Additional Needs
Age Appropriate
by Jodi Shenal
on 26th April, 2024
It’s not always toys on our list
Posted by Brittney Baumgartner on 16th December 2019 Additional Needs, Advice & Support, Disabilities
Sure if you ask my kiddos what they want for Christmas, you would get an array of answers ranging from a new phone, to a talking robot, to even an alligator!
The list has no end, and is constantly changing.
But as every mom knows, ten minutes into playing with some of those toys, you would never see them pick it up again for the rest of the year. (Of course, only when you are trying to get rid of it and they see.)
Most do not, but has anyone ever thought to ask the parents what they want or better yet, need?
Don’t get me wrong, I am not a cold hearted mom, I would throw in a toy or two off their list; but this mom definitely knows that they would use because it is a necessity.
For instance, my son Oliver whom was born with Spina Bifida, spends most of his traveling around the house on all fours crawling.
He prefers it, he is quick at it, and it requires less space than his wheelchair. Because of this, we go through pants like crazy!! PANTS, PANTS, PANTS…. That would for sure be on my list for Oliver.
Heck, even some good sturdy knee pads would help him extend the life of some jeans.
If we were going to get on the toy subject for a child with special needs like my own Oliver, I would suggest something that could easily be transported.
I say this because speaking from experience, I am always in and out of school and places like the hospital and therapy with Oliver and don’t particularly care for lugging tons of things around; buuuut at the same time I do want to have something for him to do while waiting around.
Some good ideas for this would be things as simple as bubbles and Play-Do. I tell ya, Oliver could spend hours playing with those two things and they are small enough to fit in a bag.
They also benefit as great hands on toys, good for occupational exercises.
Not only does it let their imagination get to work, but there is no limit as to what they can create or do. (Well, until you run out of bubbles or the Play-Do dries out.)
But these are definitely cheap to replace and can be switched up with colors and wands!
In this day and age when there is a new toy coming out every single day and electronics constantly powered on, it can be beneficial to speak directly to the parents to see what they know their child could truly use and benefit from.
