Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

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. Sensory-focused 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.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Foreword (p. 9)
• Acknowledgements (p. 10)
• Introduction (p. 11)
• Part 1 Theory
• 1 The Meaning of Sensory Stimulation (p. 15)
• 2 Theoretical Framework for Sensory-Focused Activities (p. 17)
• 3 Maximising Participation in Sensory-Focused Activities (p. 33)
• 4 Assessment and Evaluation (p. 39)
• 5 How to Structure Sensory-Focused Activities (p. 47)
• Part 2 Activity Ideas
• 6 Introduction to Part Two (p. 61)
• 7 Providing Sensory-Focused Activities and Maximising Participation (p. 63)
• 8 The Activities (p. 77)
• List of Activities
• Drinks
• Apple and celery juice (p. 81)
• Apple, pear and strawberry juice (p. 82)
• Chilled chocolate (p. 83)
• Coconut banana drink (p. 84)
• Coffee (p. 85)
• Fruitade (p. 87)
• Fruit smoothie (p. 88)
• Hot chocolate malt (p. 89)
• Hot ginger (p. 90)
• Hot lemon (p. 91)
• Iced mocha (p. 92)
• Kosciusko nightcap (p. 94)
• Lemon nectar (p. 95)
• Orange and lemon juice (p. 96)
• Orange tea (p. 97)
• Passionfruit and lemon juice (p. 98)
• Peanut milk (p. 99)
• Pink grapefruit juice (p. 100)
• Punch (p. 101)
• Raspberry fizz (p. 102)
• Soy banana thick milkshake (p. 103)
• Spicy hot chocolate (p. 104)
• Spicy tomato (p. 105)
• Food
• Apricot and orange mousse (p. 109)
• Avocado dip (p. 111)
• Chocolate peppermint slice (p. 112)
• Chocolate syllabub (p. 113)
• Christmas tree shortbreads (p. 114)
• Curry paste (p. 116)
• Decorating a plain cake (p. 118)
• Frozen apple (p. 119)
• Fruit cheese roll (p. 121)
• Fudge (p. 122)
• Grapefruit sorbet (p. 124)
• Hummus (p. 126)
• Indian samosa filling (p. 128)
• Lemon and passionfruit cream (p. 130)
• Making lunch: crustless quiche (p. 132)
• Pancakes (p. 134)
• Rita's sponge finger cake (p. 136)
• Small Christmas puddings (p. 138)
• Strawberry and peach cobbler (p. 140)
• Summer pudding (p. 142)
• Sweet chilli sauce (p. 144)
• Personal and household care
• Bath salts (p. 149)
• Beauty care/body awareness (p. 150)
• Hand lotion (p. 151)
• Having a bath or shower (p. 152)
• Homemade face pack (p. 153)
• Massage and aromatherapy (p. 155)
• Peppermint face mask (p. 157)
• Potpourri (p. 158)
• Refreshing peppermint foot cream (p. 159)
• Rich yoghurt and fruit exfoliating mask (p. 161)
• Rum and egg shampoo additive (p. 162)
• Scented drawer liners (p. 163)
• Shoe cleaning (p. 164)
• Soap balls (p. 165)
• Strawberry almond facial scrub (p. 166)
• Sweet violet hand cream (p. 168)
• Wool mix (p. 169)
• Art and craft
• Bird cake (p. 173)
• Bubblebrew (bubble-blowing liquid) (p. 175)
• Christmas tree cards (p. 176)
• Cinnamon clay ornaments (p. 178)
• Cinnamon spice dough (p. 179)
• Flowers and leaves collage (p. 180)
• Fluorescent action painting (p. 181)
• Foil painting/corrugated card (p. 183)
• Glitter leisure dough (p. 184)
• Glittery collage/glittery mobile (p. 185)
• Herb vinegar (p. 186)
• Icing sugar art (p. 188)
• Music (p. 189)
• Peanut butter dough (p. 190)
• Papier mache (p. 191)
• Rainsticks and shakers (p. 193)
• Soapy paint (p. 195)
• Warm cornflour finger paint (p. 196)
• Wrapping paper (p. 197)
• Yoghurt painting (p. 198)
• Appendices
• 1 Engagement background questionnaire (p. 201)
• 2 Sensory assessment; Sensory assessment - additional information (p. 206)
• 3 Self-engagement behaviours; Self-engagement analysis (p. 221)
• 4 Interest chart (p. 224)
• 5 Engagement checklist (p. 225)
• 6 Likes and dislikes form (p. 226)
• 7 Personal communication dictionary form (p. 227)
• 8 Sensory assessment summary form (p. 228)
• 9 Example of a multisensory room recording form (p. 229)
• 10 Useful equipment for sensory activities (p. 232)
• 11 Equipment commonly found in multisensory rooms (p. 234)
• 12 Companies that supply multisensory equipment (p. 236)
• 13 The benefits of and the skills required to run sensory-focused activities (p. 239)
• 14 Precautions when using UV light (p. 240)
• Glossary (p. 241)
• References (p. 244)
• Further reading (p. 246)

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Susan Fowler has 14 years' experience as an occupational therapist with a particular interest in providing services for people with intellectual and physical disabilities.

Scope (Vic.) Ltd is a non-profit organisation providing disability services throughout Melbourne and Victoria, Australia, to thousands of children and adults with physical and multiple disabilities. It has also co-published two other resources with JKP: Enhancing Self-Esteem: A Self-Esteem Training Package for Individuals with Disabilities and Anger Management: An Anger Management Training Package for Individuals with Disabilities.