Seaside Sensory Tour

Time

4 3 2 1 Mid Stages

Benefits

Participants

One to One or Group Activity

What you need

Choose any combination, or all of the items below if you are able to source these.

Shells and pebbles
Sand
Bucket and spade
Variety of seaside postcards (find some funny ones, if you can)
Classic British seaside images, like Punch & Judy, a donkey, a pier, a fairground ride etc
Inflatable beach balls
Ice cream
Poems about the seaside (printed on large paper in a large font)
Songs about the seaside (printed on large paper in a large font)
Sun cream
Ocean/Seaside scent spray

Intro

We might not be able to go to the seaside very easily, but nothing is stopping us from bringing the seaside home! This activity does require a bit of preparation, but the enjoyment it brings will make it all worthwhile. It’s designed to spark wonderful memories and ignite lively conversations about trips to the beach through all the right sights, sounds and smells.

Everyone will love doing this outside on a warm day, with the sun on their faces. Or, if the British summer decides to do what it does best and rain, you can enjoy it just as much indoors!

Top tip

Don’t skip onto the next thing if everyone is enjoying themselves. The main thing is to let people have fun and to spend the time doing the bits they really enjoy. So chop and change as you go along to help the session to flow.

The Activity

Prepare a plan before the session starts to ensure the activity runs smoothly. We’ve written a sample session, but feel free to create your own or adapt it

Our sample session

Start with a song to bring the group together, such as, “Oh I Do Like to Be Beside the Seaside”. Put the lyrics on the wall in large letters so people can sing along!
Pass around the shells and pebbles, encouraging everyone to feel the shapes and textures
Rub a little sun cream onto the back of each person’s hand and let them enjoy the distinctive smell. It’ll probably remind them of sunshine! See if they can remember putting it on themselves at the beach
Pass the postcards around the group, asking them to look at each image and recall times when they might have seen the pictures before. There will probably be some giggles at the funny ones!
Keep some pens handy, as people may want to write a postcard to a friend or loved one
Stop for a game of throwing the beach ball, perhaps playing some seaside-themed music in the background
Spray a litte scent around the room and let everyone enjoy the aroma, as you read a seaside-themed poem, like “Sea Fever” by John Masefield. Put the poem in big letters on the wall, so people can read along, if they wish
Pass around a bucket full of sand and a spade, encouraging people to play with the grains. They can move them with the spade or let them fall through their fingers
Pass around the seaside images and encourage people to talk about their memories of them at the beach
Play another seaside related song, such as, “My Bonny Lies Over the Ocean”. Put the lyrics on the wall in big letters, so people can sing along, if they wish
Finish off the session with a delicious ice cream for everyone