We receive quite a few enquiries from parents asking us if they should buy the latest sensory toy or follow the latest sensory trend. Most of the time we believe that there is a better, more affordable option and then we do some research for our parents.
I have created a list of the must-have sensory domains that I believe will work well for your kids (and even for you during this unsettling time).
1.The coolest chewy toy! We have bought a few different chewy toys, but the favorite one for our kids is the Lego man one:
Click here to see a photo of it on Amazon
Its not just trendy, but also extremely practical for when you go on outings (we can do this again soon!!) and your child can chew on his/her super cool chewy toy instead of their shirt or pick something from the floor (which some of our kids do at times).
2. Sequin strips. We love the newest trends of using sequin strips on diaries or on parts of clothing that can be utilized by sensory seekers. Have a look at just one example of sequin strips in bulk to buy here:
Sequin strips in bulk – click here!
3. Who doesnt love a stress ball? I speak of personal experience here and always have a squishy stress ball during conference calls next to my laptop. Small enough to hide when I need to use this during a call, but big (and firm) enough to give me the input I need. Here is a link where you can find a high-quality stress ball that serves as a strength trainer too:
Hand strength trainer and stress ball – click right over here 🙂
4. This next one might not work for every child in terms of providing the input they are craving, but it surely is a hit with many of our kids! We love the idea of added pressure, such as a weighted blanket, but its difficult to carry this around everywhere you go. We have introduced various ways for our kids to receive the deep pressure input they are craving with a weighted blanket and our favorite is a hip belt. This can be child and age specific, so please make sure you speak to a physio therapist before you decide on which belt to get. Here is an example of one that some of our families said they kids loved:
Click here to have a look at the hip belt
5. Pulling strings. I want to ensure that we try and cover most sensory needs for kids and thus, I would also include in our top 5 list a pulling toy. We absolutely love these strings and usually ask the parents to tie it around a backpack or chair for kids to have access to it anytime of the day and yet, not losing it:
Pulling strings example – click me 😉
And that rounds up my favorite sensory toys that are affordable and easily accessible. There are obviously hundreds of toys that I would suggest, but we cant all have a sensory home that is filled with toys from all the corners of the world – although that sounds fun!
Please do let me know what some of your favorite toys are, so we can have a follow up blog with suggestions from parents. I always say, parents know best, so that would help me and other families if you can stay in touch. Thank you to all the emails and messages that are enjoying the blogs – its lovely to read these and I will definitely focus on the topics suggested.
Have a great rest of the week 🙂
Karla