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5 super fun tactile holiday craft ideas
Irresistible DIY gift ideas to make with your kids, family, even co-workers.
As the holiday season arrives the decorating begins. For all those holiday crafters out there, we’ve created a list of tactile holiday craft ideas. Gather your family, students, friends or co-workers for a fun activity for blind and sighted people of all ages.
Braille chocolate bars
Holidays are filled with food and sweets. For a simple DIY treat, make chocolate bars topped with a braille message. All you need are braille chocolate molds and lots of melted chocolate for a sweet experience that you can touch, smell and taste. Purchase braille chocolate molds here and get started.
Jewelry
Hand-made jewelry is always a great gift. Tactile jewelry makes for an even better one. Beads with braille or raised lettering or shaped beads (e.g. animal, heart or stars) can be strung together for a beautiful and tactile bracelet or necklace. Not only is beaded jewelry a fantastic tactile gift, it is also a great activity for children developing their motor skills. American Printing House sells plastic braille beads that can help you get started. Visit the APH website to purchase braille beads.
Braille art
Braille art can make a unique gift or a strong addition to a thoughtful card. Using a Perkins Brailler, you and your loved ones can create beautiful designs that are inclusive and fun. Check out Paths to Literacy’s blog post for tips on creating braille art.
Braille apple cinnamon ornaments
For a fun creative craft idea, try making braille apple cinnamon ornaments. Mix applesauce and cinnamon together to make the dough, use cookie cutters to make a cool shape, bake at 200 degrees F for over an hour and use braille for the lettering. Your entire house will smell delicious and look beautiful. Go to this website to get more tips for making braille apple cinnamon ornaments!
Jingle bell Christmas tree
Delight your friends or coworkers with a lovely jingle bell Christmas tree this holiday season. They’re colorful, tactile and auditory, making it a perfect choice for people with all abilities and senses. This crafty creation can make a festive gift, colorful decoration or musical instrument to enjoy throughout the holiday months. Check out more detailed steps for making a jingle bell Christmas tree here.
Ready to get crafting? We hope we inspired you. As you plan your creative decorations, crafty gifts, or holiday fun with your favorite people, remember to think about what can be modified to include texture or sound. What artistic and hands-on ideas will you try this holiday season?
