A Visit to the Coffee Shop

A Visit to the Coffee Shop – A Six-Stage Learning Journey 

A sensory story, practical literacy activities and meaningful real-life experiences! 

Take literacy beyond the classroom with this practical, sensory-rich resource that connects storytelling, communication, and everyday learning with real-world opportunities. Designed for learners of all ages in SEND and PMLD settings. 

Part of the Literacy Through Everyday Life series, A Visit to the Coffee Shop takes learners on a flexible six-stage journey, from exploring a sensory story and recognising familiar signs to using menus, role play, creating a mini café and visiting a real community setting. 

Through practical, accessible activities, learners can explore communication, choice-making, environmental print, social interaction and everyday problem-solving. 

Inside the resource, you’ll find: 

  • A sensory story with suggested props and facilitation ideas. 
  • Six stages of practical, sensory-rich literacy learning. 
  • Learning objectives and engagement outcomes to support planning, differentiation and assessment. 
  • Café menus, signs and communication activities. 
  • Printable resources, including matching mats and practical café activity materials. 
  • Role-play and mini café experiences. 
  • Ideas for preparing for a community café visit and reflecting afterwards. 
  • Adaptations and opportunities for different levels of participation. 

Activities can be selected and adapted to suit individual learners, groups or whole-class projects. There is no requirement to complete every stage or follow a fixed sequence. 

From the classroom to the community, discover how everyday experiences can create meaningful opportunities for literacy, communication, independence and participation. 

Suitable for schools, specialist settings and home learning.

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rhyming-multisensory-stories

Hi

I am a passionate advocate for sensory-rich learning, specialising in developing meaningful, engaging and accessible resources for learners of all ages with diverse sensory and learning needs.

As founder of Rhyming Multisensory Stories, I create Sensory Stories, Multisensory Music Journeys™, Practitioner Guides and inclusive educational resources packed with sensory-rich activities.

With over two decades of experience, I began my career teaching children from travelling communities in Spain and working in mainstream education, before moving into specialist education and founding my own business.

My comprehensive self-paced online CPD programme offers practical training in sensory storytelling and multisensory engagement, priced at £10 to keep professional development affordable.

I deliver workshops for Creative Education and EQUALS and create recorded presentations for specialist conferences and events, including The Sensory Festival (Hirstwood Training) and the PMLD Conferences (Dr Joanna Grace).

I work with Little Magic Train to develop inclusive sensory content for their EYFS platform, adapting adventures and creating activities for children who benefit from additional support and sensory adaptations.

I am a guest author in Sensory Stories: Making Narratives Accessible Through the Senses by Dr Joanna Grace and Sarah Moseley’s Teaching Reading to All Learners Including Those with Complex Needs. My articles have been published in PMLD Link and SEN Magazine.

My book, Sensory Spaces: An A–Z of Immersive and Creative Environments to Support Sensory Integration (Routledge, ISBN 978-1-032-98911-2), is a practical guide to creating customisable environments that spark curiosity, creativity and storytelling, using accessible everyday resources to support learning, sensory engagement and relaxation. It also features contributions from professionals working across specialist education.

I continually add new resources to my extensive resource bank.

I believe sensory experiences should be creative, meaningful, engaging, accessible and achievable, with learners at the heart of practice. Whether you are exploring sensory storytelling or Multisensory Music Journeys™, looking for fresh inspiration, or seeking practical ideas and guidance, my aim is to provide resources that make sensory learning easier to plan and deliver.

My free monthly teaching planners are packed with sensory-rich ideas and inspiration for PMLD and SEND classrooms, settings and home learning throughout the year.

If you have any questions, would like a free sample of my work or would like to sign up for my free monthly newsletter, please contact:

rhymingmultisensorystories@outlook.com
Your comments and feedback are always welcome.

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