulty. The target is 

collapsible and folds away for easy storage. Set 

includes: Target, three Grip Balls, 

three Fling Socks and a storage 

bag. 

Price: £25.95 

Available from: PE Essentials 

www.daviessports.co.uk 

Songmitts 

Available from: Madeleine Lindley Ltd. 

Telephone: 0160 683 4400 Fax: 0161 682 6801 

email: books@madeleinelindley.com 

www.madeleinelindley.com 

Rag bag to make 

A cheap and effective mobile 

All you need is a 

hanging basket, put a 

screw in the ceiling. 

Attach the basket and 

fill with what ever is 

dangly and fun! This 

mobile was 

photographed at 

Curnow school in 

Cornwall, and was 

filled with daffodils and a rustly pom-pom. 

If you put the basket on a chain, it can be 

lowered to wheel chair height for best 

interaction. 

17

Rag Bag To Buy 

Tocki 

Tocki designs products to stimulate the senses. Ann and Harry Tock make all the products. They recently won the 

Gold award from the National Toy and Leisure Libraries Association for their stunning products. The tubes come in 

all different sizes and are all very strong and beautiful. Here are selections of the Tocki Toys. 

Glitterscopes 

These Glitterscopes 

are similar to a 

kaleidoscope and 

used with the tubes, 

create a firework effect, which is amazing. 

Musical Mushrooms 

Massage and the senses 

Assemble and then press 

down to get an extra reward 

of music. Tunes available are: 

Teddy Bears Picnic, 

Greensleeves, and theme 

from Love Story. 


Top Hat Twister 

Tubes which revolve and are 

interchangeable. 

The Willis Wheel 

It turns right or left-handed 

and has 6 tubes which 

cascade down to fill the 

centre with colour. The 

original and most popular 

mirror background. 

Gold Award Winner 

A request from Australia 

Andrew Short from Australia wrote to tell me about his experiences with remedial massage. 

He has cerebral palsy and he reports: 

‘My therapist and I have found that blind folding me during massage means that my muscles are not 

as tense. I just wondered if you were interested to know.’ 

Andrew has found that by closing down the major sensory channel of vision, that he can concentrate more on 

control and relaxation of his body. He also told me that he did not smell any of the aromatherapy oils used during 

his sessions. 

So he has taken it a step further and reported: 

‘Today I took my ear plugs and my blindfold and went to my massage, when I arrived the therapist put the ear plugs 

in my ears and helped me tie on my blindfold (It also covered my ears) I could hear but not as much and it was 

harder to hear the therapist’s voice. I lay down and we had the massage, it took a while to make my breathing 

silent) the main thing I could hear was the plugs in my ears. I found the experience in silence to be relaxing. The 

therapist was pleased and my muscles were relaxed. 

We tried walking with the plugs and blindfold but not so good. 

The interesting thing is that I could smell better, than just using the blindfold.’ 

So help please! 

Andrew would like to know if anyone who reads Information Exchange has had similar experiences 

in the use of massage that could be useful to him. 

You can contact him via Flo 

flocatalyst@aol.com

Rag Bag To Buy from Sally Silverman & colleagues in Bristol 

Sharing Sheet 

Check out this black and white bag for life 

from Sainsburys at the moment. Cost 50p. 

They say they are selling like hot cakes, but 

keep your eyes open there will be more. 

Look up the eBay Home page. Go to Toys / Special Needs + Autism. 

There is a treasure trove of light up toys and gadgets like this spinning 

ball torch £2.99. 

Thanks to Kathleen Bebbington for telling us about this. 

“Zebbie Zebra” (far left) £4.99 from The Book Cupboard, Gloucester 

Road Bristol. “Funny Boxer” £2.99 also from The Book Cupboard 

I have tried to buy some more of the zebras, book cupboard no longer 

doing them so contacted the company direct they are actually reviewing 

them at present and it will be updated with 'Debbie Zebra'!!! shortly. They 

are going to send me one of their catalogues which hopefully will be useful. 

Kath. 

These Dizzy Discs Glow in the Dark! 

Found for £2.95p each in the Explore@Bristol shop. 

