19th November 2017
Sensory seeking is an important factor for a lot of people on the Autistic Spectrum. It is pleasurable, helps to alleviate anxiety, is fun and helps to calm us in order to understand the hectic world we live in. It also helps with sensory overload which seems a little odd as I write it, but when one sense is overloaded, sensory seeking to utilise another sense helps with that overload.
There are many ways that Autistics seeks sensory delights and in today’s commercial environment there are lots of products on the market to help. The craze on fidget spinners, for example, has been sweeping the Nation and is great, as a lot of these products are small and can be taken into stressful situations, such as busy supermarkets where nobody would notice you walking around twiddling a sensory device in your hands. There are bigger sensory items available too and the market is booming.
Don’t get me wrong I love sensory items such as bubble jars, fidget cubes, kinetic sand and magnetic putty, but I sometimes think that they can be expensive. I also believe that there are cheaper alternatives for those that choose them.
One of my favourite sensory experiences is simply nature and the countryside. I live in England that has some of the most stunning natural landscapes in the world and multiple seasons which offer different sensory experiences. So this blog is about what sensory delights you can experience by simply going for a walk. And it does not need to be hours of hiking either.
I go for a walk in my lunch times at work, through fields and woods, and this only takes twenty to forty minutes. At weekends I can go for longer walks in more ancient woodlands to enjoy further sensory input. Therefore let us breakdown what the countryside has to offer for each of the five senses for those seeking sensory pleasure.
I must apologise that these might be slightly biased towards Autumn and Winter rather than Summer, but these are my favourite seasons.
Sound
The countryside has loads of aural input. Firstly there are the animals and birds that inhabit them. As you walk through any wood you will hear the tweets and delights of birdsong – which can be heard all around you, natures own stereo system.
Then there are more harsh bird songs from birds such as Magpies and Herons with their distinct “frank” call – my favourite bird. Then there is the noise of the natural environment. On windy days pay attention to the rustling of leaves and creaking of branches mixed with the whistling noise of the wind itself.
Pay attention to the noise that is made when you walk. The snap of twigs underfoot, the soft thuds of walking on grass and vegetation. In Autumn the crunch and rustle of fallen leaves as you move through them. To me this is a crackling sensation which is delightful.
However, I enjoy more the squelch, sucking popping sounds of walking through mud in Winter. If it is muddy underfoot be sure to wear wellington boots and don’t avoid the mud, go through it and listen to the sounds the ground makes when wet and sludgy. It can be very amusing! It also contrasts well when the ground is muddy and also covered in fallen leaves. The soft squelch noises contrasting with the hard crunch of leaves makes a beautiful symphony of noise.
Puddles of water will make sploshing sounds if you move through them. These are sounds that can be made to the walkers own delight, light wading or heavier splashing.
In Winter there are hard frosts which make a lovely crumpling sound underfoot which is much louder when walking in snow. This is different to Spring when the grass makes softer sounds as you move over it. Listen out for all these sounds, concentrate of them and I am sure you will find them relaxing.
Smell
The outdoors to me always has unique smell which I would never be able to put into words. When out walking be sure to engage your nose, there are some surprising smells. There is an underlying earthy smell in Autumn from the dew damp soil and rotting leaves.
Ponds and the rotting vegetation around the edges also have a strong musty smell. This won’t be to everyone’s taste but I like it. Autumn also offers the delightful smells from fungi. If you see mushrooms be sure to give them a smell (but no tasting – remember mushrooms can be deadly poisonous!).
There are varieties such as the coconut milk cap which smells of coconut, ones that smell of aniseed, bleach (yes – bleach!) as well as the mushroom smell we are more familiar with. The stinkhorn mushroom which creates a smell of rotting meat to attract flies to disperse its spores and can be often smelt before seen. Most people find it unpleasant but I don’t mind it.
Spring offers more smells that are considered to be more pleasant. With the blooming of scented flowers, (for example bluebells, primroses and daffodils) there is a more sickly perfumed scent. Not my favourite but they are there for the sniffing if you like sweet scent.
The countryside has a unique smell at this time of the year which again is hard to describe. The only way I can think to explain it is to spend time in a city, take notice of the city smells (such as car fumes) and then head to a wood and compare the smell. I think most people would smell the difference.
In summer head towards a stream and you might be lucky to find some wild garlic. Its strong garlic smell completely floods the air. Ok, so garlic might not be a smell you like but if it is then it would be your lucky day. It is one of the strongest smells I have experienced in the countryside.
Finally, remember the animals in nature that also produce smells. Scent marking and animals droppings can be strong and unusual to our noses. You might smell something you do not recognise but it could be a good smell to you or a bad smell. Whatever it is, it will make you feel something, an emotion perhaps or just a change to your current state of being.
