Guide Dogs meets the Gruffalo
Ever wondered what the Gruffalo smells like?
He has terrible claws and terrible tusks in his terrible jaws. Knobbly knees, turned-out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose. But what does he smell like?
We’ve produced Gruffalo scent kits that bring the popular children's book to life by creating and releasing the smell of the Gruffalo. And of course, we've not forgotten the quick-thinking mouse and the three other characters - Fox, Owl and Snake, making this all-time favourite story inclusive for the whole family to enjoy.
As the number one provider of services for children and young people with a vision impairment we've worked in partnership with publishing house Macmillan Children's Books and licensor Magic Light Pictures, to create these scent kits as part of a campaign to highlight experiences of children with sight loss and how by making adaptions, the world can be made more inclusive.
Bringing books to life using the senses!
A sensory story can provide your child with a more interactive and enriched experience, bringing pictures to life. This can help with developing your child’s senses such as smell and touch, learning about new concepts including size, time and position, as well as developing body awareness and movement.
‘The Gruffalo’, the much-loved children’s book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, is a rhyming story of a mouse and a monster. When the little mouse goes for a walk in a dangerous forest, he invents tales of a fantastical creature called the Gruffalo to scare off would-be predators, until he meets the real Gruffalo.
Our specialist Education Support Team has also developed a bank of resources specifically to support the parents of children with a vision impairment, including bringing other classic children's books to life using touch and sound.
Call Guide Line on 0800 781 1444 to speak to an expert who can provide information and advice for yourself, your child or a family member. We are open 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday.
'The Gruffalo' smells!
Did you know that 80% of how we learn is visual? By creating a sensory version of 'The Gruffalo', a beloved 20-year-old story, for the first time it's fun for the whole family, and children with visual impairment will feel more included in story time.
The scent kit includes five inhalers, one for each character of 'The Gruffalo' and each scent was developed with the input of our service users.
'The Gruffalo' is a much-loved story in our house, and we're thrilled that this scent kit will allow our daughter Josie who has visual impairment and our sighted son Wolf to be able to enjoy their favourite book together – something which I think most families rightly take for granted.
The Guide Dogs Gruffalo scent kit
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Quick-witted mouse that smells like cupcakes.
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Silly old fox with the scent of cut grass.
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Owl which smells like a freshly poured cup of tea.
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Sneaky, slithering snake with a smoky scent.
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Gruffalo himself, a stinky leathery barnyard smell that permeates from the depths of the deep, dark wood.
Watch the Whalley family enjoying 'The Gruffalo' story with their scent kit
The Gruffalo scent kit giveaway terms and conditions