Make your own braille advent calendar to celebrate the holiday season every day leading up to Christmas morning! This braille advent calendar was designed for children with visual impairments and can be adapted with print numbers as well. At our house, Madilyn is ready to countdown to Christmas with this braille box advent calendar. We’ve used this same calendar every year for several years now.

One year, she found a sleigh bell in one of the boxes, which she DID hear ring and then told me “I believe!”. That was also the year we read the braille/print copy of “The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg on Seedlings Braille Books for Children (also available in uncontracted braille here). She found a little piece of milk chocolate, a soft mint, and a star. She can’t wait to checkthe next day for another surprise and I’m always as excited to see her little fingers explore the next box as well!

How To Make a 3D Braille Advent Calendar

Materials:

25 Box 3D Advent Calendar

Round Crystal Sticker – small

Print Number Stickers *optional

12″ Christmas pattern/color cardstock

Paper Glue or other adhesive

25 prizes to put in each box (candy, bell, small tree ornaments, braille note, etc. Be creative!)

Assembly:

The instructions are pretty simple! If you are using the print number stickers, I suggest putting them on first. Then, just adhere the round crystals on each box to create the braille numbers 1-25. Then measure the sides of the box that will show and cut the holiday cardstock to fit. Adhere with paper glue. Let everything dry overnight, or longer if the adhesive directions suggests. Fill the boxes with all the fun and sensory exploring goodies you find to put inside! You could also use the extra crystals to create a message on the top side of the box such as your child’s name, “Merry Christmas” or the family name.

Madilyn opens the day’s box every morning after breakfast. It’s a fun, spirited way to start out the day and I usually incorporate it into the day’s lessons and activities. Happy Holidays!

Do you have a holiday tradition you’d like to share? Please tell us about it!

**NOTE: Please note that the box that should be numbered “17” is missing two dots of the “7” braille number. It must have been damaged in the unorganized Christmas box. My apologies for not fixing it before I took this picture!**