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Christmas Themed Accessible Learning Activities

Posted by Claire Harrison on the 4th December, 2019

It's December and with thoughts turning to all things festive, here's a quick round up of some ready to go Christmas themed accessible learning activities.

Interactive Accesible Resources

For 2019, Ian Bean has created an online and offline version of an Advent Calendar, with each day offering a Christmas themed accessible activity for switch, touch, mouse and eye gaze users.

The calendar is set to unlock the activities daily as December progresses so you can't peek behind the 24th of December until Christmas Eve! There is an online version which features a nifty ‘wait' symbol that appears when the cursor hovers on a day which isn't yet unlocked. Ian has also created an offline version so you can download it and run it on a computer which has slow/no internet access. You don't need to log in to his website to use the calendar, simply click here to play the online version and click here to download the offline version. Ian has also created a set of visual supports which enable you to create communication opportunities alongside working on access skills to play the activities. 

If you have signed up for a free account which allows you to access the member portal, you'll also be able to download a free copy of ‘Festive' from the ‘SENict' website. Log into the website as usual, then click to download.

 

Sensory Stories

There are several of Pete Wells sensory stories with a Christmas theme  available to download from the White Board Room area on the EQUALS website. Have a look at his version of the classic Dickens tale ‘A Christmas Carol' and singalong to the revolting ‘Norbert the Reindeer', which involves green rather than red noses. Each story has a suggested script and props with a corresponding animated PowerPoint. These stories are great for using with older learners. 

 

Carol Allen created some fabulous Christmas extravaganza sensory stories which she shared previously on the SLD forum. Many thanks to Carol for giving her permission to share them again here on the CALL blog. You can download a Word Document with the scripts, required resrouces and instructions for the ear worm that is 'Let it Go' and the brilliant 'A Sensory 12 Days of Christmas'

If you have access to Grid 3 software you can download a Grid Set created to support 'A Sensory 12 Days of Christmas' which includes a copy of the story and communication grids for each of the twelve days.

Signing

Those of you who use Makaton are no doubt familiar with the weekly ‘Makaton Sign of the Week' and accompanying videos of Makaton users demonstrating the signs. Once again, Makaton are posting videos each day in Advent, featuring lots of Christmas related Makaton words and songs. 

If you access the calendar from their website, you'll also get a reminder of how many sleeps until the Big Day, as well as PDFs of the days' sign and symbols. You can also access the daily advent videos from their YouTube Chanel.

There are also various free PDF printable resources including Christmas Vocabulary signs, memory games and a Christmas Counting signs, symbols and photographs book. Download them from here.

Prinatable Symbol Resources

And finally, there are a number of symbol resources available to download too. Widgit have a free to download Christmas Pack of 21 activities with spot the difference, flashcards, sequencing and a template for a letter to Santa. 

The ACE centre  have a set of Christmas themed PCS (Boardmaker) symbol resources for printing, including an 'Elf on the Shelf' activity board and 'Simon Says Sing a Carol'. Whilst not all strictly Christmas or printable symbols resource themed, there are lots of other brilliant ideas on this page, including instruction on how to make your own switch accessible Christmas Tree Lights.

So, lots and lots of ideas and activites for Christmas themed learning and communication...have fun!

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