11 Best Sensory Jewelry Gifts

I'm updating this gift giving guide for 2018, but I'm going to be writing my articles on Vocal. So, if you'd like to read about my 11 suggestions for sensory jewelry gifts, please go here:

11 Best Sensory Jewelry Gifts

Thanks!

Gifts That Give, Part 2: Sea Life

If you know someone who feels strongly about a cause, consider giving a gift that is put out by a charitable organization. You could just make a donation in their name, or you could buy something tangible that will remind the person of the organization or cause. Here are a few ideas for people who care about wild animals and nature. I would love to get these, and I bet any other animal lover would too! (You may want to do your own research to choose an organization you think is particularly worthy of your donation. )

Dolphin Communication Project Adoption -  This organization is dedicated to research and education around dolphins. You can choose to sponsor one of 23 dolphins. You get an adoption certificate, photograph, biography of your dolphin, a DVD about dolphins, and more. You can keep track of when your dolphin was last seen, via their website. Adoption costs $35.

Dolphin Research Center Adoption - This will be particularly exciting to you if you live near, or often visit, Grassy Key, Florida. The $50 "Dolfriend" adoption option gets you free admission for two people to the facility for a whole year, plus a guest pass, as well as the usual adoption certificate and dolphin information and photo. You also get to access their Members Only section of the website. Also, if you pay a little more money, you can do wicked cool things like hug a sea lion, play with a dolphin, or swim with dolphins!!! I wish I lived in Florida!

Loggerhead Marine Life Center Gift Shop - Really cool turtle-themed gifts for everyone. I really want the hatchling snow globe. 

Marine Mammal Center Gift Shop -  They have tons of cool gifts here, including sea animal adoption packages, toys, clothes, jewelry, and books.

National Marine Life Center Adopt An Animal - For $35 you can adopt a patient at the National Marine Life Center! You can choose who you want to adopt. Will it be a beautiful sea turtle or an adorable seal?

Oceana Adoption Program - You can adopt a shark, seal, whale, dolphin, penguin, octopus, clownfish, ray, or puffin. For $50 you get a stuffed animal and an adoption certificate!

Pacific Whale Foundation Adoption Program - This organization works to protect whales, dolphins and turtles in the Pacific ocean. You can choose to adopt a whale, dolphin or turtle for $75. You'll get an adoption certificate, the story of your sea animal, map of where it was last seen, a stuffed animal, and a tote bag, You can choose the specific animal to adopt. If you want to shell out $750, you can even name a future animal! It has to be a nice name though.

Pacific Whale Foundation Eco Cruise - If you are going to Maui, surprise someone you're traveling with, by signing up for an eco cruise! These cruises only take a few hours. You'll get to watch whales or dolphins!

Pacific Whale Foundation Gift Shop - This gift shop has something for everyone! Tons of stuff to choose from!

Sea Turtle Adoption - For $30, you'll get an adoption certificate, a Sea Turtle Conservation Guide, a membership window cling, a sea turtle sticker and bookmark, a hatchling magnet, and a one-year subscription to STC's membership publication. You can go on the website and track where your turtle friends are traveling! You can also choose to name a new turtle.

Sea Turtle Patient Adoption - When sea turtles get sick or injured, where do they go? Hopefully, to the Loggerhead Marine Life Center in Juno Beach, Florida! Turtles who end up there get state-of-the-art veterinary care. You can adopt a turtle patient and help pay for his treatment... because turtles don't have jobs and cannot pay for themselves! For $50 you get a stuffed turtle, a tote bag, a "Proud Parent" sticker, a photo of your turtle, and educational information about sea turtles.

Shark Angels - This organization works to protect sharks and educate people about them. For $50 you get a shark puppet, adoption certificate, photo, a shark sticker, and your name on the website! They also have a lot of cool things in their online gift store.

