Tag Archives: sensory play

shredded snowman card

Sensory Snowman Cards and Other Sensory Snow Crafts

I'm Just a Sheep!

When it comes to Christmas and the individual with Sensory Processing Disorder it is all about making sure they still manage to get the right Sensory Diet. Trouble is with all the additional Sensory input (especially in terms of vision, sounds and smells) then this is going to knock their normal routine right out. It is key to consider what it is that has changed and is affecting them, and what can be done to get the balance right once more. This can be really difficult to understand because it may be that there is more visual stimulation than normal so you try to limit it (keeping decorations to a minimum for example): On the other hand it may be that you need to give them more opportunities to touch as they NEED to explore the world around them. Christmas for us is one of the most difficult times of the year as The Sensory Seeker gets so excited but often struggles to control his emotions and reactions. As well as trying to keep him at the right balance we ensure that he is supervised more than usual and remember that once things are back to how they were then things will be easier.

Sensory Christmas Activities for the Sensory Seeker

Egg Carton Christmas Trees

I try to ensure that we do a good mix of Christmas Activities on the build up to Christmas and how I run that activity will depend on The Sensory Seeker. For example – does he need noise (and therefore we will put Christmas music on, sing, etc) or does he need it settled and quiet? Does he need a non-messy activity that he can really touch? Or does he need to get messy (and plan a bath time straight afterwards). Which kind of materials should I use – does he need the same as he did last time or would he benefit from a different one?

Sensory Snowman Cards

shredded snowman card

To demonstrate what I mean let’s take the idea of making a Snowman Christmas Card. You can really vary how much sensory input is involved and vary the craft material. This year we used shredded paper.

This is a non-messy craft in terms of it getting stuck to The Sensory Seeker but meant he could get it all over his hands (and my room!) without too much fuss. It was easy for him to understand the craft – as he simply had to stick it into two circular shapes. You could draw around something round like In the Playroom’s Upcycled Snowman Collage Cards. He was then free to use whatever craft materials he liked to decorate his snowman.

snowman Christmas card with cotton pads

Alternatively, if this would have been too difficult for him I could have put the glue on the card in circles myself; Or the circles could be drawn with a white crayon (on a darker background); Or stuck on with paper or felt; Or even used cotton wool pads like this Quick Craft Snowman Card from RedTedArt.

If you wanted to get messier than how about using finger prints to make snowmen out of white paint. Or if you wanted to use paint without getting dirty how about using the end of an old toilet roll holder to put circles of paint on the page.

snowman card with cotton wool

Alternate materials could be cotton wool like the one from Dear Bear and Beany

Other Sensory Snow Crafts

Perhaps your child is not interested in snowmen cards – well fear not there’s plenty of other ideas around:

Making Snow – The Sensory Seeker loves snow but we hardly have any here. I have found many different ideas of making snow around the internet:

See also: Reindeer Food and Other Christmas Craft Ideas

kryptonite sensory play

Kryptonite Sensory Play with Superman and Doctor Octopus

Kryptonite Sensory Play

I do find that if my son has plenty of opportunities to fulfil his sensory needs throughout the day, it places him in a better mood and helps him sleep at night. The best way to get and keep his attention is to utilise his interests. Currently he is loving Superheroes and Villains, and we recently made a Batcave and dressed up.

kryptonite sensory play

Inspiration for Kryptonite Play

I got the idea for Kryptonite Sensory Play from an idea we used at Halloween with frozen spiders. Knowing that my son would love just a frozen lump of green coloured water labelled as Kryptonite. Plus I like how quickly water freezes too, if he mentions that he’d like to do Kryptonite Sensory play in the morning I can have a block made up for when he gets home from school.

