Ideas for using a Tuff spot/tray to support sensory learning.
Tuff spot trays are a fantastic resource to use with sensory impaired children and young people. They provide a large area, with good contrast, that can be placed on the floor, on a stand or on a table. They can be used for independent learning or group activities. Activities can help to develop creativity, improve problem-solving abilities, and build social relationships.
As an alternative, a potting tray from a garden centre could be used. These come in a variety of sizes and can be used on a wheelchair tray.
Many resources/materials can be put in a tray for children to explore and develop their senses. A tuff spot can facilitate introducing sensory play experiences within a child’s functional vision range. Hands and feet can be used to explore new textures. Adults may need to support using hand under hand technique. Initially, you may need to reduce the number of items on the tray and increase as they begin to recognise or engage with them.
- Understanding concepts:
Tuff spots can be used to create a small world area to support children’s imagination or help to understand concepts. Children can talk about the ideas and processes which have led them to make their small world. Creating different environments allows visually or multi-sensory impaired children time to investigate the materials available and helps them to become independent learners.
Concepts such as big/little, heavy/light, soft/rough can be explored using a Tuff spot. For older children concepts such as the plant life cycle can be explored. The dark background provides a good contrast and encourages cooperative learning. Paints, chalks or brightly coloured chalk pens can be used on the surface. (Available cheaply through sites such as Amazon – Liquid chalk is non-toxic, can be used on any non-porous surface and wiped away with a cloth).
Use the following link to access the official Tuff Spot Gallery for more inspiration: https://tuffspot.co.uk/gallery/
- Fine Motor Skills
Use sand to encourage fine motor skills and mark making. Alternatively, blend breakfast cereal to a fine powder for an edible sand (Check for any allergies). Make sand combs using stiff card to support using a tool. For more ideas, use the following link to access the official Tuff Spot Gallery for more inspiration: https://tuffspot.co.uk/gallery/
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Make an ice cream parlour with shaving foam or squirty cream. Use real cones or plastic cups to encourage hand eye co-ordination skills. Use the following link to access the official Tuff Spot Gallery for more inspiration: https://tuffspot.co.uk/gallery/
- Ice Play
Explore concept of cold. Freeze some Arctic small world animals in a bowl of water and leave on the Tuff spot alongside some tools. Allow the children to chip away at the ice blocks to discover the hidden animals. The children will enjoy trying to melt the ice to see who is hiding whilst developing their problem solving skills. Another great activity is to provide children will different colours of paint and let them paint the ice cubes. Make sure hands don’t get too cold. Use the following link to access the official Tuff Spot Gallery for more inspiration: https://tuffspot.co.uk/gallery/
- Sorting
Add a range of small, hard materials such as pulses, pasta and rice to the Tuff spot and mix them together. Then offer some small sorting bowls and chunky tweezers allowing the children to sort the materials into the bowls using the tweezers. This activity will support children’s fine motor skills alongside their hand eye coordination.
Collect items that are made of similar materials for children to sort into different properties e.g. shiny, smooth, hard or soft. Note in the picture for some children with VI, the black background rather than the foil covered example will create a greater contrast which will help sorting skills. Use the following link to access the official Tuff Spot Gallery for more inspiration: https://tuffspot.co.uk/gallery/
- Dark Room
Use with UV lights to encourage visual attention and tracking skills. Use the following link to access the official Tuff Spot Gallery for more inspiration: https://tuffspot.co.uk/gallery/
- Construction
Use building bricks on the tuff tray. The tray lip will reduce bricks scattering or falling to the floor making them difficult to find. The black tray also improves contrast, making the bricks easier to see. Use the following link to access the official Tuff Spot Gallery for more inspiration: https://tuffspot.co.uk/gallery/
- Messy play
Food play: Using different types of food in the Tuff spot allows children to feel different textures and smells. Baked beans, cooked spaghetti and mashed potato allow the children to experiment with different materials and experiment with mixing them together. Adding utensils enables the children who do not enjoy messy play to take part in the activity, whilst supporting their learning in using tools. Alternatively use dry rice, beans, or sand for exploration. These fall away from the hand easily.
Play Dough can strengthen fingers to improve fine motor control and gross motor skills.
Shaving Foam: Using the tuff spot will improve the contrast to increase visual attention. Hide items in the foam to encourage fine motor skills.
Oobleck: A mixture of cornstarch and water for a unique sensory experience.
Finger Painting: Use the tray to improve the contrast.Water play with ducks – Fill with water and add some rubber ducks. Use the ducks to encourage early maths skills e.g. to sing five little ducks went swimming one day.
- Sensory Stories
Creating scenes using breakfast cereals, animals and other resources such as fabric. The children will enjoy exploring the different textures while learning new words. Children can be encouraged to develop their imagination whilst learning to play independently. Extend children’s experience by recreating a favourite story. “We’re going on a bear hunt” by Michael Rosen, can be recreated using a number of tuff spots by offering different parts of the story in each one. Water, mud, green tissue paper, wooden bark and shaving foam can offer a range of textures for the child to experience whilst on their bear hunt. The children can walk through each tuff spot talking about how the different textures feel on their hands and their feet.
The Three Little Pigs could be created to explore different textures within the story such as rough, smooth, soft, sharp etc. Ask your advisory teacher for more ideas.