Gifts That Give, Part 1: WIldlife

If you know someone who feels strongly about a cause, consider giving a gift that is put out by a charitable organization. You could just make a donation in their name, or you could buy something tangible that will remind the person of the organization or cause. Here are a few ideas for people who care about wild animals and nature. I would love to get these, and I bet any other animal lover would too! (You may want to do your own research to choose an organization you think is particularly worthy of your donation. )
Bat House Kit - For the person who loves bats and wants to have them in his yard, here is a kit that has everything you need to make your own bat house. It is designed to be easy enough for children as young as 6 to do. Proceeds go towards Wildlife Forever, an organization dedicated to conservation efforts and the education of children about conservation. $32.95.

Bluebird House Kit - This simple kit allows you to put together a blue bird house. (By the way, bluebirds are different from blue jays. And they don't kill other birds.) It is designed to be easy enough for children as young as 6 to do. Proceeds go towards Wildlife Forever, an organization dedicated to conservation efforts and the education of children about conservation. $32.95.

Born Free - This program allows you to adopt either a species of animal, or a specific animal living in one of their sanctuaries. This is a monthly payment program for 2.50 pounds (or $3.79 US dollars) per month. You get a stuffed animal, photo, adoption certificate, the animal's story, a magazine subscription, and a window decal.

Defenders Of Wildlife Species Adoption - This site has 32 animals to choose from. The adoption fees vary by animals, but for $30 to $50 you get a stuffed animal, animal fact sheet, photo, and adoption certificate. 

International Animal Rescue - This site is a little more expensive... you can pay $6 monthly or $72 for a year. For this site you are helping to sponsor a specific animal that is living in a sanctuary... animals that have been injured (often by humans) and cannot take care of themselves in the wild. You get a stuffed animal, adoption certificate, framed photo, and animal fact sheet. You also get to log onto the site whenever you want to view members-only information about the animal you are sponsoring, such as updates on his welfare. Your choices for adoption are orangutan, sloth bear, or slow loris.

National Wildlife Federation Species Adoption - This is another site with a ton of choices of animals to adopt. For $30 you get a stuffed animal, an 11X14 color poster of the animal, and an adoption certificate. For the same amount, you can adopt a wild animal baby, and get a stuffed animal, adoption certificate, and story card with information about the animal.

National Wildlife Federation Gift Store - The store has toys and games,  clothes and accessories for kids, clothes and accessories for adults, home decorations, and gardening and birding gifts. These are for all different prices. They also have magazine subscriptions, including Ranger Rick and Ranger Rick Jr.

One Special Rhino - This is a children's book, actually written and illustrated by fifth graders, about the true story of a rhino born in captivity, how the species is in danger, and how children can help to save the rhinos. Proceeds from the $13.00 book go to the International Rhino Foundation. 

Silver Rhino Pendant - A sterling silver rhino pendant handmade in Indonesia. It is only $25, and the money goes to support the International Rhino Foundation.

Sierra Club Species Adoption - This adoption program has 17 choices of animal species that you can adopt. For $39 you get a stuffed animal, a sticker of the animal, an adoption certificate, and a booklet with animal facts. For $79 you also get a backpack.

Sierra Club Membership - It looks like you can join the Sierra Club for as little as a one time $15 donation. You become a member of your local chapter, and can participate in member-only outdoor adventures. These include worldwide trips, and local day trips such as hikes. You also get a magazine subscription and a messenger bag.

Snow Leopard Trust - All sorts of gifts... clothes, toys. home decor, books, accessories, pet products and more... that support this organization that is dedicated to protecting snow leopards. 

Tigers Forever -  "National Geographic photographer Steve Winter spent a decade in search of wild tigers, devoted to capturing their magnificence and telling their story. Tigers are in trouble, and his quest for photographs became his way to address the plight of this magnificent cat. His goal: to reinvigorate global concern--while there’s still time." This book is full of both information, and beautiful photographs of tigers. 10% of the proceeds go towards Panthera's Tigers Forever program.

