My colleague, Ed, and I visited the Wing Lake Developmental Center this week to do a Valentine Sensory Story Time program for two groups of students with severe cognitive impairments and multiple disabilities: ages 3 - 11 and ages 12 - 26. Many students have low vision, so we added a variety of tactile experiences to give more meaning to the words in our songs and stories. Here is what we did:
We talked about what we like about Valentine's Day... hugs, feelings, hearts, the color red, and chocolate!
Song: "Hearts on the Move" (Tune: "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands")
We gave everyone a paper valentine heart before singing, to go with the actions during the song.
Wave your valentine, in the air.
Wave your valentine, in the air.
Wave your valentine, in the air.
Wave your valentine in the air.
Put your valentine on your nose...
Put your valentine on your head...
Put your valentine on your arm...
(Source: unknown)
Story: See a Heart, Share a Heart by Eric Telchin
This is a wonderful, simple story with beautiful photographs of hearts found naturally in the world around us... on the street, in the leaves on the trees, in a piece of wood or a heart-shaped rock. We were very descriptive of the photographs, talking about the texture we might feel and the colors. In the beginning of the story, there is a photograph of a child making a heart shape with his hands. We walked around the room and helped the students make a heart with their hands. Another page says to "Find a Heart." Ed and I walked around with a foam heart and scarf, demonstrating how we can hide a heart with the scarf and then find it when we remove the scarf, letting them see and/or feel the hidden heart. Toward the end of the story, there is an image of a hand holding a heart-shaped rock... "touch a heart." One of our library staff members had a large stone in a heart shape that we were so lucky to borrow and let each student "touch a heart," feeling how smooth and heavy it was.
Flannel Rhyme: "Counting Valentines..."
Valentines, valentines, how many do I see?
Valentines, valentines, count them with me.
I have red ones, orange ones, yellow ones, too.
I have green ones, purple ones, and some that are blue.
Valentines, valentines, how many do I see?
(count all of the colors together)
Story: I Kissed the Baby! (for the younger group)
This is a great repetitive story that you can do the actions to as you read along... feeding, singing, tickling, and blowing kisses of course! I also like to bring out my little duckling puppet that squeaks for an extra sensory experience.
Story: Colors All Around Us: Red by Daniel Nunn (for the older group)
This non-fiction picture book is a simple look at all of the red things we see around us... in our clothes, food, and nature. We talked about our favorite red things and how some make sounds (like fire trucks!)
Song: "If You Love Somebody and You Know It..." (Tune: "If You're Happy and You Know It")
If you love somebody and you know it, give them a hug.
If you love somebody and you know it, give them a hug.
If you love somebody and you know it,
And you really want to show it...
If you love somebody and you know it, give them a hug.
If you love somebody and you know it, blow them a kiss...
If you love somebody and you know it, shout "hooray!"...
This is a nice, easy craft using heart shapes cut from large-size traditional coffee filters. We then use dot markers in various colors to dab onto the filter hearts (on top of a foam plate). With a little assistance, we really got to practice our fine motor skills by squeezing eye droppers of water over our colorful dots until they start to run together, giving it a stained glass look. A dab with a paper towel and then they can take them home on the plate. When they dry in a few hours, they will have a pretty, colorful heart to hang in the window. Look at these beautiful hearts!
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