Sensory Boxes

Each month I create a Sensory Box for my students.

(Full Disclosure:  I happen to work with a teacher Who Has Saved Everything so most of the time I just have to say, "Let's do this...." and outline out what I want, talk to her to get her input, tweak the idea-and Kaboom-things start flying through the air from her many boxes and closets) 

Here are 3 of the boxes made so far this year:

The ice cream box.



Made from various sized/colored pom-poms, and and ice cream set  (bowls, cones, spoons) but you can easily use "normal" bowls and spoons.

The Fall Box



Made from hay, (fake) leaves, felt stickers, small craft apples and a wooden squirrel. 

Thanksgiving Box




Made from corn litter, craft gourds, craft corn husks and turkey thick stickers.  I also left one small spider and 3 small heavy ghosts from my Halloween box (not pictured) because they hide really well in the litter and the kids love finding them!.
I also took a picture of 1 of everything in the box for matching (That 1 spider is hard to find!).  I didn't photograph the ghosts.  I figured something "surprising" would be fun.


An adult sits with the box and facilitates play, language and fun.  My boxes are the size of a dishpan-so only 1-3 students at a time can play at one time (depends on the class/student).

These boxes are great for language facilitation and vocabulary development.
They also engage and calm some of our children diagnosed (or presenting symptoms similar to) autism.

Here are some ideas for the next few months:
December: Christmas: I am thinking red, gold, green tinsel (cut up into small pieces-or better yet, THEY can cut it up) as the base.
January-Snow.  I am looking for a bag of loose "snow"
February-Ice (I will freeze things in a block of ice to be "hammered" out)
February-Red (If the ice idea doesn't work out)