Weighted Stuffed Animal

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.

The weighted stuffed animals she makes include a cow, a monkey, a pig, dogs, cats, a dinosaur, a giraffe, a ladybug, teddy bears, a lion, and a tiger. These stuffed animals look just like a regular stuffed animal you'd find in a toy store, with sweet faces and soft fur. They are weighted with bean bag pouches filled with nontoxic aquarium gravel. Stuffing is then added around the bean bag pouches, so they are still soft and cuddly instead of crunchy!

Kristi suggests many ways that a weighted stuffed animal can be used by a child. For instance, a child can carry his stuffed animal while going on an errand with his family, such as to the grocery store. The heavy object in his arms serves to help him stay calm and grounded, while also keeping his hands busy and less likely to touch random objects. It can act as a transitional object that the child can bring with him from home, to school and other places.

 You can read more about the stuffed animals, and about her ideas for their use, here. 
To see all of the stuffed animals that are currently available, and to purchase one, visit the Peace Weighted Products website.

Starry Night Spinner Ring

This is only one of the several styles of spinner rings they have over at Stimtastic. The Starry Night Spinner Ring consists of two rings, one inside the other. The outer ring can spin around, providing you with a great, subtle fidget toy right at your fingertips! These rings are so cool, anyone will love them, not just people with sensory needs. Plus, it is stainless steel, so it won't turn my finger green, which I've noticed most inexpensive rings do. Definitely worth buying for someone this holiday season!

Gear Spinner Pendant Necklace

This is a cool necklace that looks like a gear, and also moves like a gear! Pretty simple, really. If you don't believe me, just watch this video. And don't forget, you can buy it at Stimtastic. 

Snake Twist Necklace

I wrote a review of this in my other blog, and I mentioned that I loved this so much, I kept it with me all the time, and eventually lost it. I didn't realize it was supposed to be a necklace, though, and I used it like an ordinary fidget. It is 36 inches long, made of hypoallergenic iron/copper alloy, and can be bent and twisted and even scrunched into a little ball. It will hold whatever shape you put it in. I want to buy another one once I've got some more money to fool around with! You can certainly use it as a necklace, or also wind it up a little and use it as a bracelet... or just play around with it, like I did! And you can buy it  at Stimtastic! Here is a video of someone playing with it.

Chewable Fidgets and Jewelry

On many of the items in this blog, I've had to include "do not give to people who put things in their mouths." Many people with special needs, of all ages, and all abilities, do put things in their mouths, as a way of getting sensory input. If you've ever chewed on the end of your pencil while you were working on math problems, you can probably relate! For people who need that chewing sensation, you can buy chewable fidgets and chewable jewelry at Stimtastic. All of the chewable items are made of Nontoxic, FDA-compliant food-grade silicone that is BPA, PVC, lead, heavy metal, latex, and phthalate free. In other words, it is completely safe to chew on, as long as you wash it off once in a while!
The chewable fidgets are handheld and are shaped like a train, an elephant, a sea horse, a car, or a pirate ship. The chewable jewelry are necklaces and bracelets that come in a variety of styles.

Zipper Bracelet

Have you ever played with the zipper on your coat or sweatshirt when you needed something to fidget with? I know I do that all the time. There is something satisfying and calming about the vibrating feel and the buzzing sound as you pull the zipper up and down.
Now you can have a zipper with you at all times! The Zipper Bracelet is just a colorful zipper that goes around your wrist and can be zipped and unzipped. You can also zip multiple bracelets to each other in order to make a necklace! Because of its small parts, this is for adults, and children over the age of six.
You can buy it right here at Stimtastic!

Klixx Fidget

The Klixx Fidget would make a perfect stocking stuffer for anyone who likes to fidget with things! I will let you view this video so you can see exactly what it is.




You can buy it right here at Stimtastic!

Snake Cube Puzzle

This is sort of like a Rubik's Cube, but wooden! It contains 27 polished wooden cubes that are strung together, so that the squares can rotate. You can use this as a puzzle by mixing it all up and then trying to put it back together, or you can just use it as a fidget toy because of the smooth, pleasing feel of the wood and the action of moving the squares around.You can buy it right here at the Stimtastic store!

Squigz

Squigz Starter Set
Ages: 4 and up
This is a unique building set that involves suction cups! You can suction some to a flat surface, and then suction more to the first pieces, and keep adding on and on! Unlike regular building toys, because they suction you can build outwards instead of just upwards. You can stick one to the refrigerator door, and build a 3-D structure that stretches across the kitchen! You can even take them in the bathtub! Well, maybe not you, specifically, but some little child you know and love. (And you too. We won't tell.) When you're ready to tale your creation apart, just pull them apart with a satisfying sucking sound! This would make a fun desk toy for an adult as well.

Playable Art Ball

Playable Art Ball
Ages: 4 and up
These connected balls allow you to twist, turn and move them to make designs and sculptures. I cannot explain it to you well enough, so see for yourself by watching this video of Playable Balls in action!

Tangle Therapy

Tangle Therapy
Ages: 4 and up
Tangle Therapy is a fidget toy that consists of 20 interlocking pieces. It can be twisted, turned, scrunched, etc, in your hands. It can relieve stress, and strengthen your hands and fingers! This is frequently used for people with ADHD who need to fidget with something in order to concentrate. Because it is small and quiet, it is subtle and won't cause a major distraction to people around you if you use it at school or work.
The makers of Tangle Therapy also have these versions:



Tangle Jr. ( A smaller version of Tangle Therapy.)


Tangle Jr. Textured (just like the other two, but instead of being smooth it has different textures such as bumps and curves to make it more interesting.)

and



Tangle Hairy! (Does the same things as the others, but is covered in "hair", which I believe feels more rubbery than furry.)

Any one of these would make a great stocking stuffer for someone!

ENI Cylindrical Puzzle With Braille

ENI Cylindrical Puzzle With Braille
Ages: 5 and up
From the makers of Bananagrams, this is a puzzle that requires you to rotate and slide colored tiles around to make specific patterns. It is similar to the idea of a Rubik Cube! This version also has braille letters on each tile, so a visually impaired person who uses braille can also play. You can also use it as a fidget toy! (It also comes in a small version on a keychain!)