The holidays are right around the corner and with kids getting a break from school, there’s more time to fill. Why not do it with these fun Christmas-themed sensory activity ideas?
iSmartmoms brings you a compilation of some wonderful Christmas themed activities curated from various sources. Let’s get into the spirit of the holidays with these easy-to-do activities that are sure to make the holidays more entertaining for your kids!
Jingle Bell Sensory Bin
From (https://teaching2and3yearolds.com/)
What better way to learn about magnets than with jingle bells and other Christmas ornaments?
All you need for this activity is a magnetic wand, assorted sizes of jingle bells, dyed rice, a big container, and some miscellaneous items of small sizes. Make sure you add in some items that attract to the magnet and some that don’t.
Start by filling up your container with the dyed rice. Next, add the chosen ornaments and other items into the container. Your child can move the wand around in the container and see which items are picked up and which aren’t. Moving the wand around and finding hidden treasures buried deep in the rice is surely a fun task!
You can also make a game out of it by seeing how many items can be picked out by the child in a certain amount of time. This activity is amazing for toddlers and preschoolers and very easy to do!
Christmas Tree Sensory Bags
From (https://www.giftofcuriosity.com/)
Sensory bags are great for sensory play and they stimulate multiple senses. What’s more fun than a regular sensory bag? A Christmas themed sensory bag, of course!
To make your own Christmas tree-themed sensory bag, you will need ziplock bags, permanent markers, duct tape, clear hair gel, green liquid watercolor, and some small ornaments like beads, buttons, sequins, etc.
Start by having your kid draw a Christmas tree outline on the ziplock bag. Then fill up the bag with some clear hair gel and add some green coloring to the bag. Let your kid squish the hair gel and the coloring in the bag.
Once everything is mixed well, add the ornaments of your choice! Seal the ziplock with some tape just as an extra precaution.
Your kids will enjoy moving the ornaments around and squeezing and squishing the bag.
Hot Chocolate Cloud Dough
From (https://sugarspiceandglitter.com/)
This 3 step cloud dough recipe is easy to replicate with ingredients easily available in your kitchen!
Cloud dough has a unique and powdery soft texture and can be squeezed into different shapes and is also fun to play with. To make hot chocolate cloud dough you will need 8 cups of flour, 2-4 cups of hot chocolate mix, and 2 cups oil.
Mix the flour and hot chocolate mix in a giant container. Then add oil to the mixture, slowly and carefully. The dough should be dry to touch but stick together if you grab a handful. Once you achieve your desired consistency, your cloud dough is ready to be enjoyed!
You can also use kitchen tools like a flour sifter, cookie cutters, teacups, etc to make this activity more fun.
Scented Christmas Slime
From (https://simpleplayideas.com/)
Slime is very effective in working on kids’ fine motor skills. Let’s take a look at a slime recipe that is not only Christmassy but also easy to make!
For this activity, you will need ½ cup school glue, 4 tablespoons of liquid starch, 1 drop peppermint essential oil (you can substitute this for any scent that reminds you of Christmas), and some Christmas ornaments and kick-knacks.
Add the peppermint oil to the liquid starch and mix well. Then add some glue to the mix. Mix well using your hands for more sensory fun.
Now add in the ornaments (like jingle bells) and glitter to the slime to make it more Christmassy! These added sights and sounds are sure to make your slime enjoyable.
Snow Puffy Paint
From (https://thekindergartenconnection.com/)
This paint recipe is sure to inspire some incredible winter-themed art!
To make your own snow puffy paint, all you need is some shaving cream and white glue. You can add in some glitter to make the paint look more attractive. Vanilla essence (or any scent of your choice) could be used for adding in a beautiful scent.
Add ½ cup white glue to a bowl and mix it with ½ cup shaving cream. Mix well until the consistency of thick whipping cream is achieved. Add in some glitter and a scent of your choice for some added sensory fun!
Your kid can create beautiful snowflakes, snowmen, or anything that tickles their fancy using this homemade paint. For some added creativity, the snow puffy paint drawings can be dazzled up using colors, markers, or colored chart paper.