Wolf.org - A gift shop with clothes, jewelry, toys, books, and more. Proceeds support International Wolf Center, which works to educate humans about wolves and to dispel the myths that often cause people to hate and fear these beautiful animals.

World Wildlife Species Adoption - Symbolically adopt or "sponsor" an entire species! For  $55 you get a plush animal, an adoption certificate, a photo, a "species card" with information about the animal, and a gift bag to put it all in. They have a ton of choices of animals, from elephants to butterflies to aye aye aye lemurs. You can even adopt a "sniffer dog," a dog whose job it is to sniff out illegal animal products such as bones and tusks in airports.

World Wildlife Games, Clothes, Etc. The gift shop includes a cool tiger puzzle, a couple of kids' games, T-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, and more. The price of each of these is a $55 donation.

Zoo Animal Adoption - Your local zoo (or the zoo that is local to the person receiving the gift) most likely has an animal sponsorship program, with added bonuses that other sponsorship programs can't offer. For instance, Brookfield Zoo's Share The Care Program gives you, for $50, a stuffed animal, photograph, window decal, animal fact sheet, and an invitation to a special event... plus, you actually get to see "your" animal in person when you go to the zoo! If your local zoo doesn't have such a thing, or if you don't live near a zoo at all, you could try the Audubon Institute's adoption program. For $50 you get an adoption certificate, photo, fun facts sheet, and stuffed animal. The Smithsonian National Zoo offers a similar package for $65.

Heatable Hooty

The following info was originally published on my blog Diary Of An Alien.


At Marshalls, I found this really cool thing that I wanted to get for my nephew, which is a stuffed animal that can be microwaved to make it warm, and it has a calming scent in it. Only then I remembered that my brother and sister-in-law don't have a microwave! I thought maybe they could put it in the oven instead, but my mom said it would probably catch on fire that way, so I decided to forgo getting one for Squeak for the time being. But the stuffed animals were so adorable! And you know I have a soft place in my heart for stuffed animals. I also have a soft place in my heart for things that smell good. I am a very sensory-seeking person. So I ended up getting one for myself! Meet my new Heatable Hooty! 

Bringing Hooty home

Hooty warming up

I popped Hooty in the microwave for 90 seconds, as directed by the box. When I took him out, he was all warm and smelled pleasantly of lavender! It is really cold in my house, and even though I am wearing wool pants under my jeans and also a fleece sweatshirt, I was still really cold, so I was glad to have Hooty to warm me up! I am planning to heat him up again right before I go to bed, so I can put him on my pillow and he can help me fall asleep. I was thinking to myself that he'd probably also come in really handy whenever I have an earache, or a headache, because I can just lay right on him and let him relax my muscles.

Hooty comforts me and keeps me warm!

This is not a sponsored review... obviously, seeing as how I just told you I bought Hooty at Marshalls with my own money a few hours ago... but I thought I would post about him anyways because I like him, and some people might appreciate interesting ideas for holiday or birthday presents for kids. 

When I was looking at some of the Amazon reviews, a few people worried that this would be a really dangerous toy to give a kid. So I just wanted to point out, Hooty is not necessarily meant to be a toy. He's more of a comfort item. He'd make a nice stuffed animal even if you didn't heat him up. But definitely, if he's going to be heated, an adult should do the heating. If Hooty gets too hot, and your child cuddles him, obviously there is a burning risk. So make sure to follow the directions for microwaving, and don't put him in there for too long. I put him in for a minute and a half, and he was nice and toasty. If you're microwaving him for a child, make sure to test him to make sure he's not too hot. His stomach seems to get the hottest, so pay special attention to that area. I also shook him around a little to mix up the material inside so there wouldn't be any super "hot spots." 

Okay, now you can mock me for being like a little kid and getting a stuffed heatable animal! You know you would enjoy one too. He smells so nice, even now that he's cooled off, and he's so soft and squishy!

