By: Diana V. Mendez-Hohmann
Working on arts and crafts provides opportunities to incorporate different skills. Normally we look for the practice of physical skills such as:
Bilateral Integration- The ability to use both sides of the body together in a smooth and coordinated manner.
Eye-Hand Coordination- The efficient teamwork of the eyes and hands.
Motor Planning- The ability to conceive, organize, sequence and carry out an unfamiliar body movement in a coordinated manner.
Fine Motor- Refers to movement of the small muscles of the fingers.
But what about the “invisible” skills? Skills like sensory feedback and perception. Prior to working on a craft, break it down and analyze all the ways your child will incorporate skills- visible and “invisible”.
The smells, sounds and feels of a craft are a huge part of the process. Use the opportunity to encourage exploration and introduce new sensations.
Prepare for the activity
You will need:
- Glue dots
- Glue
- Scissors
- Dessert size paper plates
- Scented Markers
- Foam Stickers (or your decoration of choice)
- A shoe box or Canvas frame
- Scarf Hanger (in shape of flower)
Assorted Textures (your choice, below is what we used):
- Fuzzy Fabric
- Sponge
- Pom Pom Balls
- Shredded Paper
- Ribbon
- Sand Paper
Steps
- Cut a hole a slit the top of the frame in the center.
- Place scarf hanger in the back of the canvas frame, and pull hanger through slit.
- Use glue dots to secure the scarf hanger in canvas.
- Use the scented markers to color the areas that won’t have texture.
- Cut dessert plate in half and roll, use glue dots to affix. Wrap fuzzy fabric on the small roll, use glue dot to affix. Repeat this step for any texture that needs to be rolled such as the ribbon.
- Glue the sponges in the next empty space.
- Cut a piece of the paper plate to fit a large space and blue it in the next space available. Glue pom pom balls into this. Repeat this step for small shapes and textures that need to be glued in place such as the shredded paper.
- Roll sand paper to fit a large space and glue it in the next space available.
- Use half of dessert plate and roll, use glue dots to affix. Wrap ribbon on small roll, use glud dot to affix. Place rolled ribbon in the last large space.
- Cut a piece of the paper plate to fit the center space and glue it in. Glue small pom pom balls into this.
Decorate around the flower as desired.
Don’t forget to make it a multi-sensory experience.
- Go outside for a spring nature walk.
- Sing songs or nursery rhymes about flowers. (Mary Mary Quite Contrary, Ring Around the Rosie, The Mulberry Bush)
- Have your child smell different flowers.
- Make a small indoor garden.
Send us a picture of your Sensory Flower, or post it on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #Therapro