In today’s #31daysofactivities we have Hannah from Hannah and the Twiglets teaching us how to make a calming sensory rainbow for kids. This activity helps your kids calm down when they are upset or worried. It’s fun to make and also very helpful for kids.
Does your little one ever need a bit of help calming down when they are angry, upset or worried? This calming sensory rainbow would be an excellent addition to their sensory toolbox or calming down kit. It’s also a really lovely craft activity to do with your child.
Sensory calming activities
Sensory calming activities are activities which can help a child to self-regulate if they are feeling angry, distressed or anxious. They can help to ground the child by encouraging them to feel, smell, hear or practise their breathing.
Sensory activities are particularly useful for children with additional needs who may require a little extra support with calming themselves down and regulating. It’s a great idea to have a box full of different sensory activities and resources, so that the child can self-select what they feel may help them when they are feeling worried. My daughter calls hers her ‘Happy Box’.
What is a sensory rainbow?
The idea of a sensory rainbow is to provide sensory input in the form of touch. It uses lots of different textures so that when a child is distressed or anxious, they can feel and stroke the materials to help them calm down.
What you will need to make a calming sensory rainbow
⦁ A piece of card (A4 or larger)
⦁ Glue
⦁ Scissors
⦁ Six or seven types/textures of materials in different colours
e.g. corrugated card, fluffy fabric, tissue paper, shiny paper, sequins etc.
When all your different materials are stuck down firmly, your calming sensory rainbow is finished! As well as being a lovely colourful piece of artwork, it is also a really useful calming down tool.
My daughter keeps her rainbow in her Happy Box (calming down kit) inside her den. If she’s feeling anxious or upset, she will often use it to help her self-regulate. She loves feeling all the different textures and looking at the colours.
So there you have it – how to make a calming sensory rainbow. I hope you have lots of fun making your own!
We have even more rainbow and colour activities on our site, take a look.
Other color activities on KiddyCharts
Here are some more ideas for learning colours and rainbow-based activities too.
Learning colours: Clown colour matching game
Lovely game matching the clown hats to their clowns by using colour matching skills.
Colours sorting activity: Rainbow game
A really simple colour matching game from the lovely Monkey Steps.
Simple rainbow crafts for kids: Rainbow rice funtime!
Who doesn't love a little sensory play? This is a gorgeous little crafting activity to make a rainbow with rice.
And there are a lot online too, find more activities below.
Colour and rainbow activities from the internet
Take a look at these fun colour and rainbow activities from the internet.
20 Engaging Hands-On Activities for Learning Colors
Here are 20 different ideas for learning colours from Homeschool Preschool; a great site for loads of fun activities.
Learning Colors Hunt with Hearts
Strictly a Valentines idea but this is a heart hunt and can be done anytime to help teach colours.
Simple Activity for Learning Colors for Toddlers
This is a really easy way of helping kids to learn their colours.
Cheers,
Helen
Hannah MacNeice
Hannah is a rainbow-loving parenting and lifestyle blogger from Surrey, and a mum of six-year-old twins. She writes about toys, family days out and easy, colourful craft activities, as well as honest !and sometimes funny!) tales of twin parenting.