Another thing I just thought of... I like the smell of lavender, but not everyone does. I think the company chose lavender as the scent because it is a naturally calming aroma. A lot of baby lotions made with natural ingredients use lavender, especially those meant to help the baby fall asleep or be comforted. But if a child hates the smell, or is really sensitive to it and gets headaches or something, it won't work! So you might want to check before you get this as a gift for a child you don't know well.

Buddha Board

Buddha Board
Ages: 3 and up
One of the things I struggle with is relaxation and mindfulness. Actually that is two things. Oh well. The point is, it is good for me to have things that can help me "actively relax." Some people might be able to relax by just sitting quietly and meditating. I, like many others with ADHD or autism, have a lot of trouble doing that. If I have something quiet and simple that I can concentrate on, it can really help me get centered.
Buddhist monks have, throughout history, painted with water on stone. They make a picture, and then watch it slowly disappear. The Buddha board is the same idea. Painting on the board, and then watching your picture fade away, can have a strangely calming effect. You could also use it to write or draw something you're worried or upset about, and then watch it fade away, symbolically sending the thought away. Or, just have children use it to practice their writing or fine motor skills!

Solar Photography Paper

SunPrint Paper Kit
Ages: 7 and up
When I worked with kids, one of the activities I liked to do in the summer was lay sheets of colored construction paper somewhere outside in the sun, and then have the kids find little things to put on top of the paper... a bottle cap maybe, a fork, a toy car, a flower. We would then go about our business for the day. At the end of the day we'd move all of the items off the paper, and find that the sun had "painted" a picture of the things we'd left there!
SunPrint paper is the same basic idea, but just way more vivid than plain construction paper. It is special paper that undergoes a chemical change in the sun. Looking online, I found some cool things people had done. If you have old photo negatives, you can lay them on the paper and see what happens. Or an X-ray. You could draw a picture on a clear plastic pane (like one of those overhead projector sheets) and then lay it on the paper. The ideas are endless. This can be for children or adults, because you can really work at your own level and do your own thing with this paper. That is why I wish I had some RIGHT NOW!

Yottsugo

Yottsugo
Ages: 12 and up
Number of players: 1 or more
This is a fun word game that you can play by yourself, or while collaborating with others. You select a clue card that gives you 16 letters. Each letter is on a puzzle piece. When put together right, the letters will be in a 4X4 grid that will work out to spell four words across and four words down. However, if you are having trouble solving the puzzle, you can unfold part of the clue card. Each time you unfold the card, a flap gives you a clue for how to solve the puzzle... it might give you clues to some of the words used, or the locations of a few of the letters. It is simple, yet challenging! I am adding this to my Christmas list!

The Art Of Conversation

The Art Of Conversation
Ages: 8 and up
I know that many adults with autism spectrum disorders do not enjoy making small talk. (By small talk, I mean, the meaningless conversations people have with acquaintances, like "How are you?" and "So, nice weather we're having," and "What do you do for a living?") And I don't think we're the only ones... there must be plenty of others out there who would rather avoid it! For this reason, people may choose to avoid going to social gatherings where they'll be expected to talk with people they don't know well... for instance, a dinner party the neighbors are throwing. With these cards, you can skip over the small talk, and get right to actual conversation by answering thought-provoking questions. It comes with a booklet that gives suggestions for how to use the cards. They are meant for adults, but  the reviews I've read said that the questions on the cards are family-friendly and that they've been used with children as young as 8 being part of the group. I'd like to buy these... it sounds kind of like the Ungame!

PS... If you are looking for a similar game that could be used with younger children, or people with more limited conversational skills, try these: Chat Pack For Kids,  or Melissa And Doug Family Dinner Box Of Questions.

Dino Pet

Dino Pet
Ages: 3 and up
Wow, it is a glowing plastic dinosaur! What a nice night-light! But what makes it glow like that? It is filled with bioluminescent plankton called dinoflaggelates. You may have seen these in the ocean in some places. These plankton are what cause the "glowing waves" at night in places like California, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. This is a lovely pet that is very easy to care for. Keep the plastic dinosaur in a spot with indirect sunlight (near a window, but maybe not directly on the windowsill) and feed it some of the "dino food" that comes with it. At night, it will glow. Now I really want one of those!