Look up www.wildthingsgifts.com . 

Can only buy wholesale but the disc shown is animated on-line. 

Great wand, £2.00 at Explore@Bristol shop. (GMG Novelties DT11 7TE Dorset U.K.) 

Gentle slow colour change or flashing mode. Soft coating for small hands. 

This sheet will come out on an “every now and again” basis when we have enough juicy items to share. 

We’ll include items to make/buy/ to find. The aim is that by sharing we’ll help each other to help the children. So enjoy and share. 

We’ll compile the sheets only through emailed contributions. Please feel free to pass on to families / friends / colleagues. 

All emailed contributions to 

kath_morgan@Bristol-city.gov.uk or sallysilverman@talktalk.net Sensory Support Service Bristol 


19

Rag Bag To Make – from Kay Evans 

Make paper bag fish 

•Find paper bags – 1 each 

•Choose a paint colour or two 

•Use your fingers to paint the bags 

on both sides and add an eye to the bottom end of 

the bag 

•When dry stuff the bag and make a fish shape by 

tying string around the bag. 

Double Bubbles 

Check for allergies first! 

•Spread newspaper over the work surface 

or work on a washable surface 

(outdoors if desired!) 

•Mix 1 part washing up liquid, 1 part washable paint, 

and 2 parts water. Stir well. 

•Blow out through a straw into the mixture until enough 

bubbles fill the bowl 

•Press paper on to the bubbles to make a print 

•Mix up a 2nd colour and repeat but print on top of 

your 1st colour bubble print. 

Real octopus exploration! 

•Buy enough frozen squid or 

small octopus and let them 

defrost. 

•Divide into two halves and play 

with half of the squids/octopus 

– explore them but do not allow the students to eat 

them/ mouth them in order to play safely. 

•Count their eyes and legs 

•This could all be repeated with fresh crabs and prawns 

•Dip them in a dish of paint and use them to make 

prints. 

•Dispose of these and cook the other half of them 

gently in olive oil to taste them! 

Freezing cold! 

•Fill a new balloon or latex glove 

with water and freeze it. 

•When they are frozen explore 

the shapes that have been made 

before and after tearing of the moulded shape. 

•See if the shapes sink or swim in a bowl of room 

temperature water. 


How to Make Balloon Plants 

Making Balloon Plants is a 

wonderful activity! You can also 

use them to give as gifts, or to 

make at parties. Children love 

making them and you will enjoy 

watching your new plant grow. 

•Hold a balloon firmly by the 

neck (the neck is the long part). 

Use a funnel, and pour 1 ⁄2 cup of 

dirt into the balloon. (Try to find 

clear balloons to use.) 

•Keep holding the balloon by the neck and add about 

1 ⁄4 cup of water through the funnel. Be sure the soil in 

the balloon is wet, though it shouldn’t be soggy. 

•Use the funnel to drop the radish seeds into the 

balloon. Don’t turn the balloon over. 

•If the balloon is dirty, wipe it carefully with a 

washcloth. 

•Now you’re ready to blow up your balloon! Keep 

holding it gently by the neck. Now carefully blow air 

into the balloon. You need to keep the balloon from 

tipping. 

•Tie a knot in the neck to keep the air in the balloon. 

Tie a ribbon around the knot. 

•Tie the balloon to a hook or other place near a 

window. The neck should be the top. 

•Your balloon plant is ready to begin growing! 

Cress numbers 

What you will need: 

Card, foil, dark paper, glue, 

blotting paper and cress seeds 

What to do: 

•Cut out squares of card: cover them in foil, folded over 

the sides 

•Cut out a number to fit on the card made from blotting 

paper or double thickness kitchen paper 

•Dampen the paper and cover it with the seeds 

•Cover it with the dark paper for a couple of days until 

they sprout, then uncover it in the light to grow. 

•You will discover a magic number growing! 

Thankyou Kay for your sensory ideas 

to make.

Rag Bag To Make – Kay Evans 

Potato Pete 

What you need: 

Potatoes – cut off the top and 

bottom & hollow out, Damp cotton 

wool, cress seeds, plastic trays and 

cloves, pen for facial features 

What to do: 

•Draw or ‘model’ his facial features 

•Put the dampened cotton wool into the potato shell 

and cover with cress seeds. 

