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Sensory Motor Countdown to the Holidays


Here is a twist on the usual countdown to the holidays. This calender for December includes gross motor and fine motor activities for each day leading up to the holiday season. You can get a printable version at Your Therapy Source. Print it out and give to parents or hang up in your home to get children’s hands and feet moving during this holiday season. There is a pattern to the calender – gross motor followed by fine motor. Some activities are outdoors. If the weather does not cooperate, just switch a fine motor day for a gross motor day.

Dec. 1: Talk a walk outdoors. Find at least 5 types of fir trees or bushes.

Dec 2: Create your own handmade holiday cards to mail to family and friends.

Dec 3: Go on a hunt and find objects that begin with each letter in the work HOLIDAY.

Dec 4: Use play clay to create a snowman and a holiday tree.

Dec 5: Use rolled up socks to create pretend snowballs. Have a snowball fight.

Dec 6: Play with red and green colored water in the sink or sensory table.

Dec 7: Decorate a tree outdoors with some popcorn garland that you have made.

Dec 8: Knead, roll and bake your favorite holiday bread.

Dec 9: Talk a walk and collect pines cones, acorns or rocks.

Dec 10: Put glue and glitter on pine cones and rocks. Place in bowl as center piece on table.

Dec 11: Go outdoors. Pretend to float like a snowflake and make pretend snow angels.

Dec 12: Make a miniature snowman using marshmallows and toothpicks.

Dec 13: Make you body into holiday shapes such as a tree, snowman, angel and candy cane.

Dec 14: Cut out paper snowflakes and hang in your home.

Dec 15: Put paper plates under your feet and pretend to ice skate.

Dec 16: Paint a holiday tree. Glue on small balls of tissue paper as ornaments.

Dec 17: Turn on holiday music and dance.

Dec 18: Create a paper chain with red and green paper. Hang up as a decoration.

Dec 19: Take a walk outdoors. Find 5 green objects and 5 red objects.

Dec 20: Cut up old holiday cards or pictures into puzzles.

Dec 21: Go caroling. Walk around your neighborhood and sing holiday songs.

Dec 22: Make a homemade gift for someone special. Try a bookmark or key chain.

Dec 23: Prance and run like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

Dec 24: Stir, mix and bake holiday cookies!

December Fine Motor Gross Motor Visual Motor

December Packet: Practice fine motor, gross motor, visual perceptual and handwriting activities with this no-prep, fun, December themed packet.  Find out more information.