Winter Sensory Crafts for Kids

Beaded Snowflake Decorations

SUPPLIES:
Bead Assortment
Craft Pipe Cleaners
Ribbon/Yarn/Adhesive

This fun activity provides great sensory input and results in beautiful decorations to hang in your windows or around the house. Visit the craft store for some beads of different shapes, sizes and colors. Translucent ones are nice for window decorations since light can pass through them, but any beads will work. You’ll also need some pipe cleaners that you can use together and shape them into snowflake shapes. Have your children thread the beads onto the pipe cleaners. They can create patterns using different shapes and colors. Use a ribbon or a piece of yarn if hanging the snowflakes, or a piece of two-sided tape or tacky adhesive if adhering it to a window.

SENSORY BAGS

SUPPLIES:
Gallon-Sized Zipper Bag
Clear Hair Gel
Glitter Glue
Food Coloring
Water Beads
Craft Materials, Such as Confetti, Craft Pom-Poms, or Foam Stickers
Duct Tape

It’s fun to be creative in putting together a sensory bag. The result of your craft project will give your children a sensory fidget to use whenever they are overstimulated.

To create a sensory bag, pour a generous amount of hair gel into a gallon-sized bag. Add a desired amount of glitter glue and a few drops of food coloring. Seal the bag and let out as much excess air as possible. Kneed the bag to blend together the hair gel, glitter glue, and food coloring. Once combined, move the bulk of the materials to the bottom of the bag. Open the bag and add in the water beads and any other craft materials. Re-seal the bag and force out all excess air. Blend the materials into the mixture using your fingers. Line each of the four sides of the bag with duct tape to prevent the bag from re-opening.

Watch our video for step-by-step instructions.

Sensory Bottle

SUPPLIES:
Clear Water Bottle, Label Removed
Funnel
Glitter
Canola Oil
Water
Food Coloring
Super Glue

A Sensory Bottle, also known as a Calm Down Bottle, is a wonderful tool to use when your children need sensory regulation. Watching the materials interact in the sensory bottle has a calming effect that may help your child to regulate their senses. Plus, it’s a fun craft that your children can help create.

To create a Sensory Bottle, first use a funnel to pour a generous amount of glitter into an empty water bottle. We have found that extra fine glitter works best. Then fill the bottle 1/3 of the way full with canola oil. Fill the rest of the bottle with water, but leave a little space at the top. Remove the funnel and add a few drops of food coloring. Replace the lid and secure tightly. Shake the bottle to observe. You can adjust the amount of food coloring or glitter if it hasn’t reached the desired effect. Once you are happy with your Sensory Bottle, secure the lid with super glue to prevent it from opening and spilling.

Watch our video for step-by-step instructions.

Sensory Sock Bean Bags

SUPPLIES:
Old SmartKnitKIDS Socks
Needle
Thread
Assorted Fillers (Coffee Beans, Rice, Other Dried Beans or Peas)
Fabric Markers (Optional)
Essential Oil (Optional)

This is a great craft that creates a sensory tool and can also be just fun to play with. Another great thing about this craft is that it upcycles old socks. The first step is to select multiple fillers for your bean bags. Experiment with different weights. You might want to fill one with dried rice, the next with dried navy beans, and so on. Take several old socks and fill each one with a different filler. If you choose, you can add a few drops of essential oil to give your bean bags a pleasing scent. Use a needle and thread to stitch the sock closed. Finally, use fabric markers to create designs on the sock.

A long sock can be used as a weighted lap belt for kids. Each of the socks with different weights and textures can have a soothing fidget for kids needing sensory input. You can also use your bean bags to play bean bag toss games as an entertainment on a cold day.

Watch our video for step-by-step instructions.

Snow Ice Cream

SUPPLIES:
8-10 cups Fresh Snow
1 cup of Milk
½ cup of Sugar
1 tsp. of Vanilla
Sprinkles

If you haven’t introduced your kids to Snow Ice Cream, you should! It’s a fun sweet treat they can help you make, and it is special since it only comes around when the snow does. First, find some fresh clean snow from the yard. This is best done right as the snow is falling in order to ensure it’s fresh and clean. Next, whisk the milk, sugar and vanilla in a medium-sized bowl. Pour the milk and sugar mixture over the snow and stir to combine. Divide into bowls and add sprinkles for color and fun.