OT Sensory Tips and Ideas

Need a cheap sensory toy? I bought light up balls with pointy edges in the toy bargain section at Walmart for $1. I bought about 6 of them. All 3 kids love them.  Toysrus and Target have them too, check their $1 section bins.

Searching for exercise ball to help your little one relax? Most Family Dollar stores or 5 Below stores have them. Don't fill them up too much or your kid will be on the floor. Leave them a little flat so they can bounce and sit on them easily. The toy sections in most stores also has bouncy balls with handles, some with cartoon characters for the kiddies! Another option are those inflattable punching bags. They were huge in the 80s and are making a come back but they call them Bop Balls nows.
I found some on clearance at Big Lots and I saw some at Target on clearance too, in the summer toy aisle.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dtoys-and-games&field-keywords=inflatable+bop+bag

How about a sensory mat?  Ikea has these cloth seats called Sagosteen in the kids section. We bought the one with a star on it. Put padding in it and you have a crash mat for sensory input. Don't forget to buy the padding! http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/20166754/You can also try those plastic inflattable chairs at the discount stores and use those. Although we go through a lot of those.  try not to pay full price for those. http://www.target.com/s/chair+inflatable+kid?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google&CPNG=furniture3&adgroup=kids+furniture&LNM=Chair%20inflatable%20kid&MT=broad&LID=30p4742176&KID=5b5da096-90ea-8089-bbca-000076da5103

You can also fill up a bunch of balloons or plastic balls and put them under the bedspread-- your kid will love it. If you're looking for those plastic balls from ballpits-- check out craigslist, ebay, or consignment sales.  A lot cheaper than when bough new. Just fill the tub with some bleach and it'll disinfect them. A bean bag that gamers use is also a good crash mat. Or if your kid is like mine-- a good old fashioned pillow fight or cushions from the sofa and you can have all the sensory input and lots of giggles you need.

Flour and salt, pasta wheels or elbows during craft time, playdoh, epsom salt baths or oatmeal baths for sensory input. I give JD epsom salt in his hand-- especially the clump and he dissolves it. We just did it tonight to calm him and his upset tummy down. He loves the sensation of the abrasive salt as it dissolves on the tub floor. JD loves playdoh. Add some salt/sugar to it for extra input. He loves playing with ice cubes and water too. Of course that makes a bit of a mess so that gets annoying.

I've been looking for a weighted vest idea that I could do myself. So I've bough some rash shirts-- those swimwear tight shirts and JD can wear them underneath his clothes, kind of like compression shirts for sensory input. Go buy a sweater vest or vest and sew in weights and you've got a weighted vest.  I've also been relying on Pinterest to help me find some ideas for this. So if you're looking for sensory toys or things to use-- don't forget to check Pinterest or to think outside the box.

Hope these ideas help!