Arts and crafts provide needed stimulation for children. They help imaginations soar. Self-expression encourages essential development and personal growth. Children with special needs benefit from extra sensory stimulation as well. They are often unable to gather information from their environment or from their bodies interacting with their environment the way typical children can whether from physical or developmental challenges. By adding more sensory input, you can help calm them or help them explore the world around them.

Here are a few craft ideas for you to try with your kids. Remember to keep in mind what is age and ability appropriate. Supervision, patience and providing lots of encouragement will make the experience that much more enriching for you and your child.

Hands That Touch The Heart

Objective: Create a personalized Valentine

Supplies:

  • White paper
  • Red construction paper
  • Safety Scissors (Adults help with cutting)
  • Red paint (or other colors)
  • Markers

Instructions:

  1. Adult help children make handprints on white paper by sponge painting on hands or dipping hands in paint.
  2. Cut out handprints after paint dries.
  3. Draw large red heart shape on construction paper and cut out.
  4. Glue heart on large white sheet of paper with space left around outside.
  5. Glue handprints at edges of heart like they are holding it.
  6. Write “Hands that touch the heart” on the paper. (see example in slideshow above.)

Paint With The Love Of Music

Objective: Drawing or painting to music and identifying similarities between music and art.

Supplies:

  • Large paper or rolls of paper
  • CD player or iPod
  • Various types of music
  • Pencils/paints/crayons

Instructions:

  1. Students place tip of drawing medium in middle of paper and close their eyes.
  2. Adult plays the music.
  3. Child is to move their medium around the paper mimicking the instruments and the rythyms with their movements keeping eyes closed.
  4. Adult alters music from style to style
  5. When most of the page is covered kids can open their eyes and trace darkly all the lines/shapes with a black pencil/crayon. Adult may need to help with this.
  6. Then they can color around each individual shape. (You may want to do a couple of practice sessions to help child with the process.)

Underwater ISpy Alphabet Bottle

Objective: Age and ability appropriate visual and tactile stimulation including sorting and identification skills. Adequate supervision is required.

Supplies:

  • Empty water or soda bottle (cleaned, labels removed, with few ridges)
  • Alphabet beads from craft store
  • Glitter, sequins, other shiny/colorful objects
  • Corn syrup
  • Sheet of paper
  • Glue gun

Instructions:

  1. Write alphabet on a sheet of paper. If appropriate, have your child identify and sort the letters on the paper before dropping them in the bottle one at a time.
  2. Sprinkle in sequins and other chosen objects.
  3. Fill bottle with half water and half corn syrup.
  4. Adult hot glue lid on bottle to keep secure.
  5. Shake up and enjoy the show.