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In our experience through ClowNexus, people with dementia and autistic children can both enjoy art because it engages their senses, lets them express themselves without words, gives them a sense of structure and freedom, and helps them remember and share emotions. Art is a way for us all to connect and communicate.

Intention: Stimulate the senses and promote connection through sensory engagement. 

The materials provided in this activity are designed to be touched, smelled, and listened to. Items such as a bag of leaves invite physical activity and exploration.  

They can be squeezed for a calming effect or used to create musical sounds, promoting a collaborative experience between the child and the clown.  

The various scents in jars can trigger the imagination and memories. By observing which senses a specific material excites the child’s most, the clown can sensitively support their interaction and shared play.  

The clown(s) may mirror the child’s use of materials and gradually introduce more play elements if the child is open to changes. Respect for the child’s timing is vital, as they may prefer repetitive play.  

For children with ASD, play often follows a formulaic and repetitive pattern, often focusing more on materials than on individuals.

Intention: Elicit sensory responses while incorporating learning and play. 

Clowns use seasonally appropriate natural elements (e.g., leaves, pinecones, chestnuts) to engage children’s senses and teach them about the changing seasons.  

This hands-on approach stimulates sensory exploration and offers an imaginative dimension to learning.  

Activities may involve planting seeds in spring, creating artificial snow in winter, or introducing other relevant objects to enhance the learning experience. 

This activity is closely tied to exploring the changing seasons and harnessing natural elements with a touch of imagination.

Intention: Propose familiar activities that foster unity. 

The clowns embody various animals, encouraging participants to use their bodies and join in the role-play.  

This activity trains children to recognise the animals represented, promotes physical activity, and facilitates emotional expression in a fun and appropriate manner.

Intention: Respond to the child’s invitation for physical contact, enhancing body awareness and self-awareness through various movements and games. 

Clowns accept requested hugs, lifts, or touches and transform them into playful games. 

For example, a lift may become an airplane ride, an arm or leg can serve as a road for toy cars or animals, and a hug can lead to a dance. Props, such as a Pilates ball or an elastic band, can be integrated.  

It is crucial to adapt the intensity of physical contact based on the child’s sensitivity to touch, whether they are hypersensitive or hyposensitive. Context & Pre-condition: This activity requires self-awareness and interpersonal perception. Clarity in communication and understanding the child’s needs is essential.

Intention: Connect and play using familiar props, imbuing them with new meaning and purpose. This activity allows children to be passive observers or active participants. 

Explore the sensation of wind using songs, sounds, and props that simulate wind (e.g., fans, fabric, ventilators). Engage in activities like flying in the wind (using leaves, fabric, feathers), imitating the wind (with gymnastic ribbons), and transform it into a participatory performance. 

Two potential settings: 1. Children sitting in a semicircle, awaiting the activity to commence. 2. Invading their space during an ongoing activity to capture their attention. The goal is to engage them in the activity offered.

Intention: Engage in imaginative play together. 

Description: Clowns use fairy tales as a foundation for shared clowning activities. They adopt various roles, and children are encouraged to join in.  

Fairy tales serve as a structural framework for the visit, guiding children from beginning to end. With the assistance of the clowns, children learn to follow the story and discover their preferred roles within it.  

This kind of play enables them to be active or passive participants, fostering a deeper connection between mind and body. 

Create a whimsical atmosphere and employ props. It is helpful to begin with a familiar story known to the children and, once the method is established, introduce new stories.

Intention:  Try to break the strict routines that limit the child’s play.  

The clowns commence by immersing themselves in the child’s ongoing game or pattern. Gradually, they introduce new ways of playing with toys and objects, inviting the child to partake in this fresh approach. They explore the full spectrum of sensory experiences with the toys.  

If the child remains steadfast in their routine (often a source of comfort and security), the clowns attempt to surprise them with a unique and intriguing toy, such as playdough, sand, a spray bottle, or a large piece of fabric. 

Acknowledge that patterns and routines are important for children as they provide a sense of self-regulation and security. Be open, accepting, patient, persistent, and consistent.

Intention: Connecting with the child through rhythm.  

By reacting to the sounds and rhythm of the music, the child responds either vocally or through movement, transforming the encounter into a conversation/jam session.  

This encounter acts as an example of communication and exchange without words.  

By listening to the rhythm, the child can respond by walking, playing, moving, and vocalising.  

There is also the option to incorporate instruments and invite the child to play with the instrument or join in as they prefer.

Intention: Activate all the senses, encourage participation, and foster play. 

We initiate the experience with a newspaper, using it as a sensory tool to facilitate engagement.  

