As you may know, my family is affected by ADHD, autism, and other disabilities in various ways. I also read many blogs written by parents of children with special needs. So I thought I would create a store for this blog, that will link you to great books, toys and resources for families affected by Autism, ADHD and sensory processing needs. This page will start out small, and hopefully will grow!
One company that sells many great products is Natural Learning Concepts.
You've probably heard of Social Stories, which were basically invented by Carol Gray. Social Stories are short stories that help kids learn about neor problematic situations. For instance, a child who tries to run out into the street when he plays in the front yard may benefit from having a social story read to him about the rules for playing in the front yard, the reasons for the rules, and the consequences that will come from running out into the street. Hearing the story often, especially right before being allowed to play in the front yard, can drive the concept home for the child.
Now, children can actually watch social stories on DVD! The Story Movies DVD is available from Natural Learning Concepts. They also have many great books, toys, and workbooks for sale on the site.
Here's an old stand-by... Lego's! Many kids with autism and ADHD enjoy playing with Legos. In fact, one therapist noticed that many of his young cients with autism loved Legos, so he created a LegoTherapy group. In the group, kids worked together playing with Legos, and were able to practice social skills and team work while also having fun! Legos can also be a great toy to get a child with autism and a child without autism to play together. And a kid can never have too many Legos!
Find the LEGO bricks you need at The Official LEGO Shop!
Here's another unique store that offers many things that will entice all children, and may have some products that children with ADHD or autism will particularly enjoy. For instance, if you have a little one who likes to hide in small places or enjoys building forts with the couch cushions, get them some Squashblox Construction Cushions. Kids can use these flat cushions to build whatever they'd like. When it's time to clean up, the cushions can be flattened for easy storage!
If you have a child who loves sensory input, look for the game called P.U.! The Game of Smells. Players have to identify different smells... like skunk, popcorn, and peppermint... to move around the board.
Or look for a game called Feel And Find, which is a bag of all different wooden shapes. Players randomly choose a tile with a picture of a shape on it. Then they must reach into the bag and feel around to find the correct shape!
This store has tons and tons of awesome toys... like a kid-sized, very realistic astronaut suit, musical instruments, learning toys, and wooden playsets and puzzles. You'll really have to check out Imagine the Challenge: Where your child can play and learn!
