work in the sensory outdoor environment

Another important way to stimulate the proproceptive system  in an out door environment is the use of tasks that involve heavy work patterns i.e  planting vegetables  raking digging ,turning over compost they also help overall muscle development stimulate the proprioceptive system.  The following horticulture tasks involve heavy work patterns that provide increased overall muscle development,and (frequently) enhance self-esteem when an individual finishes a product: gardening, planting vegetables, raking, digging, or turning over compost.  

 As Etherington (2007) argued "Working out side focuses on initiation and spontaneity following  the persons focus of attention and motivation in a natural environment  .The garden becomes your out door classroom to teach life skills "( p.22)
heres a link to an blog interviewing  etherington she has some fantastic ways of engaging people with autism in the garden www.jkp.com/blog/.../interview-natasha-etherington-gardening-for-c...
A fun moment at the composting area in my prevous work.
 
retrieved fromwww.tiphereth.org.uk on 28th June 2012

				When I was working in Scotland for a conservation outdoor  group with learning  difficulties  .Most people we worked with had sensory processing disorders especially on the autism spectrum.Most of the people that worked in this group were not able to do others groups and often inside would sensorly overload.

But working in the out side environment people were able to concentrate more
The day had routines starting with a chat and songs.
The hard work was integrated with fun things like swimming and basket weaving
The work was tailored to the individuals
A good example of this was the community compost .
Digging routine turning compost lots of wheelbarrowing .
All of the activities social interaction was promoted although appropriate social skills was always taught in the group often done in the circle in the end of the day.As Etheringto(2007) engaing in this way in a nature setting will help the child learn  positive  social patterns  and provide  the skills to see how the world works and learn skills transferable to other settings ,such as gripping manging behaviours while gaining mastery of activities which lead to improve self esteem.

Health, Well-being and Social Inclusion was a study conducted in 2005  in Britain on 24 garden projects with 137 clients 88 project staff and 11 health professionals being interviewed by Sempik, Aldridge and Becker(

As Sempik, Aldridge and Becker( 2005) found   The environment in all of these studies took on special personal meaning such as a sense of ownership i.e. “your own privatespace” or a place of healing.

Participation in garden projects increased clients’ feelings of self-esteem and self-confidence. Self-esteem was increased, for example, by the status associated with being a project participant and hence a ‘gardener’ or ‘worker’.

Increased self-confidence was demonstrated in clients’ willingness to undertake many different activities. They recognised and acknowledged their own competence in those tasks and gained satisfaction from successfully completing tasks and possessing the necessary skills for them. 

Garden projects offer clients the opportunity to engage in a regular, structured form of outdoor physical activity. Many of the tasks, such as digging , require the exertion of substantial effort. Clients reported that they felt better, both physically and psychologically, when attending projects and attributed this to their participation.

One theory that looks into the benefits of projects like these is that of the ‘restorative environment’. Kaplan and Kaplan (1989) argue that mental fatigue arises as a result of the effort involved in inhibiting competing influences when attention is directed towards a specific task. The view or experience of nature which is inherently interesting or stimulating invokes involuntary attention which requires no effort and is therefore restorative.cited by  (p.4 ) Sempik, Aldridge and Becker (2003)

There are four elements in this theory as pointed out by Sempik, Aldridge and Becker (2003)

Being away This can be seen as an escape from part of life that is usually present and not preferred

Fascination is the ability for something to hold attention without use of effort can be derived from the process or activities performed

Extent is involved with the environment providing a feeling of being in another world that is ordered.

Compatibility relates to an affinity with the environment or activity to motivate the individual without directed attention.
References 
Joe Sempik, Jo Aldridge and Saul Becker (2003) Horticulture as Therapy: from Benjamin Rush to the present day ,Loughborough,UK.

Etherington, N. (2007) Gardening for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders and Special London ,England:Jessica Kingsley publishers