The Seaside

This half term several of the classes I work in are following the theme of 'The Seaside'. I have found several picture books and have adapted them and read them  to the groups as sensory stories. Many of them feature similar seaside activites so we have been using props to help us experience the beach within the classroom.



For paddling and swimming, in the sea the children have been sitting on stools with their feet in boxes/bowls filled with tepid water. They are encouraged to splash and move their feet in the water. Attracted by the movement and sound some also like to lean over and put their hands in too.

For walking on the beach, we put a layer of sand onto plastic trays and placed them under the children's feet so they can feel the sand and step their feet up and down. You can add shells and pebbles for them to bend down and discover. Those able to stand with bare feet can stand up and step onto the sand. We also poured water over the sand and the children's feet for the time coming in.

Making sandcastles can be made in either the sand tray or on individual trays for each child. This can be done in a variety of positions: Sitting on floor, sitting on a stool, in a standing frame (using attached tray) or lying prone over a wedge. We made castles together as groupa round a sand tray and also made them individually on small trays. We decorated them with shells and stones and then either knocked them down or poured water over them. This happened in the stories when the tide came in and washed away the castles.

Exploring rockpools was a fun activity using a bowl of water filled with seaside objects such as shells, pebbles, plastic crabs, starfish, fish and seaweed (cut out from green plastic- it sticks to your hands and legs like real seaweed). The children enjoyed feeling  and looking at the objects.

Other activites from some of the books included: putting on sun cream (real or imaginary, singing 'this is the way I put on my cream.....when I go to the beach'; sailing in a boat (rowing in pairs whilst singing 'row the boat'); putting on sunhats (singing '______ is wearing a hat'); flying a kite (kite on a long pole infront of a fan) and playing under an umbrella (using a play parachute and lifting up to create an umbrellas.

Additonal sounds - We listened to seashore relaxation tapes and some sound effects such as waves and seagulls.

Additonal smells - suncream and 'seaside' (sand, shells)