Sensory Fun with Hope Home

Today we decided to begin our workshop with a few songs for Hope Home. With the challenges of wheelchairs and limited movement of the participants, our volunteers found joy and harmony with musical instruments, as well as singing voices, to get the kids started. Nom Chok loved the music, especially loud music! He insisted on stealing our cell phones so he could put the music right onto his ear and hear it as loud as possible.

Spices used: cinnamon, ground cumin, turmeric, paprika, and chili powder. We started with just smelling the spices, feeling them with our fingers, and possibly even tasting them. The kids instantly were filled with laughs as they experienced the different smells. Volunteers helped by putting small amount of water in with the spices to give the kids an array of “paints.” 

Even though “spice paints” cannot compare in vibrancy of regular poster paint, the effect seemed to be just the same. Phil, one of the participants at Hope Home, started to explore the act of licking his paper after he had painted on some spices. Phil would laugh and smile then stick his tongue out and rub it all over his painting! It was inspiring to watch how much fun he was having. He couldn’t believe we were letting him eat the paint! 

Not every participant at Hope Home can show excitement as much as Phil can, but small movements and facial contact let us know they are loving the workshop. Near the end of the workshop, the volunteers hung a streamer curtain to hang down and blow in the wind. Some of the kids found this interesting and funny, as they watched it unexpectedly move in the air. Exploring the sense of feeling, especially the wind on one’s skin, was another aspect of this workshop. Volunteers took out foam core paper and fanned the kids. Joy smiled so big when we fanned her with 3 fans all at once! 

Overall, it was another great day at Cultural Canvas & Art Relief International. 

I am so blessed and elated to have had this special day with the most beautiful children I have ever seen. 

All my love, 

Krista Wanous

Miss International 2012