•Potato Pete will develop his own crazy hairstyles, 

sitting on the tray! 

Fractions 

This sounds a difficult aim but it is 

easy to show by using different 

fruits and vegetables cut in half 

and or quarters. Look at the seeds 

and their patterns, then enjoy their 

smells, feel them and eat to finish. 

Soap sculpture 

(check for allergies and be careful if students tend to 

mouth things) 


Lux flakes, warm water in a tray, paint 

What to do: 

•Froth up the flakes in the tray of water 

•Make shapes in the bubbles 

•Add the paint and do the same sort of things 

The shapes that result are quite a sight to see! 

Paint with Baby Oil 


Baby oil, coloured construction 

paper, Q-tips, paper 

What to do: 

•Using light coloured construction paper, try painting a 

design with baby oil. Anywhere that has baby oil 

becomes transparent when held to the light or hung in 

a window. 

•Try this technique on a photocopied image – follow 

with the Q-tip and see what it looks like 


Bubble Wrap Print 

Enable children to explore the 

bubble wrap, feeling and noisily 

popping the puffy bubble pouches 

before expecting them to paint on it. 

Who can resist popping those clear, smooth bubble 

pouches! After exploring, bubble wrap becomes an 

intriguing printing material with unusual and beautiful 

results. Let children pop and play first and the painting 

activity will go much more smoothly. Usually children are 

often more captivated by mixing the paints in the baking 

tray than painting on the bubble wrap. 


•Newspaper 

•Bubble wrap (any size bubbles), approximately 9 x 

12 square or larger (Note: big bubbles make big dots, 

and little bubbles make little dots) 

•Masking tape, tempura paints, shallow baking pan, 

paintbrush, 

•Large sheets of paper, wet sponge 

What to do: 

•Cover a table with newspaper then place a sheet of 

bubble wrap on the table, taping down corners to 

hold. 

•Put several puddles of different colours of paint in the 

baking pan next to the bubble wrap. Place a 

paintbrush next to the pan. If necessary place loops of 

masking tape to keep it from sliding around the table. 

•Have a stack of extra paper handy for multiple prints. 

Be sure the paper is larger than the wrap. 

•Paint directly onto the bubble wrap with as many 

colours as desired. The more colours the merrier! 

•When the bubble wrap is covered with colours, press 

a sheet of paper onto the bubble wrap and lift off a 

multi-coloured print. 

•Remove the print to a drying area and repeat with 

fresh paper. If bubble wrap becomes murky with colour, 

simply wipe it off with a wet sponge and begin again. 

Variations: 

Explore lifting prints from other textured materials, 

suggestions include: 

•Grass •Welcome mat 

•Gravel path •Wire screen 

•Un-crumpled tin foil 

Explore lifting prints from items glued to cardboard, 

suggestions include: 

•Buttons •Plasters 

•Bottle caps •String 

•Masking tape 

21

Rag Bag To Make 

A Springtime rabbit hutch 

A lovely hutch for a 

springtime rabbit 

You will need: 

•Fluffy cotton wool 

•A round box 

•Coloured paper, doyleys, 

ribbon 

•Straw or shredded paper 

How to make the rabbit hutch: 

•Decorate outside the round box with the ribbons, 

papers and doyleys 

•Inside the box, line with green paper and blue for the 

bottom 

•Place the shredded paper or straw in the hutch 

•Fashion a rabbit shape from the cotton wool, adding 

eyes and ears 

•There you are, a very happy 

bunny in a new hutch! 

A twirling wind vane 

hanging from the ceiling and 

introducing a pupil in the class. 

Crepe paper magic fantasia 

You will need lots of crepe 

paper in a whole rainbow 

of colours 

•Rip and tear the paper 

into small pieces – look 

at the colours and forms 

as you make a pile of all the colourful scraps 

•Everyone can choose some pieces and place them on 

a piece of white paper or card 

•Take a water spray bottle and gently soak the pieces 

on the paper 

•Watch for the magic to happen as you lift off some of 

the pieces of crepe and see the magic smudgy colours 

beneath 

•Spray again and remove some more 

•Let it dry and you could laminate it as a special 

colourful place mat 

Art Activities 


String Painting 

•Use a short stiff piece of string as a 

‘brush’ on the paper. 