Train Poster

Many kids and adults like to memorize the names of, and information about, the things they are interested in. With an educational poster about trains, the train lover in your life can memorize to his heart's delight!



History Of Trains Poster
This one shows all of the different trains throughout history, as well of other information about trains.




Modorn Locomotives Poster
This one focuses on modern locomotives.


Both posters are 24x36, and would make a great addition to a bedroom or playroom for someone who is interested in trains!

Train Crossing Sign

Train Crossing Sign
Who wouldn't want their very own train crossing sign? This sign also has flashing lights, just like a real one, and makes sounds like an oncoming train. (The sound can be turned off for those with sensitive ears.) Use it as a bedroom decoration, or add it to a train table!

Train Set

Many children love trains! Train sets have been classic toys, probably since the time when trains were first invented! Chances are, you have a train lover in your life. Here are a few train sets that I think are pretty awesome!


Orbrium Toys Wooden Train Set
Ages: 3 and up
The cars on this train connect to each other with magnets. The train works well with most wooden tracks, including Thomas The Train, Chuggington, and Brio sets. You can add these cars to your existing train set to make a longer train, or just use them on their own! I like them because they are made of wood, brightly colored, and just look like fun.
 (If you don't already have a train track, here is a basic one that works with all of the above mentioned train sets, including this one.)



Want to get a little more serious with your gift giving? This is another Orbrium train set, but this one has 100 pieces, including the train tracks, train cars, vehicles, bridges, buildings, trees, and road signs!






Littler train lovers will enjoy My First Number Train. It includes a toy Duplo person and a toy dog to ride on the train! This is a good toy for children ages 1 through 5.





If you're looking for a more modern train set, try the WolVol Train. It does not need a track, and it runs on its own. It plays music, makes train sounds, and displays a colorful light show. When it bumps into something, it will turn and go the other way! This train does not require much imagination, which is why it is not one of my favorites... but I have to admit, it is cool to watch!


For the older and more serious train lover, the Bachmann Trains Thoroughbred Ready-to-Run HO Scale Train Set is a realistic model train set. It has a train track, plus a locomotive with a working headlight, two train cars, and a caboose. It also has controller switches where you can make the train go forward, reverse, pick up speed, or slow down. Of course the company sells additional items that can be added to the train, so this can be the beginning of a collection for a train lover!



Have fun with your trains!

Galileo Thermometer

I've known several kids who loved learning about the weather. For the scientifically minded adult or child, the weather can be fascinating! What factors determine what the weather will be like? How are these factors measured?
I spent a lot of time looking for a children's weather station, but I couldn't find any that had consistently high reviews for quality and accuracy. Then I came upon something different... a Galileo thermometer! A Galileo thermometer is a cool looking thermometer that consists of different colored glass bubbles floating in a tube of clear liquid. I am no scientist, so I'm not really sure how to explain how it works, but if you want to find out (and explain it to your children... and to me...) you can read this web page. A Galileo thermometer can also be an educational project because you have to set it up yourself by adding the water and food coloring. The only thing I don't like about Galileo thermometers is that they will usually only work indoors, since most don't have a very wide temperature range... unless you live somewhere with a VERY mild climate! You might also want to explain to young weather enthusiasts that this is not the most accurate way of telling the temperature. The Galileo thermometer was invented in the 1600's, so it is primitive. In this digital age, kids are used to complete accuracy. It might be interesting for them to learn that, once upon a time, a lot of science was based on guesses!
I searched the Internet and found a few I liked. Want to see them? Sure you do!



Lily's Home Analog Weather Station
This one comes with a Galileo thermometer, a cool antique-looking hygrometer (which measures humidity. You probably already knew that.) and a glass barometer. I like it because of all of the different colors, and because it just looks fancy and scientific.


