Multi-sensory environments

[portchesterqueen]

Hi, I am hoping all of you lovely people might be able to help me.
I am currently in my last year of the foundation degree and starting on my "work-based project". For this I have decided to research the use of multi-sensory environments in mainstream primary schools. Particularly as a tool to enhance the educational development and social interaction for children with speech delays. There has been a lot of discussion recently for outdoor learning and the benefits this has on children - generally focused on early years settings.
Multi-sensory environments encompass a wide range of uses, but I am focusing on sensory gardens. Is there anybody out there who has a sensory garden facility in a primary school? What is the main purpose for your sensory garden? Is it used for anything else? Is it available to all?
If anyone has any views, advice or links that may be able to help me I would be most grateful.
Portchesterqueen

[Heidi]

You may have thought of all this before, but multi-sensory gardens can be used by all - for those children with SEN who like to touch, feel and smell. Herbs that are fairly robust to rub and smell are things like thyme,rosemary, basil, sage etc are good. There are stunning visual flowers i.e. cornflowers are vivid blue - but not really scented, so you can mix visual and scented (those flowers tend to be a little more delicate, but there must be some that I can't think of at the moment). For children in wheelchairs, raised beds with a path so they can touch and see on their level is good. You can also have a vegetable section , if the area is small, you can suggest salad produce or small root vegetables like carrots etc

You can provide outdoor music , there are now outdoor musical instruments that are fixed such as xylophones, windchimes and suspended gongs etc - but children could always make their own windchimes and windmills (pinwheels) to place outside.

Is some areas you can add texture (whether to walls or the ground that children can walk over - (but away in an area that children with walking difficulties or in wheelchairs can choose not to go over) such as large pebbles or flat (not jagged) surfaces. Perhaps you can siggest that you would encourage the children to make textured items for the garden such a mosiac tiled table or such.

A bird box and table and you can add the insect boxes for ladybirds or butterflies (although I have to confess I have never had any takers for our butterfly box in my own garden - but they love the buddleias).

You could have an area to attract butterflies with plants they like, perhaps have a wet area (if you are worried about safety or maintenance of a pond) this will attract pondskaters, damsel and dragonflies and if you plant something such as marsh marigolds which open fully at night, these attract moths, which in turn attracts bats to come and feed on them.

You could leave an area for sowing wild flowers or leaving a fallow area for nature to decide what will grow there.

You may even add a small section for a sand area where children can bring play into the garden with buckets and spades etc.

If you are having benches/seats or a small shelter, it if is sturdy enough you can add a chalkboard or a perplex board to paint on, so that you are mixing and matching the learning. If you leave an area clear where everyone can gather around you can almost have a small 'campfire' area or open air cooking area - only has to be something simple like marshmallows on sticks. A nice area for picnics anyway.

You could have an area where it is designed to get muddy and sloppy for play in the rain with wellingtons and umbrellas. You can even place an outdoor thermometer, compass, decorative windsock etc.

I think I'd like to design it for you! If you make sure you include every sense, for every need of any child/adult and link all this to teaching/learning theories and theorists, this sounds like a fantasic choice of project. By writing that projects such as this could include the children in all stages will get them really involved etc. Don't forget to mention the obvious - Margaret McMillan and her open classroom and how it's linked into the EYFS and you can then link that into Forest schools. Perhaps if you are able to visit one, this will strengthen your agrument - in fact ask if you can visit a school or setting with a sensory garden, that'll give you a better idea - these are just out of my head and some of the things I have in my small garden.

[Heidi]

Sorry, one or two typing errors too late, but one that really needs correcting is perplex. I should have typed perspex. Sorry.

