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.

Raised Line and Braille Coloring/Paint Book

Raised Line And Braille Coloring and Paint Book
Ages: 2 and up
This is a coloring book that is great for blind children or children with visual impairments, because the raised lines show them where the picture is. It is also great for any children with sensory needs, and children who need to practice fine motor skills, because the raised lines can help them have more control over where they are coloring. The thick pages can be used with crayons, markers, water colors, Do-A-Dots, etc. There are only 12 pictures in the whole book, so you might want to buy Book 2 as well.

Mozart Magic Cube

Mozart Magic Cube
Ages: birth and up
This is marketed for infants and toddlers, but I can see how it would work well as a calming toy for older children as well. Each side of the cube has a large button. When pressed, it will play a classic Mozart song. (By the way, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" is actually a Mozart tune.) Lights flash in rhythm to the music. After you've chosen a song, if you push any of the other sides of the cube, another instrument chimes in. Watch this video to see for yourself!

Wooden Marble Tree

Wooden Marble Tree
Ages: 3 and up
Similar to a marble run, this toy involves placing marbles at the top of the tree and letting them roll down through all of the levels. But this toy is different from other marble runs, because the leaves make musical tones as the marbles land on them. This toy can help kids with fine motor skills, as well as giving them visual and auditory stimulation. Who wouldn't like this? Click this video to see and hear what the marble tree does!

Braille and ASL Blocks

Braille and ASL Blocks
Ages: 2 and up
Is there anyone out there who did not have a set of alphabet blocks when they were growing up? You know the kind I'm talking about, right? Well, the future of alphabet blocks is here!
On one side of each block is a letter of the alphabet, printed on the block in the traditional way that we've all seen before on alphabet blocks.
On another side is the letter, embossed so that a person can easily trace it with their fingers, as well as the braille cell for that letter.
On still another side is a picture of the letter being formed in American Sign Language.
Since it is a block, there are three more sides, at least one of which has a number. At least some of the blocks have an arithmetic symbol, like a plus or minus sign, so that you can even use them to practice math problems!
I should also mention that they are made from sustainable Michigan basswood.
If you ask me, these cool blocks are worth the price. Every child should have these!

Smanimals

Smanimals Scented Stuffed Animals
Ages: 3 and up
Aaaaaaah! I need to stop finding things that I love! Why didn't they have these when I was young? Is it too late for me to ask for one of these>
A Smanimal is a stuffed animal filled with scented eco-friendly ceramic clay beads. The scent is guaranteed to last at least two years! Each animal is about six inches tall, and comes in it's own egg for you to "hatch." 

There are a whole bunch of animals, each with their own scent. I wish I could smell them through the computer! Besides the one that is listed above, there are...
A chipmunk that smells like mint chocolate 
A llama that smells like pink lemonade
A dinosaur that smells like sour apple
A kangaroo that smells like rootbeer
A crocodile that smells like pickles
A bear cub that smells like strawberries
An orangutan that smells like oranges
A cockatiel that smells fruity and
A panda that smells like pears. 

Somebody send me one of these! Uh... so I can give it to a little kid. Yeah. A kid. 

Super Spinner Swing

Super Spinner Swing
Age: 3 to 12
Here is a different kind of swing! This platform swing is a flat disk that can hold one or two children at a time (up to 15o pounds.) Children can use it to swing or spin. (Many people with autism love to spin and can spin for long amounts of time without feeling dizzy, so if you know a spinner, this would be a great gift for them!)  They can upright on it, or lie across it. It can be hung from a swing set or a tree. It is probably possible to hang it indoors, as well, if you have a sensory room or play room. It is easy to keep clean, and has a hole in the middle for drainage so it won't hold rain.

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.

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!

Suitcase Record Player

Jenson Suitcase Record Player
Ages: 4 and up
When I was a little kid, my brother and I had our own little suitcase record player. No, I don't mean the toy kind with the little plastic records! This was a real record player, and we had our own collection of records, including full-sized records and 45's. We would spend hours sitting up in our room listening to music, as well as the types of records that played a children's story and came with a book to read along. We had to learn how to be gentle with the records, how to place the needle carefully down on the record, and the different speeds that would play the little records versus the big records. I remember how much I loved watching the record go around and around, and the gentle crackling sound behind the music. Listening to tapes (and later, CD's and mp3's) was never the same!
Luckily, vinyl is back in vogue, and any kid can own a record player just like we did. You can probably find a lot of old records for really cheap at places like Half Price Books and thrift shops... but you can also buy them new now! I would even like to buy one for myself one of these days. Every little kid should grow up with a record player. Don't you agree?

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!)