Sensory Group

Sensory Group

A sensory play group for children with sensory processing difficulties (Book 1)

by Kim Griffin

Empowering children to explore their senses. Sensory Group is step by step a 12-24 week programme designed for children who have difficulties engaging with sensory-based play. Book 1 targets sensory sensitivity or sensory avoidance, joint attention and turn taking. It is written by occupational therapist Kim Griffin and draws on her extensive experience of working with children who have sensory processing difficulties and autism.

Book 1 is aimed at children with a cognitive age of three to five who avoid engaging in sensory-based play. This could include children who dislike having their hands dirty and also those who avoid textures such as sand, Play-Doh, glue and finger paint. It is suitable for children who just don't notice or explore sensory-play opportunities in their environment. It can be used by children who are very intense with their sensory play to help to encourage turn taking and waiting. In addition, it would also be a good starting point for young children who are fussy about food textures, because often these children have some touch sensitivity underlying their fussy eating. Sensory Group would be a perfect addition to any classroom looking for a structured but fun way to encourage children to explore more with their senses.

The manual provides a clear outline on how to run the group including:

• A background to the senses and why the group is structured the way it is
• Clear rules for running the group
• Weekly outlines for the group and strategies to support children's engagement
• Safety precautions for running the group
• Risk assessments and pre and post assessments for outcome measurement
• Weekly recording sheets

In addition, once you have purchased the book, you can access the online support which includes:

• Video example of how to run the group
• A downloadable version of all forms
• Downloadable visual supports