Exciting Ideas For A Super Silly Santa Sensory Story Time

11 Dec 2018 ByKate InBeyond The Book

#thebigone was never much of a ‘sensory seeking’ child. He’s always been more easy going and adaptable than his younger brother is. It took me some time to realize that my youngest needs more sensory input than his brother did at this age. A weighted lap pad, back rubs, and even things as simple as keeping touch-and-feel books in the house can make a huge difference for #thelittleone. Check out these fun options for a Santa sensory story time with your family!

Looking for some simple sensory fun for the holiday season?! I've got you covered with these story time ideas inspired by the super cute touch-and-feel book 'Have Yourself A Hairy Little Christmas' You won't want to miss all this Santa sensory fun, including some free printables! #storytime #sensory #Santa #beyondthebook #readaloud #touchandfeel #kidlit #HaveYourselfAHairyLittleChristmas
Disclosure: This post is not sponsored in any way.

A SUPER SILLY SANTA SENSORY STORY TIME

Our Inspiration for Santa Sensory Story Times

have yourself a hairy little christmas book sensory christmas book

I spotted Have Yourself a Hairy Little Christmas on a recent Target run. The adorable illustrations of a hipster-esque Santa caught my eye. When I saw all the touch-and-feel panels built in, I knew my boys would love it. Even though it’s technically very young for my oldest, even he loves reading it with his younger brother and feeling the textures throughout. Dawn Machell created the illustrations throughout the book. Have Yourself a Hairy Little Christmas was published by Make Believe Ideas Ltd. The book is filled with bright, graphic images of Santa searching for the perfect beard style. Every other page features a fun sensory experience, from knit to glitter to fur and more.

santa rainbow beard santa glitter beard santa crimped beard
touch and feel christmas book

Santa Sensory Story Time Crafts + Ideas

I created 2 bright, bold printables inspired by Have Yourself a Hairy Little Christmas. There’s a variety of fun ways to use both. Before beginning, be sure to check your home for supplies you may already have on hand! I’ve included photos of some of what we chose, as well as a larger list of what you might like to use.

sensory santa crafts

Santa Sensory Material Ideas:

Sequins
Rhinestones
Stickers
Beads
Craft foam
Puff paint
Pom poms
Cotton balls
Yarn
Ribbon
Ric-rac
Felt
Feathers
Faux fur
Chenille stems
Textured paper
Wrapping paper
Aluminum foil
Plastic cling wrap
Shredded paper
Beard ‘texture’ drawn on with white crayon, and covered with water color paints
THE IDEAS ARE ENDLESS!

sensory santa supplies

Kids love creating a variety of sensory Santa beards on the printable with the smaller Santas. They can use tape or glue to attach the variety of materials in whatever way seems right to them- the sillier the better! Or your child may want to focus on just one Santa using the other printable. Either presents a great option for creating a fun, festive project.

Looking To Get A Little Messier?

By pairing the Santa printables with laminating sleeves, you can easily create a reusable mat for slightly messier sensory Santa play! I find the bigger printable with just one Santa is ideal for this, but the smaller version works as well. Pair the laminated pages with any of the messier ideas below. For the most part, they’ll wipe clean to be reused later!

laminating santa mat sensory santa mat

MESSIER Santa Sensory Material Ideas:

Slime
Play-doh
Clay
Floam
Shaving cream
Dry erase markers