Balancing Donkey Game

If you are looking for a balancing game with a bit of difference then have a look at our Balancing Donkey Game. This is a recent addition to our range of toys and is sure to bring a lot of fun and mayhem as it is played.

This game can be played between 1 and 4 players where each one takes a turn to load up the donkey and see who can go the highest before the load comes tumbling down. The game comes in a solid wooden presentation box that makes it easier for storing all the pieces as well as easy to take when going out and visiting friends.

This game is not only great for coordination but as the wooden balancing blocks come in different colours, a range of fun patterns can be made. It’s a fun way for children to practice their fine motor skills as they learn to manipulate the little pieces. The smoother their movements, the better the results will be. They also learn to pick up and start all over again when the pieces fall, and that’s a good lesson for life.

This game is suitable for anyone aged 5+ and with plenty in stock this is great value at $12.95.

April Is World Autism Awareness Month

With April being World Autism Awareness Month it provides an opportunity to discuss, learn and highlight issues with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). This can result in a greater appreciation and understanding of ways we can assist children and adults who suffer from an ASD to improve and lead a more meaningful life.

With one in 100 people estimated to have an ASD, the awareness month also provides an excellent opportunity for people who don’t suffer from any ASDs to be made more aware of this neurological condition.

ASDs can affect interpersonal skills, communications, motor skills, concentration as well as a number of other developmental conditions and can relate to people with Asperger’s syndrome and high functioning autism. It has been the raising of the awareness that has led to many of these conditions being recognised in the last 10 to 15 years where previously they may have been misdiagnosed. The importance of this is that with early intervention, better support and understanding occurs to assist with managing the ASD.

As part of the World Autism Awareness Month, in 2007 the United Nations General Assembly declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day in perpetuity. Autism organisations around the world use this day to promote fundraising and awareness events. This also includes the Light It Up Blue campaign and this year thousands of building and landmarks in 45 countries and over 600 cities were coloured by blue lights.

The other important issue with World Autism Awareness Month is that it provides an opportunity to value the role of autistic people in the world, how they can make a positive contribution and that they can be proud of themselves.

As part of our involvement with World Autism Awareness Month we would like to encourage you to share your thoughts and stories on our Facebook page.

Light It Up Blue

This year’s Light It Up Blue event saw some of the world’s major buildings turning blue in support of people with autism.


Japan


Australia


Brazil


Canada

Sometimes people say that these ‘special days’ don’t achieve anything and that they are a waste of time. Then you see results like these. Right across the world major buildings and landmarks turned blue. If that doesn’t bring attention to the topic, what will?

I hope you turned blue on Monday night. It’s a magical experience in many ways, isn’t it?

Mini Pop Up Pirate

Have you ever been out and about doing the shopping, maybe having a coffee with friends or been driving the car and wish you had something to entertain your child?

Consider the Mini Pop Up Pirate. This is a bright colourful toy that will easily fit in your handbag or glove box and is easy to handle. It’s one of Lachie’s favourites.

The Mini Pop Up Pirate is a little barrel with slots in the side so when you put the dagger in the right slot the pirate will pop up and the game begins again. This is ideal for two children as it teaches them to take turns to see which slot makes the pirate pop. Each time it is played a different slot triggers the pirate to pop.

For only $2.95 the Mini Pop Up Pirate is currently in stock and is an ideal way to entertain your child and keep them occupied.

If your child is a budding pirate, check out our Pirate page for other great fun toys. These include:

• Wooden Pirate and Fairy Bookmarks that will add that bit of pizzazz when reading.
• Pirate and Fairy Self Inking Stamps that can add colour to any drawing.
• Pirate and Fairy Lacing Beads that lets your child create their own pirate set of beads to wear.
• Wooden Pirate Ships that allow your child to sail the seven seas.

Every one of these toys are bright, colourful and designed to help with your child’s motor skills, develop their social and communication skills, use their imagination as well as have some good old pirate fun.

Ahoy me’ hearties.

Never Judge, Never Assume

Most people realise that people on the autism spectrum are ‘different’ but that usually brings with it a negative connotation.

When will they realise that, like everyone else, they have their own talents and way of viewing the world?

Have you heard of Kyle Coleman? This young man from Cornwall was diagnosed with autism at the age of three and has only ever been able to say a few words. Yet Kyle has an amazing musical gift. He can play his favourite songs on the keyboard despite having no training and he can sing. Yes, sing, despite being almost mute. Not only that, he sings in perfect pitch and with instinctive feeling for tempo.

Can you imagine what a release that must be for him, after 25 years of virtual silence?

Never assume that just because a child doesn’t do something, he or she can’t. You and I know that outsiders only see the surface of our children. We know they have talents that are waiting to be fine-tuned.

Go and listen to Kyle Coleman and his lovely voice. You’ll enjoy it.

Lachie's Favourites

We love the range of toys that we stock here at The Toy Bug but our chief toy tester has to be convinced that they are fun before we can go ahead.

Lachie tests the toys for us and along the way he has found some toys which have become his firm favourites. If he loves them so much, so might your child. That’s why we created a special section on our website devoted to Lachie’s Favourites. You’ll find tactile toys, activities, puzzles, books and fidget toys all listed together. Lachie’s Favourites is a bit of a treasure trove.

One of Lachie’s early favourites was the Bilibo. It’s hard to imagine any child not loving this simple but fun toy. It looks a bit like a big, upside down hard hat when you first see it but once your child sits in it, you’ll see it very differently. Both boys and girls can find virtually unlimited ways to play with Bilibos - from rocking, spinning, sitting in, to hiding under, carrying with, and peeking through.

Georello Gears Go Round is another special toy but this one is great for fine tuning motor skills while engaging your child’s imagination and logic. Brightly coloured wheels, interlocking plates plus gears and pegs allow little ones to create a huge variety of flat or 3 dimensional structures with this 80 piece gear set. It fascinated Lachie to watch the reaction of the gears when he turned it on. The flow on movement captured his imagination.

I can’t end without mentioning the Scooter Board. This is a favourite with most kids. The safety scooter board is designed for children and can be used to develop bi-lateral co-ordination, balance and kinaesthetic awareness. They can sit on it, kneel or even lie on it and scoot around. It’s a clever toy that does wonders for a child’s balance and confidence.

Have a look through Lachie’s Favourites. You might find just the right toy for your child.

Developmental Coordination Disorder – Heard Of It?

A new study has shown that children that may have been diagnosed with ADHD or other familiar disorders may in fact be suffering from developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

ADHD can often be diagnosed when children have trouble with routine tasks such as getting dressed, playing certain types of games, drawing or even using a computer but in fact they could be suffering from DCD. The study undertaken by Professor Sara Rosenblum identified that in quite a few cases the diagnosis does not occur early enough and is incorrect. This can result in frustration and a sense of disability that leads to a decline that requires psychological therapy.

DCD can be expressed through the “inability to control a process of carrying out a particular motor task, consolidate it in memory and repeat automatically”. Examples of this may include tying laces, riding a bicycle, closing buttons, and so on. Where most people do these things automatically, people with DCD will find them difficult to do. As adults, they may have trouble doing things such as estimating distance and speed, making it difficult to learn to drive or ride a bicycle.

It can be quite embarrassing for children if they can’t do simple routine things. It is even worse for adults who often have to find ways to cover up their lack of skill.

A simple and non-invasive test of writing tasks has been developed to identify DCD in children. Children with DCD have no physiological or intellectual deformities, and in many cases, they have above average intelligence. As they are not able to complete tasks that require coordination between motor, sensory and cognitive functions, the use of occupational therapy provides the necessary treatment and guidance to assist them.