This week, our ARP was thrilled to host a mobile farm experience right on our playground! Despite a little rain, our learners lit up with excitement as they met, touched, and learned about a variety of animals, including goats, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, and even a goose!
A Sensory-Rich Learning Experience
For many of our pupils, interacting with animals provides valuable sensory input. Feeling the softness of a rabbit, the texture of a sheep’s wool, or the firmness of a goose’s feathers. These experiences support emotional regulation and offer calm, gentle engagement with the natural world.
Encouraging Communication
The visit encouraged so much expressive language and social communication. We saw learners use core boards to name animals or describe what they were doing (“goat eating,” “touch soft rabbit”). For our pre-verbal students, this was an opportunity to develop joint attention, eye contact, and shared smiles.
Building Confidence Through Connection
For some of our children, especially those who can be hesitant with new experiences, the farm visit was a chance to build confidence through safe and positive encounters. With support from familiar adults, children took brave steps—feeding hay, stroking the animals, and even initiating contact on their own.
Learning Through Doing
The farm visit supported learning across multiple curriculum areas:
- Science: animal habitats, needs, and features
- PSHE: empathy, care, and safety around animals
- Independence: waiting for a turn, following adult prompts, using new vocabulary
- SEMH: building self-esteem and enjoyment in a calm, non-judgmental setting
🌈 A Day to Remember
Whether it was the gentle nuzzle of a lamb, the giggle of surprise at a goose’s honk, or the proud moment of holding a bunny for the first time, this farm day created lasting memories for our learners. These moments of wonder are what inclusion, curiosity, and connection are all about.
TAPS ARP
Have a great evening
