Early Intervention Speech Therapy

Ho, Ho, Ho! Holiday Crafts!

With the holidays quickly approaching, I know how busy I am preparing not only for my own personal family traditions, but also for my therapy sessions! So, in the spirit of the season, I thought I would pass along some of the festive ideas I have been using, as well as some great holiday web resources!

Here are a few of my own therapy favorites for the holidays:

• Oral Motor Snowman Box - I have a round box with a snowman painted on it and a big pom-pom on top. I filled it with feathers, cotton balls, straws, bubbles, tongue depressors and about 10 oral motor picture cards. Most toddlers are fascinated by anything new (especially if it has a pom-pom on it!), so they have loved pulling off the top (the snowman's hat) and peeking inside. It has been a really easy and effective way to get kids interested in oral motor activities.
• Cotton Ball Snowman - This activity is a continuation of the one above. Before assembling the snowman, use the cotton balls to practice some oral motor work (i.e. blowing the cotton balls across the table). Also, I pre-draw my snowman (which I learned from an experienced OT that I work with!) so that the child has to glue the cotton balls into the two bottom circles of the snowman. The third/top circle is his head and face. You can use googly eyes, glitter glue, a felt hat, etc. to finish off your own little Frosty!
• Felt Christmas Tree - This activity I used last year and it was a big hit! I pre-cut a fairly large green felt tree. I have the child glue it onto a piece of sturdy construction paper. Next, we used flat foam circles, paint pens/glitter glue and sequins to decorate our very own tree!

Each of these activities is great for kids with sensory sensitivities and can be used to work on a wide variety of skills: oral motor, articulation, following directions, naming colors/objects and making choices. Have the child choose the colors and materials they want to use as you move through each activity!

Next, in order to appeal to our large audience of readers, I searched through a wide variety of websites that celebrated Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa! There are tons of crafts to look through....ENJOY and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

• This website/article features Christmas crafts for toddlers: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/74403/simple_christmas_crafts_for_toddlers.html?cat=24
• These websites feature crafts for all three holidays: http://www.babyzone.com/toddler_preschooler_fun/holidays/christmas-hanukkah-kwanzaa
• http://www.first-school.ws/theme/holidays.htm (scroll down to December and you will find Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa).
• http://www.amazingmoms.com/htm/holiday.htm

Please share some of your favorite holiday crafts and therapy tips!!