•Use a long coiling piece of string with clothes peg on 

end as a handle in a small dish of paint. 

•Fold paper in half and coil string inside it. Apply 

gentle pressure on top and pull string gently out. 

Sand, salt or sawdust 

•Children paint pictures on paper using 

clear clue (cellulose adhesive). 

•Using sand, salt or sawdust in a shaker 

(which can be made from a plastic 

container) shake sand, salt or sawdust over the picture 

– then place the surplus into a box in the centre of the 

table. This gives a textured picture’ effect. 

Wax resist 

•Warm a candle or wax crayon slightly 

(e.g. on a radiator). 

•The children draw with this and then paint 

over the drawing with a very pale wash of 

colour. 

•If this is done with a candle it is like ‘magic’ painting, 

as the original drawing ‘magically appears’. 

OR use brown wrapping paper or greaseproof paper to 

draw on, with finger dipped in cooking oil. Allow ‘oil’ 

picture to set, then wash over with paint. 

Finger Painting 

•Use a cold water paste (NOT with 

fungicide). 

•Spread paste over sugar paper. 

•Have small dishes of ready mixed 

paint and teaspoons (or paint in squeezy bottles) 

ready. 

•Sprinkle several colours over paste – then mix with 

fingers or a comb. 

•Dry powder paint can be sprinkled on in the same 

way. 

OR mix cold water paste and powder paint to give a 

deep rich colour. 

•Let children crayon thickly all over a piece of thick 

paper using different colours. 

•The quickest way is to use the side of a wax crayon. 

•Cover the whole sheet with the paste. 

•The children can then draw on the paste with fingers 

and the crayon will show through.

Rag Bag To Do 

An idea to share with other IE colleagues from St Anne’s 

Community Special School, Welton, East Yorkshire We 

think we saw the poem about snow in an old issue of I.E. 

but we then put it to music and adapted it for various 

times and seasons. This is a lesson starter linked to the 

weather and a sense of time, which the children in our 

class of 2-5 year olds, really enjoy. 

We haven’t come up with an idea for days which are just 

‘dull’ – but we are working on it! 

The weather and a sense of time 

Set up 

The children are 

•Placed in a small circle 

•They hold a sheet or cloth which is wafted up and 

down to the tune-‘Frere Jacques’ 

•Then it is pulled over everyone’s head on the final line 

To the tune ‘Frere Jacques’ we sing the following: 

•Snow is falling, snow is falling 

•Round the town, round the town. 

•Everywhere is covered, 

everywhere is covered 

•In a white gown, in a white gown 

(white sheet) 

•Sun is shining, sun is shining 

•Round the town, round the town 

•Everyone is covered, everyone is 

covered 

•In a yellow gown, in a yellow gown 

(Yellow sheet) 

•Wind is blowing, wind is 

blowing 


•Everyone is covered, everyone 

is covered 

•With a warm gown, with a warm gown (knitted 

blanket to cover everyone) 

(This rhyme is said very quickly so the cover makes 

good draught!) 

•It is freezing, it is freezing 


•Everyone is covered, everyone 

is covered 

•In a crinkly gown in a crinkly 

gown (survival blanket) 


•Fog is falling, fog is falling 



covered 

•In a grey gown in a grey gown 

(grey sheet) 

•Rain is falling, rain is falling 



covered 

•In a glistening gown, in a glistening 

gown (blue sheet) 

•Rain is falling, sun is shining 


•Everyone is covered, everyone is covered 

•In a rainbow gown, in a rainbow gown (multicoloured 

sheet) 

•Leaves are falling, leaves are falling 


•Everyone is covered, everyone is covered 

•In an orange gown, in an orange gown 

(orange sheet) 

•Grass is growing grass is growing 



covered 

•In a green gown, in a green gown (green sheet) 

•Night is falling, night is falling 


•Everywhere is covered, everywhere 

is covered 

•In a black gown, in a black gown 

(black velvet sheet) 

Materials needed 

Sheets or large pieces of material in the following 

colours. Some look super with sequins added: 

White, yellow, pale blue with sequins, orange with felt 

leaves attached, multicoloured with coloured sequins, 

green, a knitted blanket, a survival blanket, grey, black 

velvet 

You are stars! Thank you to everyone at St Anne’s 

school for this very sensory activity-such fun! 