[portchesterqueen]

Dear Heidi
Many thanks for your detailed reply and advice. I will definitely be checking out McMillan. I would like to visit any sensory gardens that have been set up within primary schools in my area, but there doesn't seem to be any that I know of - most are associated with special schools. I live in Hampshire and have tried to find some that are close by but to no avail so far. Any other ideas warmly welcomed.
Portchesterqueen

[Heidi]

Originally Posted by portchesterqueen

Dear Heidi
Many thanks for your detailed reply and advice. I will definitely be checking out McMillan. I would like to visit any sensory gardens that have been set up within primary schools in my area, but there doesn't seem to be any that I know of - most are associated with special schools. I live in Hampshire and have tried to find some that are close by but to no avail so far. Any other ideas warmly welcomed.
Portchesterqueen

Hi Portchester Queen,

If you know of any special schools, I'd ring them all, explain and ask if you can visit. I'm sure you'd only need 15-20 minutes, so you wouldn't be encroaching on their time; and they may welcome your visit.
You could take a copy of your crb and only take photographs of the garden and features, if not write/sketch what features that will help you.

If not, contact your Early Years (within your County Council) or do you have an Early years advisor? if so, ask them.

If you are still not sure of what or whom to contact, if you work in a setting, ask your manager, they should help. Use your net-working system, whether that's forums/clusters/courses you may attend or anyone that is in education. If you really want to do your chosen project and do it well, you'll have to do the 'pushing/driving'.

I did notice you were thinking of this project for children with speech delays, but I feel that would narrow your subject matter down and restrict you. A muli-sensory garden is a multi- faceted subject and you would have more scope linking it to all sen children (as well as those that aren't).

This would allow you a greater area to research on the academic side. If you are going to concentrate just on speech, do you think 'they' may be questioning why a sensory garden should benefit a child with speech delay more than one who has not? The nice surroundings are lovely, but it may seem to be pushing the SAL therapists to the side and what does it add? Providing a child with something interesting may encourage them to talk, but so could a toy car or dinosaur. Just a thought - you may have research and jounals that point towards and argue the difference they make.

I hope I haven't put you off your subject, as it's a great one with so much scope - just don't want you to 'tie' yourself up by narrowing such a lovely subject and one that you may find goes off in a different direction once you get started.

[Ruthierhyme]

Originally Posted by portchesterqueen

Any other ideas warmly welcomed.
Portchesterqueen

Hiya, is it possible for you to establish one - temporaily in response to the FD project maybe, for colleagues in your area to visit & take back?

I like the diversity the all weather windmills now have - Amazon link & solar lighting products.

Growing schools set many initiatives for schools which I'm sure would provide you with some some feedback. Morrisons Let's grow scheme, RHS & waitrose campaign - all would need to take on board fitting children's participation into the school timetable, plants grown, space, inclusion & provision of multi sensory elements & maintenance arrangements.

'school sensory garden hampshire' in a search engine returns some interesting leads.

Have you contacted any local gardening centres/interest groups to see if they have information that could help?

Best wishes with all this, it's an area I would love to delve into a little further, look forward to hearing how it goes xx

Heidi, I'd like to see what you designed based on your reply too is your garden somewhere others can visit or that you've been asked about?

[Heidi]

It's my own garden - but I do take my ideas to work i.e. I film the birds in my nesting box to take in, photograph (and collect dead ) butterflies, dragonflies etc. I volunteer to work on projects in park and wetlands - I'm just an enthusiast - not an expert!

Fortunately my setting is surrounded by land - unfortunately it is public, so we are allowed nothing fixed and in this day and age bird/bat boxes that I have placed have been knocked down amongst other things. I don't let this deter us and we grow as much as we can, as well as using the outside area for play.
I find those hessian planters invaluable and we have sucessfully grown potatoes, courgettes, parnips etc for group projects - but they all have to live in my garden in the holidays. The children of course always grow something they can nurture themselves and record/bring in etc.

If they are not seeds we can sow in a pot, such as tomatoes, we will sow them in trays in the setting and I place them in my greenhouse, and bring in weekly until it's time for the children to pot them up, take home and hopefully enjoy, record and take a photograph/or email to share with us.