5 Holiday Activity Ideas for Playtime on the Famokids Play Mat!

We at Famokids are huge advocates of sensory play and have shared with you the benefits of sensory play in the past.  Remember, sensory play includes any activity that stimulates your young child's senses, whether through touch, smell, sight, hearing, taste or movement.  

Today we are sharing with you some quick set up ideas for some fun Holiday and winter sensory play activities.  These activities are open ended and meant to encourage imagination and exploration.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

What you need:

• Green rice (with or without hearts)
• Green Play Dough (for Christmas Tree)
• Beads, Pom Poms, Sparkly Pipe Cleaners, Bells… to decorate tree
• Scoops
• Bowls
• Resin or pretend presents

Jingle Bells Sensory Musical Play

What you need:

• Musical Instruments
• Dry Chickpeas (dyed/painted with Christmas colors)
• Alphabet Tracing Board
• Jingle Bells
• Children’s Tongs

Snow Imprints

• White Play Dough or Floof
• Resin Snowflakes or Snowflake Cookie Cutters
• Play Dough Roller
• Wooden Letters
• Toy Winter Animals (to play in the snow)

Snowed In Village

• Winter Village Blocks (or build your own village)
• Toy or Cardboard Roads
• Fake snow (this was from the Target Bullseye spot, see homemade recipes below)
• Snow Plow (to dig out roads )

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

• House Blocks (or build from blocks)
• Fake Snow
• Toy car and RV (these are from Candylab Toys)
• Peg People
• Christmas Accessories  (presents, christmas trees, fake ornaments)

Three Recipes for Fake Snow

Baking Soda and Shaving Cream

Slowly add shaving cream to a cup of baking soda.  Mix it together and add more until it reaches an ideal snowy consistency.  You can knead it in your hands and make it more or less crumbly.

Baking Soda and Water

Mix one tablespoon of water into one cup of baking soda.  Mix together with a fork and add more water, one tablespoon at a time.  Mix until it’s a powdery snow consistency. 

Baking Soda and White Conditioner

For packable snow use baking soda and white conditioner.  Mix a half a cup of conditioner with 3 cups of baking soda.