Ambient Weather Thermometer
This one may be a little more accurate than some others, because it has ten bubbles, separated by 4 degrees each. You can hang it in a window, and the sunlight looks very pretty shining through the colored bubbles.


Petite Weather Station
This one is cool because it also includes a Fitzroy Storm Glass, plus a  hygrometer and s clock. There are plenty of things to learn about here. Also it looks fancy.

Which one do you like best?

Weighted Blanket

Children with autism, ADHD, and various other special needs are often calmed and centered by holding, pushing, or being covered with a heavy object. Kristi Samson, the owner of Peace Weighted Products and also the mother of two children with special needs, makes weighted stuffed animals and other things for children. She started her store in order to provide weighted products at a more affordable price than many of the other stores out there sell. I had the opportunity to review one of her products recently (which I will be adding to my other blog soon) and my opinion is that her products are high quality, durable, and loveable.

One way that weighted products can be used is to help children sleep better, in the form of a weighted blanket. When a weighted blanket is placed over a child in his bed, the deep pressure is calming and comforting, and can help him to relax enough to fall asleep. Kristi's blankets come in small (shorter than a crib or toddler bed mattress, and weighing 2 to 6 pounds), medium (longer than a toddler mattress but shorter than a twin bed mattress, and weighing 4 to 10 pounds), twin (fitted for a twin bed, and weighing 5 to 15 pounds) or full-size (weighing 10 to 25 pounds.)

The blankets are weighted with nontoxic poly beads. When you order a blanket, you get to choose how much weight you want added. Occupational therapists commonly recommend the following formula for how much weight to add to a blanket: 10% of the child's weight, plus 1 or 2 pounds. So, if your child weighs 60 pounds, you might want a 7 to 8 pound blanket. The objective is to provide comfort and relaxation, not to squash the child under a very heavy blanket! This formula would also work for adults... if an adult weighs 140 pounds, you could choose a 15 to 16 pound blanket.

Kristi's blankets come in all types of designs... solid colors, such as purple, red or turquoise; licensed pictures such as Dora the Explorer, Frozen or Spiderman; or fun patterns such as airplanes or horses.
They are washer and dryer safe. She sews them from scratch, so you know you are getting something made with Tender Loving Care. To order one for someone you love, check out her website. I highly recommend it!

If you are looking for a smaller or less expensive weighted product, consider a weighted lap pad, or neck wrap. They also have weighted stuffed animals, my personal favorite!

DIno's Illustrated Map of the Solar System

Dino's Illustrated Map of the Solar System
This large, colorful poster is chock full of information! As you gaze upon this kid-friendly map, you'll learn about significant space missions, all of the main celestial bodies in the solar system, a timeline of the genesis and discovery of the solar system, configuration of the planets, lunar phases and eclipses, and a lot more! It is enough to make your head spin! You might have to cover it up at night so that your little astronomer will actually go to sleep.

VEX Robotics Orbit

VEX Robotics Orbit
Ages 8 and up
This is a great gift for someone who enjoys putting together mechanical things, and is also interested in space. This requires you to follow directions to put together a working model of the 1704 Orrery Planetary Machine.As you turn the crank, you can watch the earth move around the sun, and the sun move around the earth. There is a chart on the device that lets you see how much time is passing, as well as the phases of the moon. I'm pretty sure there are some kids out there who would quickly become obsessed with this toy! 

Telescope

Do you know someone who loves to look up at the night sky? What would he do if he had a telescope to look through? Every budding astronomist needs one of these. There are many different telescopes out there. If you are getting one for a child, I'm assuming you don't need a super-heavy-duty telescope, but more like a beginner's telescope. I am including three of the most top-rated, yet affordable telescopes you could find, in three different price ranges, for you to check out.




