The Detectorists Sensology Workout | Downloadable Activity for SEND, Early Years, Home Educators
The Detectorists Sensology Workout is a downloadable, sensory-led archaeology activity pack inspired by the Lenborough Hoard and the BBC series The Detectorists.
Designed especially for learners with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD), the pack is also suitable for SEND settings, Early Years, home educators, and family groups. Using music, movement, touch, smell, taste, listening and embodied play, participants explore what it means to be a “Detectorist” and a Sensory Archaeologist.
No specialist equipment is required. In the original session, we used our hands as pretend metal detectors — sweeping, beeping, and discovering hidden treasures together. The pack includes step-by-step facilitation guidance, risk considerations, printable Widgit visuals, and a Joy Audit reflection tool for practitioners.
Grounded in Sensory Heritage methodology, this activity designs for complex communication needs first and layers access outward, ensuring that everyone has a meaningful way to participate in the Festival of Archaeology.
The Detectorists Sensology Workout can be used as a standalone activity or paired with the CBA Festival of Archaeology 2026 Lenborough Hoard Sensory Story Template.
Julia Collar
Julia Collar is a sensory learning specialist and the founder of Collar & Cuffs Co. Since 2016, she has worked with museums and heritage organisations across the UK to create inclusive, music-infused, sensory storytelling experiences that support regulation, communication and shared discovery.