The editor 

23

The Sensory ‘Auditory’ wall by Audrey Forbes 

I sent out a number of begging letters to firms in the 

Bristol area where my school is situated. One reply was 

from a local firm who invited me to come, look and see 

what I'd like to take away with me, as fabric for another 

potential sensory drama. 

One of the fabrics was a net that's used as prisoners 

wash bags. The firm sews them up as 'laundry' bags and 

sends them on to prisons. I thought this could be quite an 

interesting fabric to have, so the firm gave me 10 metres 

or so of fabric amongst other pieces I was allowed to 

take away. 

The Managing Director, David Neary of Severnside 

Fabrics Ltd, allowed me to take away whatever I wanted 

without any charge whatsoever. His was the only 

response from a dozen or so letters I’d written to local 

firms and it was a very welcome one to receive! 

The fabric is basically a soft mesh nylon net that I 

thought would be useful for future sensory dramas or 

perhaps something to use in my classroom as well. 

One of the children in my class has cerebral visual 

impairment, is learning to balance and potentially could 

be mobile in the future. Following discussion with our 

class Physiotherapist, I thought we could use this fabric in 

order to develop his balance further. 

I stapled the fabric onto wooden door frames we have 

in the classroom and with my trusty assistants Zoe and 

Sam, chose objects I thought he might find interesting 

to explore and use. My little boy 

(aged 4) uses his 

auditory channel 

as his main way 

of accessing, so 

we have 

constructed his 

very own 'auditory' wall for him to 

explore using material donated by 

Severnside Fabrics. Bells, crinkly cellophane, Persil soap 

bags filled with a variety of items, rope for hand holds 

and musical instruments have all been tied onto the white 

nylon net. Its early days, 

but has been a success 

so far and he's spent 

some time exploring his 

own 'auditory' wall 

whilst standing and 

balancing unaided. My 

Physio thinks I ought to 

patent it. 


We have also tried it out the ‘wall’ with non mobile 

children in ‘tumble forms’, supportive seats, standing 

frames or side lying couches. The downside of this is that 

they have to access the materials sideways and will 

need adult support to cope with this. Responses have 

been really good and we will continue to use this in the 

future. 

Potential areas that we could to develop in the future 

could highlight 'areas' to develop sensory awareness - 

hard/soft, rough/smooth etc. Maybe use it rather like an 

old fashioned 'rag rug' looping different materials 

through the holes or use it as part of our ‘theme’ work in 

class or throughout the school. It's got a lot of potential 

and is a very simple idea. 

So my message to you is to approach your local firms 

and see what they can offer you. In my experience, firms 

are very accommodating and will help you out! 

Audrey Forbes 

Look at me 

I can 

balance!

Smart Moves 

Thank you to Karen 

Buckley for sending in 

these details about Smart 

Moves – a motor 

learning programme that 

could be used with an 

inclusive group of pupils 

Smart Moves is a motor learning programme for the 

development of motor skills, which are essential for 

children to be included effectively in mainstream school 

P.E. lessons. Designed by Sharon Drew, Occupational 

Therapist; it supports children who move and learn 

differently at Key Stage One and Two. In particular it 

would benefit pupils with Developmental Coordination 

Disorder/Dyspraxia and those who experience 

coordination difficulties. It could be considered as wave 

2/3 intervention for physical education. 

It contains a screening tool (called the Movement 

Abilities Profile) which is related to developmental norms 

for motor skills and to the physical education curriculum. 

However, it is designed in such a way that findings can 

be easily interpreted by an Occupational Therapist or 

Physiotherapist should a referral be necessary. The 

purpose of the screen is to provide an initial baseline 

from which to measure future progress against and to 

help with goal setting. It is not a diagnostic assessment. 