Together, we explore the newspaper’s potential, creating sounds and connections with the material. The object serves as a foundation for building connections.  

Playing with the object entails transitioning from its conventional use to creative exploration. 

 We discover ways to transform the object, using it to narrate stories through its various forms (e.g. using simple paper to represent wind, water, boats, rain, and more). 

Allow ample time for presenting the object. When transforming it, maintain clarity and simplicity, giving each step adequate duration for acceptance and enjoyment.

Intention: Cultivate connections through play, evoke emotional memories, spark sensory responses. 

We enter the scene with a sound and voice impulse, mimicking the noises of a young kitten or puppy while introducing a partially concealed object.  

The hidden item is a plush kitten or puppy, and we suggest that we found it on the street. We engage in playful exchanges, imitating the animal sounds and encouraging the audience to interact by touching the small animal.  

As the play unfolds, the focus shifts towards the connection between the audience and the object of our play. We invite everyone to collaboratively name the little animal.  

While the scenario is built on fantasy, the interaction rekindles physical memories and emotions. 

Initiate play with sound, allowing it to set the stage for the context. Only introduce the object when the residents actively search for it. The sound and their reactions establish the connection; be patient to nurture it.

Intention: Validate a narrative and rekindle memories. 

The foundation of this activity is a deep connection.  

A resident shares a story, and we engage by expressing the emotions evoked by the narrative.  

Gradually, we enhance our expression, initially through gestures and facial expressions, and as the game unfolds, we incorporate more extensive movements and vocal sounds.  

These expressions create a powerful connection, and when executed skilfully, they help the resident recognise and relive the story or memory. 

Begin with uncomplicated signals. Maintain awareness of the connection throughout to avoid imitating.

Intention: connection, emotional memory calling 

Incorporating elements and characters from folk tales into our collective play provides a wonderful opportunity to awaken childhood memories. 

These tales also possess deeper significance, as they often contain archaic symbols and universal motifs that resonate on a profound level. 

Our approach starts by introducing a specific folk tale element, often initiated with the use of a relevant object, such as a storytelling prop. 

We initially establish a connection with the audience through clowning, creating a playful and engaging atmosphere. 

As the play evolves and the concept becomes clear, we transition with clown play to the roles of the folktale characters. 

Audiences have the option to actively participate in the play or enjoy it as part of the audience, so they can engage in a way that suits their preferences and comfort. 

A simple storyline is key, with the folk tale element serving as the impulse for our play. 

Props are used to represent different roles, and objects are employed to support the narrative consistently. This approach keeps the play enjoyable and coherent, emphasising the joy of playing together.

Intention: connecting to nature, sensory stimulation 

We enter with a big, colourful umbrella. 

Our initial connection involves drawing attention to this colourful object, activating interest, and initiating the topic of rain. 

To build our play, we start by creating the soothing sounds of nature, including the gentle rustle of the wind and the patter of raindrops. 

We incorporate soft rhythm instruments to enhance the experience. 

Gradually, we open the spacious umbrella and extend an invitation to the audience to come underneath it. 

Beneath the unbrella, we listen to the sounds of the rain, creating them by gently tapping our fingers on the umbrella’s surface. 

Based on the reactions we observe, the clowns respond with emotions and impulses that resonate with the audience’s engagement, fostering a shared and immersive experience.

This activity is best suited for individual or very small group interactions.  

The sound of the rain awakens an emotional memory, which can be a very intimate and sensitive action. 

We remain acutely sensitive and aware of the reactions this evokes, ensuring that our play maintains a soft and intimate quality, preserving the emotional connection with the audience.

Intention: calling back memories through well-known activities, sensory impulse, group connection 

The proposal is a game involving a familiar activity: washing clothes. 

This activity uses scarves for sensory benefits, allowing for hand-washing movements, the graceful motion of scarves during drying, and the fresh smell of the flying fabric. 

Our entrance involves scarves placed in a large washbasin, and we invite the audience to participate in this washing activity. 

This physical engagement quickly activates the memories of the audience and connects them to the theme. 

Rhythm and singing are incorporated into the play, fostering a sense of group connection as everyone participates in the shared experience. 

To enhance the fun, a long drying rope and clothespins are introduced, and both relatives and staff members become part of the play, helping the older people hang the scarves on the line. 

This collective effort brings forth the fresh, floral scent of clean clothes, enriching the sensory dimension of the activity.

Involving both relatives and staff in the game is a great idea. Everyone can play together, and we can even incorporate different types of clothes to make the activity more enjoyable and engaging for everyone.

