Indoor Underfoot Sensory Exploration

Hey, young Adventurer! Get ready to embark on a one-of-a-kind journey inside your home. Today, you'll explore the textures beneath your feet, from snug carpets to cool tiles. For this activity, you'll record your observations through the sensory lenses of sound and touch, highlighting how different surfaces feel underfoot. Let the exploration begin!

What You'll Need:

  • Curiosity and Imagination
  • ​Nature Journal, and pencils
  • Braille slate and stylus 
  • (Tactile) drawing paper
  • Favorite drawing tools
  • Tactile markers
  • A phone with a recording app or recording device
  •  Optional: family member or friend to assist

Instructions:

Step 1. Recording:
  • Use your recording device to capture the sound of your feet on whatever surface you are walking on.
  • Speak into your recording device, and state the room and type of surface you are walking on. Identify if you are barefoot or the kind of footwear you are wearing. 
  • If you are deaf or hard of hearing, note the sensations you feel underfoot in your Nature Journal or braille slate.


Step 2. Sensory Exploration and Identification:
  • Take short walks or move around your home throughout the day, deliberately stepping on different surfaces.
  • Try walking on these surfaces with bare feet, socks, slippers, hard shoes, or runners. 
  • Pay attention to how each surface feels underfoot. As you step on each surface, identify and describe how it feels. For example: carpet - soft and plush, tile floor - cool and smooth, hardwood floor - firm and smooth, and so on. 


Step 3. Document Your Findings:
  • Capture your sensory walk experience in your Nature Journal, braille slate, or on (tactile) drawing paper. Write or sketch what you felt or sensed during the walk. Be as descriptive or imaginative as you like. Documenting your observations ensures that they'll be accessible for future reference.
  • If you can hear, play back the recordings of your observations and use them to guide your writing or sketches.


Step 4. Questions:
Write the answers to the following questions in your Nature Journal or braille slate.

  1. Was there a difference in temperature between the floor surfaces? If so, describe the differences.
  2. How would you compare the sensation of walking on carpeted surfaces to hard surfaces like tile or wood?
  3. Were there any uneven surfaces or changes in the height on the indoor floor? How did this affect how you walk or your experience of moving through the space?
  4. How did the different floors sound when you walked on them with or without shoes? What did the sounds you heard sound like?
  5. Did this sensory recording activity enhance your connection to the indoor environment?


Step 5. Share Your Discoveries:
Share your "Indoor Underfoot Surface Exploration" with family, friends, and others important to you! Let them know about the unexpected sensory experiences you encountered.​ 


​Conclusion:
Exploring the indoor surfaces of your home is an opportunity to connect with your surroundings mindfully. Each step reveals textures, patterns, and sensations, increasing sensory awareness. It transforms the familiar spaces of your home into a canvas for exploration and discovery, promoting curiosity. Happy exploring, young Adventurer!

Image credit: Photograph by Rattanakun Thongbun