Special Needs
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Toys for SN kids?
Does anyone know of a good website or catalog that sells toys for kids with special needs? DD is an ASD toddler, and since that "most wonderful time of the year" is coming, my relatives are starting to ask what kinds of things they should get for her.
Any ideas? I know I can just google "special needs toys" or something, but I like going on others' recommendations!
TIA!
Any ideas? I know I can just google "special needs toys" or something, but I like going on others' recommendations!
TIA!
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Re: Toys for SN kids?
I would start making a list of toys that target your DD's specific areas of difficulty. They don't have to be "special needs" toys, per se. Almost every single toy that any of my oldest DS's therapists have used are toys you can buy at Target, TRU, etc. It's all about what you do with the toys once you have them.
TRU has a Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids (https://toysrus.shoplocal.com/ToysRus/default.aspx?action=entryflash&promotioncode=ToysRus-100818DAGS&DisplayPageNumber=1) that labels each item with the various skills it targets (speech/communication, gross motor, fine motor, tactile, etc). I've found it really helpful the last two years.
ETA: That link takes you to all of TRU's promotions (sorry!), if you scroll down to the bottom, you'll see the link to the guide. It has Holly Robinson-Peete on the cover.
Beyond Play has really good stuff (www.beyondplay.com), but their shipping costs are horrendous (20% until you spend $500--then it just goes down to 15%!!!) . . . I usually find stuff in their catalog and order it from Amazon so that it'll be cheaper.
I also love Fat Brain Toys. Its for every kind of kid, but the toys are awesome for kids with special needs and they also have a list with recommendations for kids with different specific needs--kind of similar to the toys r us one. https://www.fatbraintoys.com/special_needs/index.cfm
IKEA is also really awesome as far as sensory stuff. They have swings and tents and trains, etc that are all very cheap compared to the counterparts you'd buy as the "special needs toy store".
Ahahaha I love the analogy of buying your MIL spanx!
Auntie, I totally see where you are coming from...and I never looked at it that way, but I will now. Food for thought.
Thanks for the suggestions, too, to everyone else. I'm still getting used to this whole ASD parent thing works...life would be easier if I had the capacity to be perfect ;-)
...on the other hand.... if it is tough for you to afford some of the things that would be helpful for your LO's development... put them on the list. It is truely up to you. If you are in this category (as I am).. I really take the lead of of DS's therapy team. The trampoline was highly beneficial to him at the OT and I really wanted one at home. When you start adding up everything you want to work with at home on a daily basis, it adds up quick!
If it was some sort of 'odd' device (and all I mean by this is that grandpa would have to go way out of his way to order this from a therapy catalog) that would only be looked at as a therapy tool, I think I would look to add that on my own on a non-holiday.
JMHO
This. Play therapy toys can only seem more attractive to a child when wrapped in paper and bows under the tree, ya know? Once they are old enough to request the hot toys (which I will not even hazard a guess as to what those are! LOL), then I can see being sure to include those "typical wishes" as well as fun therapy toys.
For his birthday, DS is getting a "sonic scooter" from his uncle so he can ride around on his tummy and strengthen his shoulders. His aunt is getting him some of those music v-tech toys to play with while working on sitting. But I am sure he will get the usual dreaded stuffed animals, etc, too.