Intention: creating a sensation of travelling, recalling memories, activating imagination 

The invitation is to travel together and the central theme is storytelling, accompanied by the creation of a train-like atmosphere. 

Starting with the suggestion of sounds and voices reminiscent of a busy train station, the journey begins by moving through the audience as if there’s a rush to catch the train. 

This initial phase offers opportunities for connection and establishing engagement. 

Through the use of music and carefully crafted sounds, we transport ourselves to the bustling train station, setting the stage for our collective adventure. 

Before embarking, we ensure that everyone has joined us, thereby stirring memories and prompting imaginative play. 

Upon reaching our seaside destination, a multitude of possibilities emerges, enriched by sensory elements such as blue fabric, the gentle sounds of water, and the tactile sensation of temperature. 

These elements add depth to our play.

As our journey concludes, we make the return trip by train, mirroring the initial game, creating a coherent framework for our entire encounter. 

Throughout, we maintain a keen awareness of sound and movement to prevent overwhelming sensory stimulation. 

We prioritise simplicity in our communication, ensuring clarity in each part of the journey.

Intention: empower, transfer emotions 

The game aims to create positive feelings using poetry and imagination.

We start by noticing something beautiful about an elderly person and express it poetically, comparing them to lovely things like stars or rivers. 

We continue by describing the beauty in more detail through storytelling and body language, making the ordinary seem extraordinary. 

This makes the person feel appreciated and happy, and we carry this positive energy forward as we dive deeper into the imaginative world we’ve created.

Keep the poetic images clear and simple, avoiding complexity, stay with images and avoid abstractions.  

Aways approach this with genuine intentions, never pretending. The goal is to authentically celebrate the beauty in each person.

Intention: changing the atmosphere, making residents feel beautiful, recalling memories 

Clowns introduce an activity by bringing in vintage objects to decorate and transform the space, evoking a nostalgic retro party atmosphere. 

These objects, such as a knitted tablecloths, a vintage vinyl record player, jewellery, and scarves, serve as a bridge to the past, triggering cherished memories and setting the stage for a joyous celebration. 

Residents are warmly invited to participate and have fun together. We engage them by helping them dress up in costume, and involve them in the process of selecting old songs, creating a sense of collective ownership and contribution.

The creation of the party atmosphere unfolds gradually, step by step, to prevent overwhelming residents with sensory stimuli. 

As this activity can evoke strong emotions and memories, be sure to provide enough space for residents to experience and live their feelings freely. 

Creating the party, listening to music and dancing together raises the energy and brings joy.  

Intention: connecting, refreshing the atmosphere. 

Music serves as the foundation, and dancing acts as a tool for exploring various levels of synchronised movement. 

We provide the impulse and extend invitations through both tactile and non-tactile movement. 

We offer suggestions for discovering the joy of dancing by exclusively involving specific body parts. 

Our focus lies in attending to sensory impulses through touch, engaging with the airflow generated by our movements, and creating opportunities for observation and enjoyment while watching others dance. 

Everyone observing is encouraged to join in the collective joy.

A careful and considerate approach is essential when dealing with sensory impulses and physical touch. 

Each interaction is presented as a suggestion, always respecting the individual’s need for acceptance. 

Participation in the physical activity is open to all residents, allowing everyone to join freely. 

Those who prefer to observe rather than actively participate also contribute to the joyful atmosphere, fostering a sense of inclusivity and shared delight.

Intention: Sensory impulse, playing with touch 


We extend an invitation to touch the bag, encouraging individuals to listen to the sound it produces, feel its texture, and savour the woody scent it emanates. 

We gently touch the child with the bag, allowing them to manipulate and engage in play with it. 

We take a deliberate, step-by-step approach to enable the bag to evolve into an object of curiosity.

Intention: Connecting to the child’s world finding a common point. 

The clowns carefully observe and gradually initiate a similar movement using one specific body part. 

They craft a playful game around this movement and redirect the audience’s attention elsewhere. 

Mirroring is a delicate activity that can foster a sense of security, but it also requires  considerable time and a mindful approach. 

It’s important to be patient and attuned to the child’s cues. Once the child senses your genuine intention without any ulterior motives, you can slowly begin the mirroring process.

Intention: Flipping the focus from disability to abilities and special powers. 

This tool serves as an approach that is adaptable for use in playful, educational, or even challenging settings. 

The nature of the interaction will yield varying levels of energy, but one thing is certain – it invokes a sense of awe! 

Witnessing someone with superpowers naturally elicits amazement and encourages compliments, making it an empowering experience. 

The power in question should be authentic and genuine. It’s not about pretending to have the ability to see superpowers, but rather about truly “seeing” the person who is part of the encounter.

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