Sound Mapping Worksheet SEN My Outdoor Topic

Outdoor sound mapping activity with visual supports and AAC to develop listening, awareness and communication through real-life environmental sounds.

This engaging Sound Mapping resource supports learners to tune into the world around them by identifying and recording sounds they hear in their environment.

Designed as a simple, structured listening activity, this resource helps children build awareness of environmental sounds while supporting communication and shared attention.

What It Does

Learners sit or stand outdoors and listen carefully to the sounds around them. Using the visual sound map, they identify where sounds are coming from and represent them in relation to themselves.

The central “me” visual helps learners understand:

Sounds happen around us
We can notice them
We can communicate about them

Included Sound Supports

Visuals help learners recognise and talk about common environmental sounds such as:

Leaves

Birds

Traffic

Wind

This makes abstract listening concrete and accessible.

AAC Opportunities

AAC visuals allow learners to:

Comment on what they hear

Label sounds

Share attention with an adult

Build awareness of their surroundings

Adults can model simple language such as:

“I hear birds”

“Wind there”

“Traffic loud”

“Leaves moving”

Skills Supported

This activity develops:

Listening and sound awareness

Joint attention

Environmental awareness

Early descriptive language

Spatial understanding (where sounds come from)

Regulation through mindful listening

Ideal For

Autistic learners

Early communicators

AAC users

Sensory exploration sessions

Outdoor learning