We love doing arty projects but I must admit I have a few favourites and they tend to be mostly paint based.  I have never been big into decoupage – I don’t like the glue (yip exactly where my kids get their sensitivity from).  But I know that practicing dealing with sensory challenges is really important.  Whether it is noise or touch, practice has helped both my kids.  I remember years ago how my daughter struggled every time we used the underground – total sensory overload and these days, after lots of gentle practice she manages amazingly well.  So with that in mind there are certain crafts that we keep coming back so the kids can practice that feeling of the materials on their hands and using liquid glue, like in decoupage is one of them.  It is not something my two took to straight away but we have been practicing it, small doses, gently, at home starting with simpler projects and then working up.

To begin with I found using glass jars perfect.  The reason is simple, it is easier to stick the paper onto the glass jars with the paint brushes (Decopatch Silk Brushes, Pack of 5) and they could keep the glue on their hands to a minimal amount.  So it was gentle practice. (photo below is an old one from a few years ago)

As the kids got happier we have starter using animals that you can buy at craft stores.  My main reason is the animals have a more complex shape, there are smaller bits jotting out and gaps that need to get covered so they are naturally forced to use their fingers more and the end up with more glue on their hands and that sticky feeling is more intense.

But it has been okay because we have built up, slowly with lots of practice.

Now they are a lot happier creating fun, multi-coloured animals.

The items that we used in the photos were purchased by me from Crafty Crocodiles

For their full range of Decoupage /  Decopatch items look here – Decopatch Range

The cats are these ones – paper mache cat base.

The glue that we use is – Mod Podge 8 oz Waterbase Sealer, Glue and Finish, Gloss

If you have never used Mod Podge glue it looks white when you apply it but once it dries it is transparent.

Please note – when I say gentle practice I do mean gentle.  We never do sensory challenging activities with the kids when they are already in an overwhelmed state and when the kids indicate they have had enough we never force them to sit and complete the project, we have a break and come back to it later.

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