The sun has begun to shine more lately,  and I knew that the Kryptonite Sensory Play would be ideal outside (if not I would have done it in a nice warm bath). Coupled with one of his favourite superheroes (Superman) and villain (Doctor Octopus) he set to work on destroying the Kryptonite.

kryptonite sensory play

How he liked to Explore it

First he bashed it with his characters and noticed that it went all slushy. He loved the Sensory feel when touching it on the bottom of Doctor Octopus’ feet. I liked how not only did he get his sensory needs met, but it really helped his speech and language, as he tried to explain to me what was happening to the Kryptonite.

kryptonite sensory play

After he bashed it with his characters, and had a feel of the coldness (he loves cold), he then decided to use his feet.

kryptonite sensory play

Then he stamped and he stamped and he stamped. Until the Kryptonite was no more. This was great for his proprioception, as well as learning a bit about the science behind the ice breaking up. I am hoping that as we play this game more and more it will develop. Maybe using the characters more to tell a story.

kryptonite sensory play

Sensory play ice age dinosaurs for help with development #thesensoryseeker

Dinosaur Ice Age Play for Sensory Seekers

I discovered a great way to make sensory play  perfect for my little seeker, with dinosaur ice age play. My son has Global Developmental Delay. He is behind his peers in many areas, so I liked how the dinosaur ice age play really helped him develop. The school have suggested that he has visual aids to help with his communication. They have asked me for input on words/pictures. I really have no clue of what to suggest, all I can think of is maybe a PE bag, a book, paint, so possibly he could show me what he has done that day at school? I do know that play is key to learning, but he has always had a very limited attention span. But I am pleased to say that this is growing in duration, and this was really demonstrated during the dinosaur ice age play.

dinosaur ice age sensory seeking play #thesensoryseeker

Dinosaurs Interest

Dinosaurs are a firm favourite in this house (see my birthday party) and I have a dinosaur board on pinterest. Whilst pinning I have seen this activity come up time and time again. I do not know who had the original idea to give them credit, but please do see my board for where I was inspired from. It really is simple to create. Put the dinosaurs in the freezer with some water, take them out and then let your child play with them.

dinosaur ice age sensory seeking play #thesensoryseeker

They can smash them open and see how long it takes to get to the dinosaurs out, or wait until the water defrosts. Viola Sensory play dinosaur ice age. We bought a tuff spot (thank you to TheBoyandMe for helping me find one on Amazon) these are brilliant and it was ideal to just sit him in the garden to play.

dinosaur ice age sensory seeking play #thesensoryseeker

You could try different methods of getting to the dinosaurs. His brother also joined in the play with him and they used sticks, bashed  and smashed the blocks of ice containing the dinosaurs.

dinosaur ice age sensory seeking play #thesensoryseeker

I think there may have been some licking involved too (what else would you expect from my sensory seeker!). He also tried pulling the dinosaurs out  of the frozen blocks, which I think was great for his hand manipulation (he is hyper-mobile in his hands).

dinosaur ice age sensory seeking play #thesensoryseeker

Benefits of Dinosaur Ice Age Sensory Play

Dinosaur Ice Age Sensory Play was great for language development as we talked as we played: He told me it was cold – how clever is that! Then once we had got to the dinosaurs there was time for pretending they were real, and making up little stories. Of course it also helped him meet some of his sensory seeking needs – especially the tactile ones.

dinosaur ice age sensory seeking play #thesensoryseeker

He loved the feel of rubbing his feet on the cold blocks, and when they started to melt, spreading the icy water up his legs.

dinosaur ice age sensory seeking play #thesensoryseeker

dinosaur ice age sensory seeking play #thesensoryseeker

Defrosted Ice

He loved playing with the dinosaurs in the ice and then paddling in the defrosted water – feeling all those lovely sensations.

dinosaur ice age sensory seeking play #thesensoryseeker

But what I most loved about the dinosaur play was the length of time he was able to engage with the activity. I am sure it really helped him with his development. I think next time I may add some colour to the water too.

dinosaur ice age sensory seeking play #thesensoryseeker

 Or may be some extra things like rice to give it more texture.

dinosaur ice age sensory seeking play #thesensoryseeker