My Brain is Magic: A Sensory-Seeking Celebration by Prasha Sooful and Geeta Ladi sweeps its readers along a fun-filled, fast-paced and slow-paced sensory adventure! This book beautifully highlights the emotions, behaviours, challenges and triumphs that are associated with the sensory processing neurotype, as playfully told by a young child in the book. Sensory activities can be enjoyed by all children, and the learning benefits to their cognitive and fine motor development, as well as emotional regulation, are substantial. Following your reading of this magical picture book, youngsters can have loads of fun engaging in the following activities!
For ages 3+.
Animal Role Play
The book, My Brain is Magic, includes a terrific poster inside its dust jacket, which guides young children on a sensory-filled animal play journey (with tips for adults). Children can pretend to be …
- a bee – buzzing, flying, smelling flowers.
- a sloth – hanging over a bench, hugging a tree, moving s-l-o-w-l-y.
- a lion – crawling, roaring, baring teeth, eating a snack.
- a fish – making a fish face, splashing in water, blowing bubbles.
- an owl – closing eyes and breathing in quietly, making owl sounds, flapping wings.
- a whale – yawning and stretching, feeling heavy while lying on soft furnishings, flapping your own whale tail.
Sensory and Tactile Dough – Slime, Playdough, Kinetic Sand, Shaving Cream, ‘Oobleck’
Find a suitable recipe to make your own dough, slime, sand, shaving cream / soap foam or Oobleck for children to ‘Squish’, ‘Squeeze’, ‘Smear’ and even ‘Taste’ (if edible)!
Children can create their own animal shapes or drawings, or include plastic toy animals to play with and create a world in the mixture.
Make variations to add interest such as glitter, moth balls, shades of colours, pompoms or other small craft items and different scents* (or if edible, pieces of fruit).
*Supervise small children with non-digestible items.
Musical Instruments
When your child wants to be loud like a lion … play your own musical instruments!
Children might like to make their own instruments, learn a tune on one, or simply listen to music (soft or loud).
Simple homemade instruments can include:
- water xylophone
- elastic band guitar
- rice rain stick / shaker
- tapping sticks
- wind chimes
- hand drums
More ideas can be found at Artsy Craftsy Mom
Sensory Bottles
Like a fish in water, fill a clear bottle with water (and soap) and some sensory items to create a calming toy.
Items can include:
- glitter
- shiny beads
- sequins
- food colouring
- loom bands
- tiny fish
- buttons
DIY Kaleidoscope
This optical toy is great for learning about colours and shapes, as well as the science of its properties, but for sensory seekers they’re great for relaxation and centring their emotions. Like the brain, kaleidoscopes are magic!
Generally, kaleidoscopes work by reflecting coloured beads or glass onto mirrors to create repeating symmetrical patterns.
You can make a simple homemade kaleidoscope with foil, instead of mirrors, coloured translucent beads, a paper tube (like a Pringles can with clear lid), hot glue and decorative markers / washi tape, etc.
Instructions for this example can be found at Darcy and Brian.
My Brain is Magic: A Sensory-Seeking Celebration is written by Prasha Sooful, illustrated by Geeta Ladi and published by Soaring Kite Books. Notes prepared by Romi Sharp of Books On Tour PR & Marketing. Activity sources have been credited.
Prasha Sooful can be found at her profile and Instagram.
My Brain is Magic is available for purchase at:
Be a Part of the Magic – WIN My Brain is Magic!
Answer, ‘Which animal/s from My Brain is Magic do you most identify with?‘
Email justwriteforkidsblog@gmail.com with your response. More details can be found here.
Join this campaign full of play and curiosity with Prasha Sooful and her valuable picture book, My Brain is Magic: A Sensory-Seeking Celebration, intriguing readers across the blogosphere!
#mybrainismagic #asensoryseekingcelebration #sensoryprocessing #acceptance #picturebooks #justkidslit
3 thoughts to “Sensory Seeking Activities for My Brain is Magic”
Fabulous activities, Romi. They’ll help support all those sensory seeking children. Fun for anyone.
Thanks, Norah! Tactile and sensory activities are so beneficial and fun for all young children! x
I totally agree.