The Christmas period often inspires a flurry of creative activity in even the most Scrooge-like individuals. There are presents to wrap, cards to make and if you’re handy in the kitchen, mince pies and cakes to churn out.
Most children love the opportunity to glue, paint, draw, decorate and cook. For kids with special needs, Christmas crafts can also be a handy way of boosting their skills.
Christmas Crafts Can Enhance Learning in Many Ways
Specialist SEN tutor and qualified art teacher Jess says that crafting can help SEN/SEND kids emotionally, physically and cognitively. “Some children with special needs can find it difficult to express their emotions,” she points out. “Making something that can be given as a gift is a way for them to show they care. It can also help them to understand sharing.”
Although creating things is primarily meant to be fun, she continues, there is often scope for sneaking a few literacy and numerical skills into the process. Measuring or weighing, for example, or recognising shapes, clearly require basic maths while writing Christmas cards is good practice for handwriting and spelling.
Crafting is Often a Sensory Experience
A flexible attitude helps, Jess advises, if undertaking craft projects with your kids. “Some kids with SEN/SEND will have sensory issues and may not like the feel of things like glue or glitter whereas others will love it,” she says. “Have a couple of alternatives up your sleeve just in case.
“Making things can also encourage emotional resilience,” she continues. “It helps children to understand that the end result may not turn out exactly as they’d hoped but that’s OK. You can still celebrate what they’ve achieved.”
As Christmas approaches, Jess has found ‘stamping’ – printing personalised wrapping paper using small, rubber stamps of images like Santa or reindeer – to be an effective way of encouraging fine motor skills and concentration in her students. They’ve also found it a lot of fun.
Nice to be Able to Choose
Chanelle Smith is Senior Marketing and Content Executive at Baker Ross, a family-run, online arts and crafts supplier that offers more than 4,000 thousand products and craft materials great for children aged 3 and above.
In addition to individual crafting materials, the company also produces all-in-one craft kits in lots of different themes for particular projects. “Our Christmas Stained Glass Card Kits are very popular this year and offer a great sensory experience for children with the brightly coloured cellophane,” she comments. “They use pre-cut card with 6 assorted designs and cellophane squares which makes them easy to assemble. Our Christmas Tree Craft Kits and make-your-own wreath kits using pre-cut foam are also best-sellers.
“We also sell large, transparent photo baubles where you can insert a picture and add anything else you like. Our gold and silver glitter pom poms look fantastic placed inside. Get inspired with this project here.
Coming up with New Activities
Baker Ross uploads new crafting projects to their Ideas & Inspiration hub every week. Chanelle’s colleague, Kaylie, who has a background in special education and is part of the crafting team devising new free projects and activities, is mindful of what might ‘work’ with SEN kids and always considers the sensory angle. A recent example is their ‘seasonal sensory bottles’ project which upcycles plastic bottles to create a mesmerising activity. The winter edition combines water, fake snow, sequins and foam letters.
The website also offers hundreds of free printable sheets offering colouring-in, games, posters for occasions such as Chinese New Year and seasonal activities, an idea first introduced during the Covid lockdown when everyone was home schooling and in need of easy educational ideas.
Start Small and Enjoy the Process
For novice crafters wondering where to start with Christmas projects for their kids, Chanelle offers the following advice, “It’s about freedom of expression and having fun. Try not to have any expectations of how the activity ‘should’ be – the end result will always differ. Start with something simple like fun foam stampers or an easy paint activity and help the child to enjoy the process.
Thank you to Baker Ross – 10% discount
Please use code: TUTOR10 to receive a 10% discount on online purchases from Baker Ross. Valid until 31st December 2023
