This week we discovered a fantastic, sensory game that encourages turn taking and is easy to play for children aged 2 plus, called Petting Zoo (Learning Resources) 

Beautifully presented, the game comprises of 6 textured farm animals, a large, red barn with a hole in one side and a spinning wheel. 

There are various ways to play the game, including spinning the wheel to see which texture you land on then putting your hand inside the barn to try and feel and find the matching animal. 

What did we like about it? 

• Sensory– For children that crave sensory stimulation, this game is fantastic- with its touch and feel animals and spinner. 

• Turn taking– Turn Taking is an incredibly important skill to teach young children, and it’s difficult to learn. I loved that this game provides a fun, easy way of reinforcing taking turns. 

• Family Game- There’s various ways you can play the game, meaning it’s suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities- making it fun for the whole family. A great introduction to family games and a lovely way to spend quality time together. 

• Fun! – Most importantly, it’s a fun game! The children really enjoyed playing it. They loved putting their hands into the barn and feeling for the different shaped animals. 

• Speech, Language and Communication Skills–  The Petting Zoo is a fantastic resource for developing a child’s speech, language and communication skills as it really gets children talking. It encourages children to practise their descriptions in a fun and engaging way. 

• Visual Impairment– I’d highly recommend this resource for some children with visual impairment. It requires children to solely use their sense of touch, making it inclusive and fun for those with VI.