There is a flipbook of activities divided into; warm up, 

main activity and cool down activities. Both Movement 

Abilities Profile and activities are subdivided into four 

areas; ‘methods of travel’, ‘balance/linking actions’, 

‘ball skills - sending and receiving’, ‘team games – 

dodge/chase’ and can be carried out with equipment 

that is generally available in school. The programme is 

easily understood and administered by the nonspecialist. 

Programme delivery is flexible and can be 

matched to the time and space available. There is a 

strong emphasis on pupils setting their own targets and 

monitoring their own progress which reflects current 

government guidance. Hence if the initial screening 

identifies many areas of weakness but the pupil is 

interested only in improving his football skills so he can 

be included in playground football, then the targets set 

and the activities used would reflect this. It is possible to 

include the activities in whole class physical education 

lessons and with a little imagination; most of the activities 

can be easily adapted to have a literacy or numeracy 

teaching component. The delivery of the programme 

also aims to promote teamwork and cooperation, 


valuing each individual contribution and so promotes 

self-esteem. The children are encouraged to problem 

solve, suggest improvements to activities and evaluate 

their own performance at the end of each session. 

I have been involved in testing pilot materials for this 

programme and have given regular feedback to the 

author. Every child who I have worked with has enjoyed 

this programme and all have improved their physical 

skills, most showing an improvement in handwriting and 

an increased level of confidence and self esteem as their 

physical prowess grows. I have enjoyed teaching using 

these materials, because the activities are fun and 

motivating. 

It costs £85 (including postage and packing) for the 

programme. The materials are provided on a CD Rom 

so the initial outlay is the only outlay. You can buy it 

through Smart Consultancy & Coaching Ltd. (www. 

smartcc.co.uk). 

Written by; 

Maggie Goley, Teacher with Derbyshire Local 

Authority Support Service for Special Educational 

Needs. 

Taking part and collaborating together 

Ending the session with a handshake! 

25

Electronic exchange 

Online games that are switch enabled 

Inclusive technology has teamed up with CBBC to 

modify several CBeebies games so they can be 

operated using switches. This makes them ideal for 

pupils with impaired physical motor function to 

stimulate and motivate interaction. 

http://tinyurl.com/1kkwa 

Relaxation Time – taken from 

the ECAPPS newsletter! Thanks 

Mandy! ~ the editor 

“Reduce your stress levels listening to 

soothing sounds online”. 

This site has a number of sounds that could be used 

within activities such as sensory stories/sensory drama. 

The sounds are listed in groups: 

•Nature Sounds (e.g. jungle, waves, waterfalls) 

•Animal (e.g. ducks, seagulls, tigers) 

•People (e.g. snoring, traffic, playground) 

•Miscellaneous (e.g. clocks, cycles, vehicles) 

Click on the images that represent the sound and you 

will hear the sound and see a number of pictures 

relating to the sound. The pictures are clear, making this 

a great screen related activity also. 

www.getrelaxed.com 

TacPac now have a website! 

A fun, multi-sensory activity pack for all children learning 

to communicate in the early years. www.tacpac.co.uk 

Multisensory story telling information 

www.dundee.ac.uk/pamis/projects 

Select Projects on the Homepage and scroll down to 

Multi-sensory Stories and Sensitive Stories. 

Have a look at the research project Real Lives: Real 

Stories – Developing Literacy Skills through Multisensory 

Story-telling in Children and Young People with 

Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities. This project 

produced 50 personalised multi-sensory stories in 

collaboration with parents, carers and teachers. The 

benefits of the stories were explored through a 

questionnaire for parents and teachers, and a 

behavioural analysis of the responses of the children 

across repeated readings. 

Also visit Multi-sensory Stories to see the brochure ‘The 

Multi-sensory Story Library’. This section lists the books 

and some of the materials used. The concepts may 

inspire content ideas you can use to create some books 

for the people you support. 

