Accessible Advent Calendars

Advent calendars offer a wonderful way to practice reading, writing, and sequencing numbers in print or braille.  Counting and matching can also be incorporated into the activity.  Braille can be added to commercially-available advent calendars or you can create your own.

There are many ways to set these up, but the fun part for the student is to find a "surprise" each day.  Try some of these variations:

1. Have the student match number cards to the number on the card or box.
2. Mix the numbers up and have the student put them in the correct order.
3. Count up each day to the number on the box.

Here are some ideas of different ways to get started.

Kampmann International has created an advent calendar with braille on the traditional paper "windows".  The calendar in the middle shows a calendar with a snowy Christmas tree with numbers in print and braille on it.

This Braille Box Advent Calendar from Sensory Sun uses boxes arranged in rows with the braille numbers on the front.  Small candies, toys, musical instruments, or other sound makers can be hidden inside for the child to discover.

This tactile advent calendar uses real objects on separate cards with numbers in print and braille.