As the new school year starts, it’s the perfect time to introduce a creative and engaging activity for children, and individuals benefiting from autism behavior support. Making desk buddies can be a fantastic addition to your back-to-school routine! This craft not only brings joy and creativity but also supports sensory development and emotional comfort. Here’s how to create these fun desk buddies and the benefits they bring:
Materials You’ll Need:
- Plastic Cups: To form the base and structure of your desk buddies.
- Markers: For decorating and personalizing your buddy.
- Glue: To assemble and secure different parts.
- Scissors: For cutting construction paper and tissue paper into shapes.
- Colored Construction Paper: To create various features and decorations.
- Tissue Paper: For adding texture and additional details.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Gather Your Materials: Start by gathering all your supplies. Plastic cups will serve as the base of your desk buddies, while markers, glue, and scissors will help with decorating and assembling. Colored construction paper and tissue paper will be used to add fun and detailed features.
2. Create the Base: Use the plastic cups as the foundation for your desk buddies. You can cut and shape the construction paper to cover the cups, creating a base shape for your animal or character. This step involves using scissors carefully to ensure the paper fits well around the cup.
3. Add Features: Once your base is ready, use colored construction paper to cut out shapes for features like ears, eyes, and noses. Glue these pieces onto the plastic cup to start bringing your desk buddy to life. This stage allows students to practice fine motor skills and creativity, essential components of autism behavior support.
4. Decorate with Tissue Paper: To add texture and vibrant details, glue pieces of tissue paper onto the construction paper base. This can create a fur-like texture or add colorful patterns to your desk buddy. The tactile experience of handling tissue paper can be soothing and engaging for students, particularly those receiving ABA therapy.
5. Personalize with Markers: Finish your desk buddies by using markers to draw additional features, expressions, or patterns. Personalizing each desk buddy helps students feel a sense of ownership and connection to their creation, which can be especially comforting and motivating in a school setting.
Benefits of Making Desk Buddies:
- Sensory Engagement: Handling and decorating with materials like tissue paper and markers provides a sensory-rich experience that can be calming and enjoyable, for children with autism.
- Fine Motor Skills Development: Cutting, gluing, and assembling the desk buddies helps develop fine motor skills, which are crucial for various daily and academic tasks.
- Emotional Comfort: Having a personal desk buddy can offer comfort and a sense of security, especially for students who may be experiencing new or challenging environments.
- Creativity and Self-Expression: This craft allows students to express themselves creatively, which can boost their confidence and make their workspace feel more personalized.
- Patience and Focus: The crafting process encourages patience and focus, skills that are valuable both in academic settings and everyday life.
Creating desk buddies is a fun and meaningful craft that supports sensory development and emotional comfort. For students in ABA therapy or autism support, this project offers a hands-on way to engage and express themselves. Add this sensory-friendly activity to your back-to-school preparations to help students develop skills and find comfort in their personalized study space.
If you’re interested in learning more about how ABA therapy can benefit your child, or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help you on this journey. Give us a call at (855) 444-5664 to get started!
