All of these have been Dempsey tried and approved : )
So this first year of our autism journey has been quite the adventure. I don’t feel like my family is in a state of survival anymore and  want to increase my blogging to hopefully help other families navigate this world. From getting him diagnosed and helped. How to care for yourself as a caregiver . . . those kinds of things. Hoping it will help some other struggling family 🙂
So today’s post is all about sensory play! We’ve had a lot of that this last year and I’ve picked my 13 favorite items on amazon that have been super helpful. These would be great gift ideas too for family members and friends of a kiddo who’s been diagnosed with a SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) or ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).
1. Ball Pit Balls
These are great for so many things! One of the first therapy things we made at home was a Dempsey proof ball pit with 500 of these balls that filled up a pack-n-play.
This is a new addition to our Dempsey toolkit and it’s a keeper! Very sturdy and soft. Our son best enjoys it with some of the ball pit balls thrown in.
We live in Phoenix AZ and it gets hot here in the summer months. Finding indoor activities that also burn energy and meet sensory needs are not so common. This hits the trifecta!
This was one of the first toys my son used in Speech and Occupational Therapy and the first time I heard him speak he kept saying “Bang! Bang! Bang!” It’s highly entertaining for him and we also are trying to teach him colors using this.
This chair is great we just added one to our home because he sits so well at therapy and school using these chairs. It has two different heights you can flip over if one it too tall or short. It also wipes down well which is key when you are using these chair for messy sensory activities.
This pairs perfectly with the Cube Chair. It’s great for meals, drawing, sensory activities, you name it. I feel like it’s helping my son prepare for school by sitting in a desk even if only for 1 minute.
Use at the table, on the floor, or with the Cube Chair and Edutray. Some ideas of what to put in are shaving cream, play dough, kinetic sand and waterbeds (under supervision because of chocking/swallowing).
Another therapy tool we picked up at OT and started using at home. My son doesn’t like wearing it at first but once he has a minute to adjust and we distract him with play he doesn’t mind. Just another area and way to get that sensory input. We often put this on him after school when he plays in the backyard.
I had these growing up and they are great non battery operated hours of fun! They go in stockings and Easter baskets in our home. My son loves holding sticks all the time plus these make a fun noise when you open and close them.
You need a 12 pack because we have these suckers everywhere! We have them in the car, bathroom, changing area, by the couch. My son loves it when I (remember to) brush his skin.
These come in different colors and quantities. There’s even a recipe to make your own which I haven’t tried yet but when I do I’ll write a post : ) My son loves this so much that we put hidden treasures and he digs for them for over 30 minutes which is a miracle!
This was a birthday gift for my son and all the kids in our house love playing with it. It gets them on their hands and knees and of course more sensory input!
When I was looking to replace the regular swings my son broke I didn’t want to buy the same kind just to break again. I looked for a durable but different kind of swing that he could use in many ways. This has held up great both my son and daughter like to use it alone or together. They can sit up, lay down, swing themselves or take turn pushing each other.