Helpful Tools for Life
A Doll that Teaches Creativity and Flexibility
Reviewed by AblePlay
Lalaloopsy Jewel Sparkles Silly Hair dolls can play a lot of roles in a little girl’s life. Made of plastic with bold pink hair, this doll is a modern translation of a simple sewn rag doll. What makes the doll special is her bendable hair that can be shaped
[1] and twisted into new styles and changing hairdos. Playing with the accessory clips, beads and curling brush inspires creativity and allows little imaginations to flourish. You can shape one side and have the child shape the other by watching and modeling your movements. Manipulating the accessories keeps hands busy and develops small motor skills like finger and hand control, dexterity, wrist rotation and two-handed play. Plus, the act of screwing the beads on the doll’s hair can be a soothing activity for some children. And don’t forget, dolls are a great way to explore a little girls nurturing side
Amazon.com [2]
Give A Flip
[3]The movement game your kids will love! Place the beanbag (or a ball) on one end, stomp your feet on the other end, and catch the flying object. A perfect tool for children to work independently on eye-hand coordination, visual tracking, motor planning — and persistence. Made of solid wood, 6” wide x 24” long. Holds up to 150 pounds. Ages 4+ Includes flip board and two bean bags.
Price starting at: $39.99
Amazon.com [5]
Bite Bands
[6]Reduce stress and increase concentration with Bite Bands! These super absorbent necklaces are designed for children who crave the oral stimulation of chewing or biting. Keep a stash at home, at school, and on the road, safely channeling the impulse to chew. Machine washable for easy cleaning. Adult supervision required. For ages 5+ Set of 6 assorted colors:
Amazon.com [7]
What’s “APP”ening? Helpful Apps for Children with Special Needs
All about Me
[8]All about Me is a basic communication app offering picture and text support to individuals learning their personal information. There are twelve categories/icons of information like: child’s name, home address, telephone number, birthday, family members names, pets, school, friends, places and things I like. These icons can be customized with written text, audio and personal photos for added visual support.
Price: $0.99
Read Full BridgingApps Review [10]
Grace Picture Exchange for Non-Verbal People
[11]A simple picture exchange system developed by and for non-verbal people. It allows the user to communicate their needs by building sentences from relevant images. The app can be easily customized by using picture and photo vocabulary of your choice.
Price: $29.99
Available for: iOS [12]
Read Full BridgingApps Review [13]
Do you have a product you would like to share with our readers?
Please send us an email describing your product. We are happy to review your product. https://www.parentingspecialneeds.org/submit/product/ [14].
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Shop [15]
Toy Ideas
- 100 + “Mom Approved” Gifts for Kids with Special Needs [16]
- 9 Great Toddler & Preschooler Toys for Kids with Special Needs [17]
You May Also Like
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- The Upside of Making Your Own Educational Toys [19]
- TOY Safety? [20]
- The Taming of the Toys [21]
- Language and Literacy Learning: Success With Technology [22]
- Interactive Technology May Be a Double-Edge Sword for Children [23]
- Digital Safety: An Ongoing Conversation [24]
- Break It Down Tech Tools for Task Analysis [25]
- Life-Changing Apps for People with Disabilities [26]
- 7 Apps for Students with Special Needs Back to School Success! [27]
This post originally appeared on our March/April 2012 Magazine [28]