As a mother to a vibrant and energetic two year old son I have recently began to explore sensory activities, I’m really not sure who enjoys them more to be honest me or Hunter!
Sensory activities for children.
As we walk around our bright happy garden we pick & taste some mint, crushing it & smelling its refreshing aroma. We stack some sticks and bits of wood up into some fantastic art work. We nibble on snow peas, & cherry tomatoes (Hunter knows to eat the red ones!) & breathe in the fresh afternoon air interacting with each other and with nature.
Mother Nature is amazing.
It is such a pleasure to be outside in the sunshine ( I don’t mind the rain either to be honest!) But I am always amazed by the incredible things Mother Nature can do with plants. Did you know a seed has a very minute respiration rate & will lay there BREATHING until its biological triggers are awaked, for example, by 3 consecutive days over 26 degrees. They then spring into action fully loaded with almost everything required & if you provide the rest, the right conditions, this plant will grow into something beautiful, something happy & grateful of the love and care you as a gardener have put into it. Gaia, Mother Nature never ceases to be the reason for awe and inspiration.
Easy access to herbs and gardens for the mobility impaired.
I recall the difficult days after a massive knee operation, being mobility impaired, I really had to following my bliss. Just sitting outside in the fresh air, underneath the shade of the Native Peppermint willow feeling so at peace, finally, birds busy bustling, out the front of my house, I was regaining that sense of normality I had been missing. I so enjoyed picking fresh herbs at my back door, it was so accessible and easy. I am sure it was those little things got me through it all with a smile.
So much variety to choose from!
There are a huge variety of plants that are safe to eat & touch, that provide a deep and fulfilling sensory experience. I love plants that have different textures, colours, smells, tastes & happen to look enchanting while doing it! I love to experience the subtle difference in my collection of over 8 varieties of mint – chocolate mint vs apple mint – I still can’t decide the winner!! I delight in the super soft & furry leaves that feel so nice to touch, & of course, that little rosemary bush that reminds me of my childhood.