GIZMO 

Fancy a shirt that displays a video 

message to match your mood, a sofa that 

glows in the dark or even curtains that 

flash You’re in luck – from next year, 

photonic textiles from Philips will make 

that possible. Waterproof LEDs and 

wires are woven into the cloth and 

pre-programmed graphics will flash 

and appear to move over the surface. 

For early e-garments check out 

http:/tinyurl.com/lsuwo 

For those working with ‘deaf 

blind’ children and adults 

Time to visit www.nud.dk in English 

NUD has launched a brand new website. 

Whilst some information is only available in the Nordic 

languages, we have an English section featuring news, 

library catalogue, publications and more. So, if you 

have not yet visited, now is the time to direct your 

browser to www.nud.dk and click ‘English’ 

Free tickets for special students, 

12-18 year olds, workshops and shows – 

education workshops as well 

www.mousetrap.org.uk 

London Theatre challenge for Special Schools – further 

details from; georgette@mousetrap.org.uk 

Boogie Beebies 


A website that provides simple dances for 

younger children to aid coordination and 

listening skills – http://tinyurl.com/p39ry 

A Message from Catherine de Haas 

‘I have received a copy of the new 

‘Inclusive Technology’ catalogue today. It 

has new products suitable for very special 

people, for as little as £9. Personal talker - 

£10 one talk. Also information in the 

catalogue about how to choose a 

communication aid. The on line catalogue is out of date 

but the SITE can be used to order the current catalogue. 

www.inclusive.co.uk To me this is something that has 

been needed for some time, affordable voice recorders 

that can be scattered strategically round a class room, 

that are easy for pupils to activate themselves, and that 

they may take home in their pockets and continue to 

utilise communication opportunities that would not 

otherwise be there.’

Setting up an exciting visual environment 

Overhead projectors (OHP’s) are nearly obsolete now 

we have data projectors. At Coventry Art Gallery I saw 

a fascinating OHP set up that was lots of fun and could 

be used by everyone. 

A space had been set up with boxes of ‘see through’ 

sensory materials and a table upon which to work. On 

the table, the OHP was switched on and the see through 

materials could be placed on the glass. 

When the lights were dimmed in the room, the OHP 

glowed with beautiful colours and materials. 


Then a sheet was hung up and the colourful images 

projected on to the white background. A multi sensory 

light display! 

Special learners could easily place the materials on the 

OHP glass to their own preference – and create their 

own exciting experience! 

Materials in the ‘see through’ box included: 

•feathers 

•cellophanes 

•see through bubble wrap 

•laminates 

•glitter 

•voiles 

•see through silks 

•toffee wrappers 

•shredded cellophane 

Flo Longhorn 

27

Hirstwood Multisensory Training Thank you Richard Hirstwood 

www.hirstwoodtraining.com 

28 Issue 71 Spring 2007

An incredible journey 

Last summer, Mike Ayres, who designs 

wonderful sensory studios amongst other 

things, donated a wonderful box of 

sensory materials to the Woodside 

Sanctuary in Johannesburg. The box 

arrived at the sanctuary for abandoned children and 

special people, bringing great excitement. When it was 

opened we found it was full of many wonderful 

materials including parachutes, twirling shapes, and also 

many glittery sticks. 

These materials were 

distributed within the Sanctuary 

and also to many small centres 

for special children, who do 

not have funds for specialised 

equipment. 

Some materials also went to an 

institution for people with 

dementias; the parachutes 

brought great fun into their 

lives. 

A Willow Cane Sculpture 

A variation on the willow canes was a structure made 

of basket weaving cane. Here you see a young visitor 

threading ribbons and glittery materials on to the 

structure. 

A growing piece of art as everyone contributed on 

the day. 


One of the glittery 

sticks made a 

special trip as 

Sylvia, a senior 

occupational 

therapist from 

Jo’burg, was going 

to Mauritius to 

lecture and advise 

on helping special 

children in that 

country. She took a 

parachute to 

demonstrate its 

many uses and 

also some glitter sticks. Here you have a photo of a 

special teenager looking with great intent at the glittery 

stick. It was being used as a visual stimulation to see 

how much she could actually see-as well as a source of 

great pleasure. 

Thanks Mike! From everyone! 

This was photographed at Coventry Art Gallery. 