Sight
Quite an easy one. When walking through the countryside make sure you really see. There is a difference between looking where you are going and looking where you are. In Summer there are vibrant greens and the dappling shadows on the ground, as sunlight streams through the tree canopies.
In Winter there are no leaves but many bare branches. If you are into maths and geometry take closer look. How many polygonal shapes do the branches make as they overlap each other? What is the highest shape they make? Square? Hexagon? Also look at the textures and colours of the trees without leaves – often they are overlooked as leaves tend to be the most prominent feature in other months.
In between Summer and Winter, there is Autumn which is the most visual of the seasons. The many colours of the leaves as they change from green to yellow to orange and red, to create a spectrum of delight for the eyes.
The trees are not the only plants to supply shapes to the eyes. Look at the other plants, grasses, rocks, ponds, lakes and see what shapes they also make. Also be aware of the space around you.
Again in Autumn there are the many shapes and forms of fungi to “wow” the eyes. They grow on the floors of woods and also in the branches of trees reminding us to look all around us when in the outdoors. When working inside buildings and streets there is often no space to take in and the environment feels crowded. The countryside offers open spaces to look at and more importantly to be in. Also look at what changes you make in the countryside as you walk through. This can offer visual stimuli.
For instance when walking on frost or snow look at the footprints you make and are aware of the impact you visually make. Also when it is cold there is the visual element of your breath in the air. When there are puddles on the ground walk through them with muddy boots and watch how the mud dissipates in the water. A clear puddle can quickly become clouded as the soil mixes into the water. I find this pleasing to watch.
The last sight in the countryside is the wildlife that inhabits it. Let’s begin with birds. Britain has some wonderfully colourful birds which are stunning to look at. From great tits, bullfinches to the striking kingfishers whose orange and blue colours flash across lakes as they fish.
One of my favourite birds is the jay and I was lucky enough to once find a jay feather. The colour and patterns in it are simply stunning. I can look at it for hours. Also look out for wildlife such as foxes, badgers and even small creatures such as voles. They are all beautiful to look at should you be privileged to see them. If you cannot see them you can still find visual evidence of their presence. Foot prints in soft earth can be interesting to look at for example.
Visual sensory input in woods, fields and other natural habitats also have a macro and micro element to them. You can see the tree as the macro element but move in closer, look nearer at the individual elements such as the leaves.
Looking at the leaf closely, you can see the fine detail of the vein structure and its texture (the micro element). Always remember to look closely at twigs, branches, stones, rocks and also any insects you might find. You will uncover pleasing imagery that most people just walk past. Autistic people often like input and the outdoors offer visual input in abundance.
Taste
This is the hardest sense to explore in the outdoors. There are plants in the countryside that are good to eat and there are plants that are deadly poisonous to eat. Therefore I am not going to recommend to anyone to taste anything. If this is one sensory input you want to experience then please seek out expert advice about natural foraying and the rules to do this safely and sustainably.
Touch
From the softness of leaves to the rough texture of tree bark, there are lots of different surfaces to touch in the outdoors. Trees and plants can have a smooth, rough, waxy, furry touch. Even stinging nettles can create a sensory experience when accidently touched – although this one can be unpleasant.
Each texture can have a moisture content which alters how they feel when touched. Dry crunchy leaves in Autumn have a different feel to ones in Summer which are full of sap. Some trees such as conifers have a sticky sap or a resin which is another texture to feel.
Temperature is also important in touch sense. Leaves covered in frost obviously feel cold but warmed when sun shines on them. Also be aware that each season brings different temperatures. I prefer to be outdoors in the Winter as I find it difficult to regulate hot temperatures. If I have been indoors in stuffy warm rooms I might seek the cold of the outdoors to readdress my sensory balance.
Nature also provides us with many interesting objects which have varying shape and form. Seed pods and pine cones can feel interesting. Try gently squeezing an open pine cone in your hand – natures very own stress ball. Ok, it might not be as soft as some fidget toys but it does feel springy.
Autistics like to fidget, so picking up stones, feathers, twigs, old galls, flowers, dandelion seed heads, etc. can be enjoyable to play with, in your hands as you walk, instead of fidget spinners and similar devices. Just one point to make – respect the countryside though and do not pick anything you shouldn’t (rare plants etc.) and limit your picking.
Although this part of the blog is about touch – please leave insects and animals alone. I hate to be touched by others and I am sure most animals feel the same. If you come across any then use your other senses to enjoy them.
So to conclude with be sure to open up all your senses when enjoying the outdoors and I think you will find something that will give you some sensory stimulation. I hope this blog has given you some ideas of what can be experienced and enjoyed. I know that some things will not work for some people (for example, somebody might not like the cold, wet, smells or touch) but try things. You’ll be surprised what nature has to offer in its box of sensory delights.