DIY Sensory Tree

Here's a nice little addition to your sensory area/ activities - a sensory tree with scents that you can change or refresh easily and as needed.

What you'll need:

*A twig/ small branch - it needs to have some off shoots to hang the scent pouches from (think mini tree!)*

*Some permeable material, bags or pouches to hold your smelly items. I used these cute little organza bags.* 

*A pot or jar to hold your tree.*

*An interesting variety of different smells (some ideas below).*

**Tissue paper, glitter, sequins, felt tip pens, ribbons and anything else you like to decorate.*

What to do:

1. Go for a walk, enjoy the great outdoors and find a suitable stick
   
2. Make sure it's nice and dry and then decorate if desired. You could paint it, wrap it with coloured yarn, glue tissue paper onto it... whatever the little ones want!
3. More decorating! Now it's time to make your pot or jar looks beautiful! Felt pens were used here but they have a habit of rubbing off onto everything around. I've heard that hairspray can help it set, but it's probably easier to paint the jar or collage onto it!
   
4. Fill your pot or jar with soil/ tissue paper/ bubble wrap or anything that will hold the stick fairly firmly
5. Find some interesting smelling items, you could use: fresh herbs, fresh fruit (citrus ones work really well), tea bags, smelly soaps, cotton wool soaked in coffee/ perfume etc and fill the bags 
   

 6. Hang the bags onto the tree and you're done! Allow the children to explore the different smells and maybe help them to think of and add their own.

Have an awesome summer everyone!