Movement And Motion For Children With Autism

Recent research in the US has confirmed what many parents have observed for years, that motion, cause and effect, repetitive and movement type toys and games are often preferred by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

When we think of sensory feedback in a ‘neurotypical’ world, the senses of sight, smell, touch, taste, and hearing are what spring to mind.  When it comes to children with autism spectrum disorder however, we need to consider the lesser known senses, the vestibular sense that helps us keep our balance and know where we are in space, and proprioception which has to do with the way our joints respond to movement and pressure.  This explains why adults and children with ASD as well as those without, enjoy such things as deep tissue massage and can be calmed by weighted blankets and the application of pressure.

Games and activities that offer a broad range of sensory feedback were preferred over all other types of play in the hands-on, museum based study, imaginative play being the least attractive to children with ASD.

Children with ASD often find repetition and sensory feedback soothing, and if they themselves cannot be moving, they enjoy watching moving objects.  Encouraging these kinds of activities in play, and by introducing toys that play to these strengths can encourage development and interaction as well as being a source of comfort.

Active play toys such as the See Saw and the Ball Chair are great for kids with energy to burn, who respond well to physical stimulation.  These toys provide different levels of feedback via sound, repetition and movement.

More passive children who prefer less active stimulation, or need some downtime, might enjoy the LED Mini Fan, which not only gives visual feedback via the lights and movement but also the feeling of air and cooling.  The Soothing Liquid Timer is a visual and calming toy that also provides a feeling of time and movement and time for self regulating emotions or actions for a child needing boundaries.

The Expandable Ball is a tactile toy that feeds the need for repetition and movement. It is a portable toy which does not require batteries or lots of space, and is a good option for a child’s bag.

One size never fits all in sensory play but at The Toy Bug we pride ourselves on researching and sourcing new products to help children with their development through play, visual stimulation, motion and movement.

What’s New for 2013

Now that we are in 2013 I thought it would be a good opportunity to mention some of our products in our What’s New section.

The Jumping Frog Game is a fun and exciting game that is ideal for fine motor skills and hand eye coordination.  The game includes 20 frogs, a lily pad cup, a score pad and a large play mat.  The winner of the game is the one who shoots the most frogs into the bucket.

 

  

The Space Hopper will naturally entice a smile as your child bounces around the room plus it provides some good exercise.  Holding onto the sturdy horns as you bounce will help the kids develop core stability and balance skills. 

A great game to help with recognising and understanding the senses is called Our Five Senses.  Through observing, matching and talking about the different cards, the game will allow your child to understand how the five senses function and interact with each other.  Our Five Senses comes with 5 self-correcting puzzle play boards that are cut into 7 pieces, 1 dice and an activity book.  In addition to learning about the sense, this is also ideal for developing hand eye coordination, concentration and reasoning skills.

 

The Catch & Stick Monster Mitts are great fun and help with the development of hand eye coordination and throwing skills.  As the oversized mitts and the tennis ball both have velcro, it makes it easier to catch the ball.  With adjustable straps on the mitts they can be used by pre-schoolers and up.

As new items continuously arrive in store, I recommend you visit our What’s New section  regularly to see what else may be suitable for you and your child to explore together.

Putting Together A Sensory Box

The next time you give a gift consider the idea of the sensory box.  This can be suitable for any child and combines a range of different toys that relate to the different senses.

Consider the Flashing Spinning Top that comes with bright coloured lights that change patterns when spinning.  Even the Flashing Squishy Pig is fun as it has interesting textures to touch and feel, it lights up when squeezed and makes a great fidget toy.

The Rainmaker makes a gentle sound as the coloured beads cascade down the different layers and also links movement with sound and allows the little ones the opportunity to explore the different rhythms.  The Musical Triangle is another great idea that allows the development of rhythms as well as coordination.  

The Zebra Teething Bling is a safe alternate comforter for teething babies or children requiring oral input.  In addition, the Fruit Bubbles are ideal for identifying smells, as they come in different scents.  The watermelon, strawberry and grape flavous can be smelt when the bubbles pop.

The Hopper Ball is perfect for developing coordinatin and balance as well as being a great exercise that can help to strengthen leg muscles.  The Scrunch Ball will also help to develop coordination as it is very squishy, and even huggable which makes it very catchable plus also light and safe for indoor play.

These are just some examples of the type of toys you can use to build a sensory box but there are so many more options.  Have a look through the Sensory Toys section to get more creative ideas for your sensory box. 

Sensory Toys Under $10

Everything we do involves the use of our senses. As infants, we learn and discover the world through our senses. By allowing our children to develop their senses as early as possible, we help them increase their cognitive, physical, and emotional abilities. This results in the development of the infant's brain.

Sensory development starts as early as the gestational period and continues through childhood. This is why it is important that we provide our kids with a multitude of sensory stimulation from the time they are born. If we start early, then we have a greater chance of influencing their brain development while it is at its most malleable state - this particularly means during the first 7 years.

There are many children's toys that can help. Some are expensive, but there are also those that are affordable. Here are just a few sensory toys from The Toy Bug that are under $10.

Wooden musical instruments such as whistles and castanets are perfect. The whistle will help your child learn how to shape the mouth and blow, as well as help develop his/her listening skills. Meanwhile, the castanets are fun to click and jump around to. Both are great for practicing co-ordination skills.

The Flashing Spinning Top can help your child develop their hand-eye coordination as they try to spin the top.

The Animal Tape Measure is one of my favourites. It’s cute enough to be a toy but it teaches children about measurement and length.

Jigsaws are great for developing letter and colour recognition and fine motor skills and who doesn't love dinosaurs?

This list shows that great toys don’t have to be expensive to be valuable.

Bilibo

The Bilibo is a big favourite in our house! It is mostly used for spinning but there are unlimited ways to play with Bilibo's - from rocking, spinning, sitting in, to hiding under, carrying with and peeking through. Not only it great at home, you can use it at the park, in the sand or water.

The Bilibo was designed by Swiss designer, Alex Hochstrasser, in consultation with childhood development experts from the University Children’s Hospital in Zurich. The shell shape and bright colours invite a wide range of interpretations and encourage children to use their imagination and invent their own games, providing hours of open-ended play.

The Bilibo is made of high-density Polyethylene, that’s shock resistant, non-toxic and 100% recyclable.

Bilibo's unique form arouses curiosity, stimulates the senses, engages the imagination, and encourages creativity.

Bilibo comes in 6 great bright colours and can be purchased from our shop for $38.00.