As the holidays are approaching it can become overwhelming trying to decide what to get our sensory sensitive children. Many toys come with loud sounds and flashing lights that may be overwhelming. Luckily there are now many options that are made specifically for sensory stimulation. There are stores and websites that offer many varieties of these toys. Below are few ideas for sensory gifts.
Weighted Blankets
Weighted blankets are a popular gift for people of all ages and can be found on multiple websites and stores. These are recommended for ages 2 and up. These are said to promote calmness and relieve stress. These can be found in a variety colors and fabrics. Weighted blankets can weight anywhere from 4-40 lbs. It is important to choose a weight suitable for your child’s size. Most manufacturers suggest choosing a wight that is 10-20 percent of the person’s body weight. There are also weighted blankets designed especially for children.
Calming Ball
A calming ball, which can found at Lakeshore Learning, is another great cuddly gift for kids ages 3 and up. It is a plush ball with loops to slip arms and hands through. The website describes it as giving a child a “hug”. It is soft and helps with calming and soothing when needed. Another perk is that it is machine washable.
Pop It’s
Pop It’s are a very popular item this year. These are rubber toys with small bubbles built in that can be pushed in and popped out. Think reusable bubble wrap. They can be used as a fidget toy and are great when needing to keep your child busy. They come in many shapes including unicorns, dinosaurs, and butterflies. There are many color options as well. They would be a great stocking stuffer as they are not too expensive and are small enough to fit in a stocking.
Sensory Kits
Amazon has a variety of sensory kits that include the pop it’s as mentioned above, Slinky’s, puddy, Rubik’s cubes, slime, stress balls, fidget spinners, and many other sensory friendly toys. They come in multiple sizes and are great to keep kids occupied with an assortment of activities.
Chews
Chew tools or Chewelry help with those who need oral sensory input. These can be worn around the neck or handheld. They are made in a number of shapes, colors, textures, and characters. They are made to be chewed with a hard enough rubber that they won’t break but soft enough so not to hurt teeth or gums.
Sensory Mats
Sensory mats are small squares made up of multiple textures and sizes. Some of these are made to be connected like puzzle pieces with a different texture and color on each mat. There are also mats filled with different colored liquids for a fun squishy effect. Kids can have fun exploring the different surfaces and feel of each mat.
All these gifts are easy to find on websites and in most stores.
Here is a list of some of the places these items can be found:
Amazon.com
Funandfunction.com
lakeshorelearning.com
fatbraintoys.com
