Christmas Sensory Activities for Kids

Christmas time is a great time for sensory activities for kids. They’re likely to be home from school more than usual, and I always found sensory things a great way to fill some time so I could get a little work done. Plus, in the Northern Hemisphere the weather might be kind of lousy, so it gives you something to do when you can’t go outside.

Here are a few great Christmas/holiday themed sensory activities for kids to try.

One of the easiest sensory things you can do for Christmas and throughout the winter season is to make fake snow. This recipe from The Purposeful Nest uses only two ingredients and I would totally play with it myself. Add a little peppermint oil to make it extra seasonal.

Another easy way to make a sensory bin more seasonal is to dye your base materials red and green. You can do this with pasta, as shown in this bin from Teaching Mama, or with rice, like this one from The Imagination Tree. This is so easy to do and gives it a little more festive flair.

Another sensory activity my daughter loved was cloud dough. This is also really easy to pull together, and you can make a gingerbread-spiced version that’s even taste safe with this recipe from Sugar Spice and Glitter.

Of course there are so many things you can do with and ways you can make playdough for the holidays, too. Take your favorite recipe and add coloring and spice, or try one of these recipes to make playdough in all sorts of ways:

peppermint (Childhood 101)
gingerbread (Natural Beach Living)
chocolate (Fantastic Fun and Learning)
Grinch playdough (Messy Little Monster)
snowman playdough (Mommy Musings)

Peppermint shaving cream is another one that kids would love to play with (and hopefully not try to eat!). Get the simple recipe from Learn Play Imagine.

And since we’ve covered all the classics, we couldn’t finish up without some slime! Why not make it Grinch slime like this one from Little Bins for Little Hands? I love the addition of the little hearts!

Are you looking for the best sensory toys and activities for your child? Explore our comprehensive resources to enhance your child’s sensory play and development. Check out our curated Amazon Idea List featuring top-rated sensory toys and items, and don’t miss our expertly written articles on sensory activities. Start creating fun and educational sensory experiences today!

Last month I shared a collection of beach crafts that used items from the beach like seashells and sand. This month’s collection is all about beach animals and things you might see at the beach that don’t require beachy materials to make. In fact you’ve probably got what you need to make most of these beach crafts in your house already.

How about paper plates? With a paper plate you can make this cute watercolor seashell from The Educator’s Spin on It, or an adorable seagull like this one from Glued to My Crafts.

Add some white beans and you can make paper plate sand dollars like Crafts by Amanda. Or use a paper plate as a frame for a sweet beach scene like this crab and turtle one from Artsy Craftsy Mom, which includes a downloadable template and instructions to make it super easy.

Or grab a paper plate and some bubble wrap to make a jellyfish like this one from Happy Toddler Playtime. If you have paper bowls instead of plates, you can also make a jellyfish from one of those, like Natural Beach Living did.

Use your stash of craft sticks and googly eyes to make crabs, fish, sharks and more with this craft idea from The Keeper of the Cheerios.

I love this little crab made with a cardboard tube from Hunny I’m Home. With this same idea I’ll bet you could make lots of different creatures.

Grab some construction paper to make the loopy tentacles on this watercolor jellyfish from Craftsy Hacks. Or make a stained glass jellyfish like this one from Life Anchored.

Make easy puffy paint to make these fun fluffy starfish from I Heart Crafty Things, or use cupcake liners to make cute little crabs (also from I Heart Crafty Things).

Turn an old pool noodle into some super cute fish with this tutorial from Happy Toddler Playtime.

And if you’ve got some leftover yarn lying around, make pompoms and turn them into turtles like these from Craftsy Hacks. (And check out my post on different ways to make pompoms if you need a refresher!)

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