Sensory Stories were invented in 2014 by Joanna Grace and were originally developed for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD).

Stories are universal and part of being human, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, sexual orientation, ability… Every day each of us writes and shares his own story.

Through stories we derive pleasure, we have the opportunity to develop our personal ethics, an opportunity to learn, to envision the change we want, to understand the world, to feel a sense of belonging as part of a community or group, to develop bonds and friendships and to discover our own identity.

A Sensory Story is a story told with words and sensory stimuli, which contribute equally to the narrative.

Sensory Stories can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. The fact that they do not rely only to words is what makes everyone wants to get involved, for it is the sensory experiences they offer that make them so engaging.

Sensory Stories are inclusive, as they can be accessed by people who don’t share the same language or do not understand language at all, for they serve as a motive for communication and allow us to meet in their special story telling place.

Influenced by Japanese Haiku poems, Sensory Stories usually consist of ten (10) sentences, each one combined with a strong sensory stimulus, conveying an event or emotion from the narrative.

Sensory stimulation is vital for promoting cognitive development, hence the sensory experiences lived within Sensory Stories are not just regular stimuli, but great, rich, intense experiences. For example, viewing a picture or photograph – something mundane – does not provide the appropriate visual experience, unlike total darkness or seeing through a colored filter or kaleidoscope!  

Sensory Stories can be a fun way for children with sensory processing difficulties, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other related disorders, who may suffer from hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli and need extra support, to face challenging sensory experiences and cope with their difficulties.

Sensory Stories can help adults or elderly people whose development has been interrupted or is being restarted after a traumatic event, people for whom sensory experiences are essential, e.g. with brain injuries, sensory impairments, dementia, mental health disorders, as through the use of sensory stimulation memory, concentration and as a result the ability and readiness to learn are supported, while communication is enhanced and anxiety, depression and stress are reduced.

Βιβλιογραφία

How to create a sensory story. (2018). YouTube. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from https://youtu.be/6PeZ7r6aekA.
Grace, J. (2019, March 21). Sensory stories. Kickstarter. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sensorystory/sensory-stories
Grace, J. (2018, May 21). Sharing Sensory Stories and Conversations with People with Dementia (1st ed.). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Grace, J. (2014, October 21). Sensory Stories for Children and Teens with Special Educational Needs: A Practical Guide. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
The Sensory Projects – Sensory Stories. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://www.thesensoryprojects.co.uk/sensory-stories