Sensory Songs: Under the Wishing Tree is a personalised multisensory world of story, music, and song for young children with complex needs.

Developed by Thomas Johnston (musician) and Orla Kelly (visual artist) for Cruinniú na nÓg in June 2020.

Who is Under the Wishing Tree for?

The project has been developed specifically for children who attend the Special Care Classes at Holy Family School in Cootehill, Co. Cavan. Each child receives their own box which include a range of sensory objects - finger puppets, lily pads, a glowing moon, a rainbow wand, a cloud, paper leaves, magic leaves, a pinecone, and feather - that they can explore while listening to the accompanying soundtracks.

A note for parents/guardians

Under The Wishing Tree is a multisensory music experience in a box. All the characters as finger puppets and multisensory props are available for you and your child to engage with again and again in a guided way, but ultimately the story and interaction can be reinvented each time you open the story box.

We have a few helpful directions for you before we begin.

Please feel free to explore all the items in the box in the way that best suits you and your child initially.

When you are familiar with all the items and ready to hear the music and songs, we recommend that you either lay all the items out in front of you both, or if better for you and your child, leave the items in the box or away from your child’s immediate sight and bring out each item as prompted as you listen to the songs, in a way that feels the most appropriate and natural for you both in each instance.

There is no right or wrong way to do this. Feel free to play naturally together as you respond to the music and songs.

We have made every effort for all items to be prepared in a ‘quarantined’ way so there is no need to clean items before use, unless you wish to do so. You may perhaps see an odd coloured mark on a puppet edge. This is merely a marker used for cutting out. Finger puppets, clouds and rainbows can be washed in warm soapy water when they get dirty. All other items can be wiped with an antiseptic wipe should you need to clean them.

The items we have included can be used in many ways and hopefully many times but here are a few of our ideas with some of the items for you.

TRACK 1: LAND OF THE TREES

Paper Leaves: Tissue leaves have a curious aerodynamic and can be beautiful when blown or dropped. Perhaps you could animate the cloud to create a breeze and move the leaves. Allowing the leaves to fall and float from a height over the eyeline of your child can be very pleasing. If your child can, perhaps they would like to blow the leaves too with you from your hand. Such blowing can strengthen muscles involved in oral motor and mouth skills.

Magic Leaves: These coloured cellophane leaves can change the colour of what you look at when placed close to the eyes/looked through. You can also layer the colours on a flat white surface and see the colours change through optical mixing.

Pinecone: The pinecone has a lovely fragrance and hopefully the extra pine essence we have added will remain for some time for you both to smell. You could also flick the scales of the pinecone while it is close to the ear and make intriguing sounds to listen to. If this is sore for your finger perhaps you could use the cloud or rainbow wand to flick the scales of the pinecone.

Cloud: You may use the cloud in a waving motion to blow the leaves or make a breeze upon your child’s face or skin. The shape is a pleasing one and its texture is both soft and stiff.


TRACK 2: SORLEY THE SNAIL'S WISH

Snail finger puppet: this can be placed on a child's finger, pencil, hairbrush end or whatever suits your child to hold. Or they may be placed on your finger and used to animate as the music and songs play.

Rainbow wand: The rainbow wand can be stimulating for children’s eyes by merely looking at the colours and for their gross motor movements when in the hand and waved about. You could wrap the ribbons around the stick and allow it to unroll.

TRACK 3: ORNAITH THE OWL'S WISH

Owl finger puppet: this can be placed on a child's finger, pencil, hairbrush end or whatever suits your child to hold. Or they may be placed on your finger and used to animate as the music and songs play.

Moon: To fly by the light of the moon is a wish of Ornaith the owl. You may need to charge the moon before her wish comes true and you can do so via the USB cable in the box. There is no plug included but you may use any USB plug which you may have to charge your phone as example, or your computer. Please read the instructions that are with the moon as it will describe how you can turn it on with a slight swipe of your finger at the charging point of the unit. The moon is most effective in a place that is dark and perhaps could be a wonderful reminder of the story at bedtime. Although the moon is made of thick printed plastic and is fairly robust, it might not survive a large and forceful throw from a height.

Feather: The feather is a wish for you and your child to make. Feathers also are beautifully aerodynamic and can be blown, dropped or used to make a light sensory experience along the arm, leg or face.

TRACK 4: FAOILÁIN THE FROG'S WISH


Frog finger puppet: this can be placed on a child's finger, pencil, hairbrush end or whatever suits your child to hold. Or they may be placed on your finger and used to animate as the music and songs play.

Lilipad: The lilipad is great for Faoiláin the frog to dance upon. On the reverse side of the lilipad there are some textured surfaces; one scratchy and pointy and one soft and long.
We hope you enjoy our gift for you and we hope you both have a magical Cruinniú na nÓg.

Happy wishes from Orla and Thomas