Arkansas Valley Sensory Discovery Museum

09/20/2026

Rainy fall day? Let’s play.

Bring a little bit of the season inside with a simple Fall Sensory Soup.

Grab a bin of warm water and add a few fall treasures: colorful leaves, pinecones, acorns, apple slices or a cinnamon stick. Toss in some cups, scoops, tongs or spoons and let your little one explore.

Scoop. Pour. Stir. Smell. Squish. Discover. 🍁

There’s no “right” way to play. Follow their curiosity and wonder alongside them:

✨ What does the leaf feel like when it gets wet?
✨ Which things float and which sink?
✨ What can you smell?
✨ Can you make a tiny fall storm?

Simple sensory play like this gives little hands and growing minds so much to discover.

Explore together. Get a little messy. See where their senses take them.

09/18/2026

Fall is almost here! Today’s rainy day in the Colorado mountains had us dreaming of cooler days and fall fun.

Looking for a simple fall sensory activity for your little explorer? Grab some leaves and paint and start creating!

🍁 PAINT the bumpy, veiny side of a leaf.
🙌 PRESS it firmly onto paper.
✨ PEEL it back for the big reveal!

Try different leaf shapes, mix colors, use more or less paint, and see what happens.

💡 AVSDM Tip: Keep it about the process, not the finished product. Ask questions like: “What do you notice?” “Which leaf made the coolest pattern?” or “What happens when we mix two colors?”

A little nature + a little art + a whole lot of sensory exploration. 🍁💛

09/18/2026

We’re still here!

You may have noticed that AVSDM has been a little quiet lately, but we promise that we haven’t disappeared!

This school year, I’m taking a little pause from programming while I finish my Master’s in Special Education and spend the year teaching in middle school. It’s an exciting (and very full!) season of learning, both in the classroom and out of it.

But AVSDM is still very much part of the plan. 🌈

Our goal is to bring Senses on the Move back to Chaffee County next summer through sensory-friendly, inclusive summer camps designed to give kids opportunities to explore, create, move, build, and learn in the way that works best for them.

In many ways, this year is helping shape what comes next for AVSDM. I’m learning so much about supporting diverse learners, creating accessible environments, and helping kids feel successful and I can’t wait to bring that knowledge back into our programming.

So, consider this an intermission, and look for fun moments of inspiration right here in the meantime.

06/24/2026

☀️ Let’s Take Sensory Play Outside! 🌿

Over the next three weeks, we’ll be sharing some of our favorite outdoor sensory play ideas that are easy to set up, budget-friendly, and packed with opportunities for learning, regulation, and fun.

First up: Outdoor Shaving Cream Sand Play!

There is something magical about squishing, mixing, scooping, and creating with a sensory bin that feels like a cloud and a sandcastle all at once.

✨ What You’ll Need:
• 4 cups play sand
• 2 cups shaving cream (foam, not gel)
• Large bin, bucket, or water table
• Scoops, cups, spoons, funnels, toy trucks, shells, or small animals

✨ The Recipe:
Mix the sand and shaving cream together until it reaches a soft, moldable texture. Add more sand for a drier feel or more shaving cream for extra fluff.

✨ Play Ideas:
🏰 Build and mold sandcastles
🚜 Create construction sites for trucks and diggers
🐾 Make animal tracks and habitats
🥄 Scoop, pour, and measure
🔍 Hide small treasures for a sensory scavenger hunt
🌿 Add sticks, rocks, flowers, or leaves collected from your yard

✨ Why Kids Love It (and Why Grown-Ups Should Too!)

Outdoor sensory play provides rich tactile input that helps young nervous systems organize and process information. The squeezing, scooping, mixing, and molding activates the body’s touch and proprioceptive systems, helping children feel calm, grounded, and regulated.

For many children, sensory play is more than just fun…it’s nervous system nourishment. As little hands dig, pour, and create, children are building attention, problem-solving skills, creativity, and body awareness while supporting emotional regulation.

And the best part? The mess stays outside. 😉

Follow along this summer as we bring more of our favorite sensory experiences outdoors. What outdoor sensory activity should we feature next?

06/03/2026

As summer unfolds, AVSDM will be taking a brief pause from our mobile community events so our team can focus on something we value deeply: regulation, rest, adventure, and family connection.

Since launching earlier this year, we’ve loved bringing hands-on discovery, movement, creativity, and curiosity to children across Chaffee County. Now it’s time for us to spend a little time soaking up mountain mornings, river days, family moments, and all the wonder that summer brings.

But don’t worry, we’ll be back sprinkling magic together this fall.

We’re excited to share that AVSDM will be partnering with Buena Vista Parks & Recreation to bring weekend discovery experiences to local families, along with additional pop-up events throughout Chaffee County.

Until then, we hope your summer is filled with messy play, big movement, outdoor exploration, and plenty of opportunities to connect with the people you love.

Be sure to follow us here for summer updates, behind-the-scenes adventures, and announcements about our fall event schedule. And, if you’d like to book a summer Senses on the Move event with us, please send us a message to inquire!

Thank you for being part of this journey. We can’t wait to keep creating magic together.

With gratitude,
Andrea - AVSDM founder 💫

06/02/2026

If your summer feels a little messy, a little loud, and wonderfully imperfect, you're probably doing just fine.

Take a deep breath. Step outside with us.

It has been a minute…because life.

06/02/2026

We’ve been a little quiet on social lately, but that’s because we’ve been busy creating magic in real life, and let’s be real, just busy with real life! 💫

Since launching Arkansas Valley Sensory Discovery Museum in February, we’ve spent our days building, exploring, discovering, moving, connecting, and learning alongside local families.

In just four months, AVSDM has hosted 7 community events and welcomed more than 100 children into hands-on sensory, STEM, and movement experiences. In a county with fewer than 1,000 children under age five, that means we’ve already engaged more than 1 in 10 of Chaffee County’s youngest learners.

Those numbers represent so much more than attendance.

They represent towers built taller than expected, circuits that finally lit up, balance beams crossed with courage, questions asked with wonder, and families discovering the power of play together.

What started as a dream to bring more opportunities for curiosity, connection, and sensory-rich learning to our rural mountain community is growing into something truly special.

Thank you for showing up, spreading the word, volunteering, donating, partnering, and believing in the idea that every child deserves opportunities to wonder, explore, and belong.

Let’s continue to lead with curiosity, wonder, and inclusion together. 🌈

06/01/2026

What magic will be created in this space?

Today, the answer was everywhere.

We created. We discovered. We moved. We built.

Children transformed simple materials into inventions, towering structures, winding tracks, and imaginative worlds. They experimented, tested ideas, balanced, climbed, spun, collaborated, and explored. Using their curiosity, their bodies, and their minds, they turned a room full of materials into a morning full of possibility.

There is something special that happens when children are given the freedom to wonder, create, and follow their own ideas. Learning becomes an adventure. Challenges become opportunities. Play becomes discovery.

A heartfelt thank you to the Buena Vista Public Library for hosting us and making this event available to families free of charge. We are so grateful for community spaces that welcome curiosity, creativity, and connection.

As summer begins, we’re reminded that some of the best learning comes from building, exploring, moving, imagining, and asking, “What happens if...?”

Thank you to every family who joined us today. The magic was yours. Happy summer!