Balance Living Mini Telescope
If you want to spend less than $50, this is a great one for you! It comes with a rotating tripod, or you can take it off of the tripod (it is very light) and use it by itself. This is obviously not a professional telescope, but it is a good "starter" for a kid. It has 30X power, which allows you to see the things you would normally see in the sky, only much closer. Some people also use it for bird watching, or for live sporting events.




Balance Living Refractor Telescope
If you want to spend less than $100, here is a good option! A step up from the mini telescope described above, this one comes with two eye pieces, with 50X power and 100X power. It also has a focus knob. It is reportedly easy to put together, and is very lightweight. (The tripod is a little less than five feet tall, so if you are a tall person you may have trouble using it.) One Amazon reviewer said that it let him see the moon as if it were close enough to touch!




Twinstar AstroMark Telescope
If your budget is less than $150, try this telescope! According to the description and reviews, you will be able to see the craters of the moon, Saturn's rings, star clusters, and more. It also comes with a full-sized, adjustable tripod that can be made short enough for a child or tall enough for an adult, and is light enough for a child to put up. It comes with a map of the moon, Redshift 8 computer software to help you learn about outer space and constellations, and some glow-in-the-dark stars.


Have fun, star gazers!

The Ungame

The Ungame
Ages: 4 and up
Number of Players: 2-6
I am putting this game on here because I used to love to play it. But, fair warning - Nobody else liked to play it with me. I used to have to beg people to play. This is probably why I haven't played it in quite a while. If you are a parent, though, this game would be a great one for family bonding and getting to know your children better!
Why is this called the Ungame? Basically, because there are no winners or losers, and there is no specific starting spot or ending spot. You can literally just keep going around and around until you get tired of talking to each other.
When it is your turn, you roll the dice, and go that many spaces on the board. The space you land on will either tell you to draw a card, or do something else. If you draw a card, it usually has an open-ended question like, "When do you get angry?" or "If you got $5,000 in the mail, how would you use it?" or "What do you think life will be like 100 years from now?" (In my game there were two decks, one for light-hearted questions and one for more serious questions. You could either choose which deck you wanted to play with, or mix them together.)
While it is your turn and you are talking, nobody is allowed to interrupt, comment, ask questions, etc.
If you land on a "Question/Comment" space, you get to ask anyone in the group a question, or make a comment to any of them. It has to be something kind, though... so you can't turn to your little brother and say, "My comment is, you're a jerk." Not cool, man! Not cool!
Another space you might land on is "If you." It will say something like, "If you felt happy today, go to the Happy Zone." (That isn't really what it is called... I can't actually remember. But something like that. Also different versions of the board have different areas.)
The last type of space you might land on is "Do your own thing," where you can just do anything... tell a joke, make a funny face, do a somersault, or whatever.
This game promotes communication and listening skills, and helps everyone get to know each other. Your children will get the chance to learn things about you, like your favorite childhood pet, or what household chore you'd give anything not to have to do. And you will get to learn things about them as well!
I feel like going and getting the Ungame to play it right now. Too bad I can't find anyone to play it with me!

Bellz Game

Bellz
Ages: 6 and up
Number of Players: 2 to 4
This is a game that is fun for the whole family, and different from most games I've seen! The game consists of wands with magnets on them, and magnetic bells of different colors. When it is your turn, you have to use the wand to pick up as many bells of a certain color as you can... but you can't put down any of the bells! You can make a string of bells or a cluster or whatever you want. The only catch is you can't accidentally pick up any bells of another color. So, if you are supposed to be getting green bells, and a red one accidentally sticks to your wand, your turn is over! This can be a good way of practicing fine motor skills and patience. The game board actually doubles as a carrying case for all the bells, so you can easily take it with you on trips to the doctor's office, or wherever, to play while you wait!

Giant 40" Spider Web Swing

Giant 40" Spider Web Swing
Ages: 5 to adult
Little kids love to swing. But so do adults... especially those with autism or sensory processing needs! While there are plenty of swings available for children, this one is cool because it will support up to 250 pounds.