Autumn Sensory Story and Sensory-Rich Classroom Activities for Neurodiverse, Sensory, and PMLD Learners
This resource has been created to support inclusive, multisensory engagement, inviting sensory learners to explore the season of Autumn through the senses—through a sensory story that weaves together tactile props, sounds, scents, tastes, and movement with simple poetic language. Rooted in a commitment to accessibility, meaningful communication, and sensory inclusion, each couplet offers a sensory prompt—guiding the story participant through a journey where every sense is welcome.
In addition to the Autumn sensory story, there are over 50 sensory-rich, thematic classroom activities, each one a hands-on invitation for learners to connect with the season through guided interaction, communication, and sensory discovery.
From exploring nature items, sensory boxes, and the vibrant colours, smells, textures, and taste of Autumn, listening to and creating soundscapes using everyday objects, to making sensory scarecrows, bug houses, and more… and with clear, comprehensive facilitation guidance and learning objectives, this resource supports educators, therapists, carers, and families in bringing Autumn to life.
This teaching pack includes:
An Autumn sensory story
Prop/resources checklist
Full facilitation guidance
Full learning objectives to help you plan, differentiate, and assess
Over 50 sensory-rich, thematic classroom activities
This sensory adventure supports a wide range of learning objectives, loosely informed by The Engagement Model—a statutory framework designed for pupils working below the level of the national curriculum. Replacing P scales 1–4, the model offers a personalised way to track progress through five areas of engagement, focusing on how learners interact with and respond to meaningful experiences.
The five areas are:
Exploration – engaging with materials, people, or environments
Realisation – recognising the impact of actions or interactions
Anticipation – showing awareness of what might happen next
Persistence – sustaining attention or effort, even when challenged
Initiation – beginning actions or interactions independently
These areas provide a lens through which broader developmental skills—such as fine motor coordination, sensory regulation, and expressive communication—can be observed, nurtured, and celebrated. They also reflect key principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, including:
Communication and language
Physical development
Personal, social, and emotional development
Early literacy and mathematics
Understanding the world
Expressive arts and design
While originally designed for younger learners, these domains remain relevant for older pupils with PMLD, where sensory engagement is often the primary mode of interaction.
Facilitators are encouraged to tailor objectives to reflect each explorer’s unique sensory responses, communication style, and developmental needs.
My sensory stories and activities introduce symbolic narratives and multisensory experiences that extend into literacy, numeracy, expressive arts, and understanding the world. They offer emotionally resonant entry points for exploring sequencing, cause and effect, pattern recognition, and vocabulary through embodied, sensory-rich engagement.
For learners with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), curriculum content may not be accessed conventionally—but sensory experiences offer a meaningful bridge to learning, communication, and emotional connection.
Learning objectives here are not rigid targets, but gentle invitations—encouraging responses to sensory cues, fostering emotional connection, and building confidence. Each goal contains adaptable steps toward meaningful progress, allowing every explorer to participate in their own way.
Exploration Over Expectation
These activities foster connection, choice-making, and sensory engagement empowering learners to engage, modify, repeat, or opt out of elements at their own pace and comfort.
Your questions, queries, comments, and feedback are always welcome.
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