7 Of The Best Sensory Art Activities To Try At Home
Sensory art activities can help to improve cognitive development in children for special needs, we share our top art activities to do with your child at home.
7 Of The Best Sensory Art Activities To Try At Home
Not only is sensory play a fun way to interact and play with your child but it can help to improve cognitive development, gross and fine motor skills, hand/eye coordination, social and communication skills. Sensory activities are universal because everyone, no matter their learning style or abilities, can take part.
There are many sensory activities for children with autism that can help alter the way their brain reacts to touch, sound, sight, and movement. Engaging in sensory play is a fun way for kids on the autism spectrum to expose them to different activities which can stimulate their brains in a safe space.
In this blog, SpecialKids Company will list some of the best sensory art activities that you can do with your child at home. Arm yourself with an apron and have a read!
1. Gloop
Ever heard of gloop? If not, you are in for a treat! Get a bowl or a tray and pour in some cornflower. Slowly add water, just enough that the cornflour absorbs it. Optional – add some food colouring. Watch as the gloop acts like both a solid and liquid. It has to be seen to be believed! This activity is perfectly safe, but can be messy, so arm yourself with an apron and stay away from the carpet. The texture of gloop makes it a fun sensory experience and you can encourage your child to make patterns and draw with their finger in the mixture.
2. Finger and feet painting
Another activity that could be potentially messy, but all the fun ones are! Using your child’s fingers – or even feet if this is easier for them – grab a big sheet of paper and some paints and let them create their very own art work.
3. Play Dough
Play dough can be shop-bought or made at home. A very basic recipe consists of plain flour, table salt, warm water, vegetable oil and food colouring. You could even make scented play dough if you wish. Play dough is good for developing fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination and can be very calming and therapeutic. You child can squish and mould it with their hands and if they want to, make some shapes or build with it.
4. Painting Balloons and Sensory Balloons
Most children love balloons, but have you ever thought about painting them? Your child can freestyle or perhaps paint some faces on them.
Further to this, you could make some sensory balloons by filling a balloon with sand and letting your child use them as a homemade stress ball. Squeezing is great for development strength and fine motor skills and can be very relaxing and have a calming effect.
5. Bubble Wrap Painting
Children love bubble wrap. The texture and small little bubbles are very appealing, especially when they are popped! Now this is a messy activity but so much fun. Put some paint in a tray and lay out some sheets of paper or cardboard. Wrap the bubble wrap around your child’s feet and let them step into the paint. Then let them step onto the paper and create some eye-popping art.
6. Sand Bottles
Using coloured sand or plain sand (you can dye this by putting in some food colouring and shaking it in a ziplocked bag), grab a clear plastic bottle and a funnel and let your child create a bottle filled with colourful sand. This is great again for hand-eye coordination and whilst it requires a level of patience, it can be therapeutic.
7. Sand Art
Using coloured sand, you can create some sand artwork. Grab a sheet of paper or card and let your child draw on it with PVA glue. They can squiggle, make dots, create any shape or pattern that they like. Once they have done this, let them shake some sand onto the glue and once it is covered, shake off the excess and there you have it – your very own sand art.