Here are some ideas:
Spirograph - a toy that makes perfect and precise and repetitive geometrical patterns, the technical mathematical terms for which are hypotrochoids and epitrochoids. I've seen a basic set on sale at Toyworld (Australia) for $15.00. One word of caution - this toy is a bit fiddly and tricky to use well, maybe not the best toy for a child with fine motor issues, but if they are keen and persistent, it might be good training.
Hopper / Space Hopper / Hopper Ball / Bounce Ball - The perfect gift for the young child who has lots of bounce but has no trampoline. A day full of bouncing is a good day, I say! I've seen this toy on sale recently for only $8.00 at K-Mart.
I loved Spirograph as a kid except that my digital dexterity could make applying the right amount of pressure difficult...(I tend to press to hard and the little plastic circles would go flying) but it's good practice for learning control over pressure feedback issues .
ReplyDeleteI also loved those little tops(being female, I had to steal them from my brothers).
Yoyo's are hard but also good for teaching your body control over
muscle feedback issues .
Do they still sell those cool kits where you put nails in a board in the shape of some item and then wrap
copper wire around the nails . I've been thinking or trying to make my own but they might still sell kits .
My favorite toy as a kid was a piece of rabbit skin...a bit morbid for someone who loves animals but I don' think I ever realized that an animal used to live in it and just loved the feeling of soft fur .
If I ever open an Etsy shop I plan on making sensory items for other autists .
Two great gifts indeed!
ReplyDeleteI found the Spirograph fiddly, but I loved the patterns.
And the bounce-bounce-bounce!
Yes, it is true that the spirograph is tricky to use, and I was a bit surprised that it is recommended for ages 5 and up.
ReplyDeleteSpinning tops / gyuroscopes are the classic autistic toy. Very compelling. Tiny ones used to come in chip packets, and they work really well if you can tweak them in just the right way with the fingers. I have bought big heavy gyroscopes as Christmas gifts in the past, but they always break, because they need to be spun with a lot of force with some mechanism, and something always fails. Australian Geographic used to do a set with a gyrograph, a light prism (for the young Newton), and magnetic rings on a stick that would float on top of each other. It was all great till the gyro broke.
Krex wrote "Do they still sell those cool kits where you put nails in a board in the shape of some item and then wrap
copper wire around the nails . I've been thinking or trying to make my own but they might still sell kits ."
I think they might do plastic versions of this for little kids. I've also seen this done as a special fun project in primary schools.
Best Christmas wishes to Adelaide and Krex!
Yes.
ReplyDeleteIf there are nails and rubber bands, there can be a taut effect (it can make music).
I'd not seen the copper wire thing.
There are "silly bands" in the shops now.
Interesting observations about muscle and pressure feedback.
Feedback is a big thing in the neurological system.