Looking for some simple crafts for your severe and profound special education students? I’ve absolutely got you covered in this area so keep reading!
I have some easy art ideas to show you for severe and profound students in special education. Whether they have motor challenges, sensory needs or communication difficulties-you will find a craft activity that works for their individual needs here.
How Can You Adapt Art Activities for Children with Special Needs?
Did you know that art is a great creative outlet for any child or adult?
This is why I always incorporate simple crafts into my special education classroom. It’s also a great way to give my students with severe needs some confidence and independence, as well as a creative way to work on fine motor skills.
I’ve been doing different types of art projects with my students for awhile now and I’ve definitely learned some tips along the way that I want to share.
First-if you haven’t figured out yet that when you do a craft with a student with special needs, you definitely need to use visuals, let me save you some time right now! Taking step-by-step pictures as you complete the craft ahead of time and then using those visuals during art time in your classroom will save you a lot of time and sanity.
Why is using visuals the most important thing?
There are so many reasons for this answer!
Students will follow the directions more easily seeing a picture than you trying to repeat yourself 27 times. Not to mention, it will give them the confidence to look and at least try the craft on their own.
When I use visuals during craft time, I swear my classroom environment is completely different than when I used to not during my first year of teaching. Following directions is a very important skill that we should be teaching students.
Make the directions both auditory and visual? You will have the perfect balance!
Why are Making Crafts Important for Students with Special Needs?
Children adore crafts! Regardless of their abilities, kids are naturally curious and enjoy exploring their environment. Providing some simple craft activities not only supports their learning but is crucial for their overall development. Crafts tailored for children with motor disabilities serve the same purpose—they enable kids of all abilities to express themselves creatively, boost confidence, follow directions and enhance both fine and gross motor skills.
Easy Crafts for Students with Severe and Profound Special Needs
Art is great for all kids, but finding crafts for those with motor disabilities and severe cognitive disabilities can be tricky. However, making art accessible and fun for all children is essential.
Paper Crafts for Special Education
Women’s History Month Crafts
Celebrate these 5 amazing women: Amelia Earhart, Frida Kahlo, Malala Yousafzai, Oprah Winfrey and Ruth Bader Ginsberg. It includes 5 craft templates that can be printed directly onto colored card stock or construction paper and then cut out by students, including visual instructions and supports.
St. Patrick’s Day Crafts
This fun craft includes three distinct templates designed to nurture creativity and fine motor skills. Picture supports and symbols from Boardmaker are also included, allowing non-writers to easily participate by cutting and pasting onto the craft.
Easter Egg Craft
This egg craft comes with picture supports perfect for your students in special education and non-writers! It’s really perfect to use with the picture book, The Good Egg by: Jory John.
Mother’s Day Craft
This Mother’s Day Craft is a perfect addition to your classroom. It comes with 2 pages for students to color: The first page includes a heart that says, I Love My Mom Because She Is___. Students use visual pictures to describe their mom. The second page includes hands that “hold” the heart and you can paste the student’s picture in to look like they are holding it.
4th of July Summer Firework Craft
This art project is a cut and paste activity that is super simple to do. It also comes with visual directions and supports.
Labor Day Toolbox Craft
This adorable toolbox craft is perfect to make with your students around labor day. in September It has convenient templates ready to be printed directly onto colored card stock or construction paper for easy student use, plus clear visual instructions and supports included.
Winter Holiday Crafts
This one includes 5 craft templates to celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, Christmas in the Phillipines, and St. Lucia Day.
Sneezy the Snowman Craft
Read Sneezy the Snowman by: Maureen Wright and then follow-up with this adorable and easy craft. This one has a writing component too!
Pssst….Follow up the lesson with this fun Erupting Snow Science Experiment!
Black History Month Craft
If you are looking to integrate Black History Month into your special education classroom, this is the perfect resource for your students. It was designed specifically for students with diverse learning needs and has crafts for Martin Luther King Jr., Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks and Mae Jemison.
100th Day of School Crafts and Activities
There are 3 different templates for celebrating the 100th day of school:
– 100th day glasses
– 100th day hat
– 100th day bracelet
Valentine’s Day Craft
This craft for February 14 is super cute for your special education students to make. They will create a valentines day heart that “hugs”. Then, they create a special Valentine’s Day message on the back of the heart with picture supports. These make a really cute bulletin board display.
Sensory Crafts for Special Education
For children with severe and profound special needs, sensory experiences can be particularly impactful as they often rely heavily on touch, sight, sound, taste, and smell to understand and interact with their environment. Sensory crafts offer them opportunities to explore different textures, colors, shapes, and materials, which can enhance their sensory processing skills and provide a sense of comfort and security.
Check out these 42 fun sensory ideas for kids with autism, SPD and ADHD from Special Mom Advocate!
Self Regulation Crafts for Special Education
Teaching kids to handle their feelings through arts and crafts is a great way to help them control themselves better. Plus, it boosts their emotional smarts and makes them feel good overall. Try these 12 adorable self-regulation crafts for kids from The O.T. Toolbox.