The willow canes were just heaped together with a 

box of exciting sensory materials. 

Anyone was invited to thread, weave or create a 

pattern on the willow canes. 

29

SLD forum – exchange of ideas 

Sensory markers and calendars – taken from SLD 

forum – written by FAL(sld-forum@lists.becta.org.uk) 

Smashing to read all contributions to the sensory 

markers and calendars. It must be so helpful to get huge 

sensory clues at the beginning of the day to point the 

way forward to the delights to come! It is also special if 

families or carers also know about them and use them in 

the home during holidays and weekends. Otherwise it is 

a blank day to anticipate. 

Just a few sensory pointers: 

Smells 

If you use bergamot which is suggested as a smell, then 

take care it is not put directly on the skin to smell. This is 

because if you use ultra violet light in the following 24 

hours, there is a chance of bad reactions on the skin. 

Interestingly, on a scale of odour intensity (Tisserand) it 

scores 4 whilst camomile and cardamom have the 

strongest odours. 

By the way, you can now buy fabrics by the metre which 

are impregnated with micro-encapsulated smells which 

are released through touch and movement. I have 

contact with an art student who is designing smelly 

clothes using these materials, for very special children – 

wow! 

Johanna de Haas a very special teenager (Making 

friends with Johanna) uses a fragrance for each day 

with body spray, talc shampoo so she carries the 

reminder on her all day. It is as follows: 

A peep into Spring 

With ideas sent to us by Freda Leask in Scotland who wrote a 

lovely leaflet called ‘ideas for the vision group’. Sally sent 

them on to Information Exchange, with her permission. More 

in the summer IE – thank you Freda! 

OUTDOORS 

Water Play 

Equipment 

Water play tray, buckets of water, hose, watering can, 

floating toys, fairy liquid, food colouring, protective clothing. 

Ideas 

Watch and listen as water is poured in. Splash each other. 

Float bright toys. Push them to each other. Put in the food 

colouring and watch the changes. Watch the hose spraying, 

watering can sprinkling. Watch the ‘fairy 

liquid’ go in. Splash and make bubbles. 

Do this outside! 

Monday – Strawberry 

Tuesday – Dewberry 

Wednesday – Peach 

Thursday – Mink 

Friday – coconut 

Saturday – Lavender 

Sunday – Vanilla 


Sounds 

With the music, very recent brain research has flagged 

up rap music as the one which makes the brain ignite all 

over – much more impact than Mozart… But do make 

sure you check on the words as they can be quite 

spectacular and rude! 

The music used at Ty Gwyn School in Wales (modest 

souls) is as follows: 

Monday – Tranquility 

Tuesday – Pan Pipes 

Wednesday – Peaceful Pachabel 

Thursday – Lord of the Dance 

Friday – Taize 

Touch 

If you use a touch cue then try for quite rough textures 

as these are vibratory and send strong messages via 

touch receptors to the brain. We also sense colour 

through our skin – the radiation sense – so go for 

colours to link to touch as well, babies adore red 

followed by yellow. Try a red nail brush! 

Best sensory wishes 

Flo Longhorn 

Windmills and ‘fly in the sky’ materials 

Equipment 

Reflective windmills, crepe paper ribbons, 

bubbles. 

Ideas 

Use this for outdoor activities. Encourage 

children to look as they hold up their 

windmill. Who wants this windmill? Look for eye contact. 

Give to whoever looks. Take turns. Get them to hold on to 

crepe paper ribbons and watch them in the wind. Draw 

attention to each other and to what is happening. 

Extend the activity and ‘Let’s go Fly a Kite’ 

Resources 

Bright kite, coats, hats, fan. 

Ideas 

Sing the song in the classroom. Show the kite. 

Go up and down. 

Get coats and hats on. Talk about windy 

weather and the need to keep warm. 

Outside – talk about the weather again etc. Fly the kite. 

Indoors in the dark room, look at the kites; use the fan to 

make the tails blow. Sing the song (the one from Mary 

Poppins is great! – the editor)

“The magic classroom” 

taken from Barbara Prashnig “The power of diversity” Network Educational Press 


31

We need you!

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?