Toy Ideas for a Child with Sensory Processing Disorder

Toy Ideas for a Child with Sensory Processing Disorder

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) can be difficult to manage, particularly for children who are still learning to self-regulate. New experiences can easily lead to sensory overload, causing overwhelm and anxiety in children who may not be able to communicate their struggles. By using specialised sensory toys, many children are able to calm themselves, overcome sensory overload, and have fun while doing so. Here’s six of our favourite sensory toys for kids with sensory issues.

Sensory Stress Relief

   

Featured: Jumbo Smooshos Morphing Ball

If you’ve ever sunk your fingers into a good stress ball, you’ll know the therapeutic benefits that simple clenching and unclenching can do. Calming repetitive movements are a great way for children with SPD to relieve stress and anxiety. Our Jumbo Smooshos Morphing Balls are specially designed with a soft and squishy texture to be both calming and tactile.

Not only can they be used as a traditional stress ball, but their semi-soft texture allows the ball to be pulled, flattened and stretched before returning to its original shape. Available in a range of colours, these balls are a favourite among kids with sensory issues, with the added fun of appearing like the swirly designs are moving while being played with.

Calming Visual Stimulation

Featured: Sea Life Mini Aquarium

When a child is feeling overwhelmed simple visual stimulation can be a great calming tool. The Sea Life Mini Aquarium is a wonderful visual tool that provides calming sensory stimulation. With 3 mini fish that swim completely on their own, children love watching them float through the water – especially when the fish look like Nemo! As well as watching the fish move about, colour-changing LED lights add an extra fun visual element to the fish tank, making it the perfect visual aid for home, classrooms, therapy rooms and more.

Tactile Fun

Featured: Squishy Bubble Plush Monsters

If your child is seeking a fun tactile toy that they can also use in imaginative play, the Squishy Bubble Plush Monsters are ideal. These soft, fuzzy plush toys are great for all types of play and will get your child giggling when they ‘scare’ you with them. Simply squeeze the monster gently and a colourful jelly ball pops out of their mouth. Keep pressure on the monster and your child can use their other hand to play and squish the jelly ball. Available in four different colours, these cute toys are the perfect combination of sensory stimulation and fun tactile play.

Easing into a Good Night’s Sleep

Featured: Meditate Sleep Mate

A good night’s sleep is important for all children but can be especially difficult to navigate for children with Sensory Processing Disorder. If your child has problems settling at night, a Meditate Sleep Mate can help. These cuddly toys work great to self-soothe with the added benefits of meditation and music. Simply push the button and a 7-minute guided meditation will start to help your child focus on their breathing and promote relaxation. The meditation uses a kid’s voice so that your child can connect with the toy and is followed by 20 minutes of soft soothing music that will have your child easing into a restful sleep in no time.

The Time Out Tool

Featured: Volcano Erupting Liquid Timer

When a child experiences sensory overload and overwhelm, sometimes the best thing is to take a minute or two to calm down, relax, and reset. The Lava Rainbow Drop Timer is the perfect timed calming tool for children needing visual stimulation. These mesmerising timers work similarly to a lava lamp, with two different coloured liquids flowing down to create bubbles and patterns. Lasting approximately 1 minute, the timer is a great tool for when a child needs a minute to calm down on their own and can easily be flipped multiple times to be used for longer periods of time.

Fashionable Fidgeting

Featured: Two Tone Punk Bangles

Children with sensory issues will often fidget, either seeking sensory input, or needing to focus on one type of input to avoid sensory overload. Our Two Tone Punk Bangles are a great wearable fidget toy that is both fun and practical. Made from a soft, flexible rubber, these colourful wrist bands can be shaken, touched, and stretched to provide calming tactile sensations in a fun way. Perfect for children who love to express themselves, these bangles are available in a variety of colours to suit your child’s preference.

Do you have a child with Sensory Processing Disorder? Our wide range of toys are the perfect sensory stimulus to help your child stay calm while having fun. View our full collection here, or contact us for advice on the best toys for your child.