Taking Sensory Development Outside

Going outdoors can be a great adventure for anyone of any age as there is so much to do and to get involved with. For children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) there can be some significant benefits because it can aid with sensory development as they can examine, interact and explore with the environment.

Going for a walk through a local park or even bushland and being able to smell the difference fragrances from flowers and plants, holding branches or leaves and feeling the different textures is a great experience plus an ideal form of cardiovascular exercise.

Kicking a soccer or football, throwing and catching a tennis ball or passing a rugby ball are all perfect ways to help develop coordination. Often if your child is undertaking any form of occupational therapy many of these activities can assist with the program.

Some parks also have animals that can be fed such as ducks or even fish if there is a lake. Even down at the beach you are sure to encounter seagulls that will be hungry and this can be a great way to interact with wildlife. If at the beach, the added benefit is the interaction with the salt water, the sand as well as being out in the sun. Being able to build sand castles is also a great activity and allows the imagination to be applied as they construct their creation.

Always be conscious of the abilities of your child and adjust the activity accordingly. Also, as they may be easily distracted or just curious, they may find dangerous situations in the most placid of places so of course you need to keep your eye on them all the time. In some cases and depending on your child, you may even be able to use these circumstances to teach and raise their awareness of dangerous and safety issues when outdoors.

The outdoors is a fun place to be and it is full of textural and sensory things to explore.

Explaining Autism

One of the hardest things to do is to try to explain to others what the life of an autistic child can be like. Many people have no idea of what the child goes through on a daily basis.

We found this clip on YouTube which is a great introduction to the world of an autistic child for those who know nothing. It was prepared as a ‘tips for teachers’ clip to help them manage children with autism in their classrooms.

I don’t think this needs any explanation or introduction. This video is what you send to people when they “just don’t get it”.



We hope this clip helps smooth the pathway a little for you and your child.

Construction Toys

We have a great range of construction toys that have been specifically sourced and selected as they are ideal for hand eye coordination as well as igniting the creative spirit in your child. These toys can also be educational as your child needs to follow steps to put the pieces together as they construct the actual toy. We have a huge range to choose from:

• Wooden Rainbow Stacker: Use the 8 brightly coloured rings to build a rainbow pattern tower. Helps with coordination and motor skills while learning about different colour combinations.

• Educational Learning Blocks: Comes with 48 different blocks made up of coloured textured letters and numbers. Great for learning to spell words or counting numbers but also perfect for building a tower and knocking it over so it can be rebuilt. It also comes in a sturdy wooden box making it easy to store all the pieces.

• Classic Baby Beads: This toy comes with wooden beads that are held together with elastic cords. This makes it easy to change into an endless number of shapes and as the beads come in a range of bright colours they can form some imaginative patterns.

• Domino Rally Game: This game is made up of 247 coloured blocks that can be formed into domino structures. This is perfect to apply imagination as the domino structure can be made into different patterns, directions and of different lengths. Great for motor skills, contraction and patience as the challenge can be to see how many of the dominos can be used without them falling over.

• Ninja Stacking Dolls: This set of 5 Ninja Russian Stacking Dolls can be set up from largest to smallest or any other combination for a great looking display or they can also be put inside one another.

We have a whole lot of other construction toys so check out our link to see our huge range.

What’s New

We have some great new products that have recently arrived that are sure to please kids of all ages. Here are some examples from our What’s New section:

• Fincredibles Goldfish: These electronic goldfish are great fun and sure to bring lots of joy to your child. Suitable for ages 3 and above, you can interact with the goldfish by tapping on the lid and they can change colours for night swims.

• Chat Back Cat: This soft, cute and cuddly cat can repeat the words that you say. Also available are a Chat Back Dog and Chat Back Monkey that are sure to entertain for hours. Ideal for kids of all ages and priced at $29.95, these are sure to be popular.

• Fishing Magnetic Game: This brightly coloured game comes with two magnetic fishing rods to catch the fish and shells. Fantastic for developing hand eye coordination and motor skills, it is suitable for children aged 3 and above.

• World Globe Foam Ball: This world globe combines both fun and learning as it is made from bouncy squeezy foam that is firm enough to assist with strengthening the hands. The different countries and regions are shown in bright colours that make it easy to identify.

• Wooden Rainmaker: This gorgeous wooden rainmaker makes the gentle sound of rain falling as the tower is turned upside down. The sound of the rain comes from bright coloured balls rattling against the wood as they cascade down and around the tower. The rainmaker is ideal for kids aged 18 months and over.

For a whole range of other toys follow the link to the What’s New section as these toys are sure to bring a lot of fun and help with your child’s development and learning.