LarsenToy Lab BlocksReview

Shape Match Puzzle by Larsen Toy Labs

Mega Bloks Learn and Build + Free Sequence Cards

I saw this on sale at Target and could not resist. I think it's a great way to start using sequence blocks and also for the kids that are on the first stages of knowing words and spelling. 

Of course with Autistic kids that have low play skills I think is good to start with blocks that are straight forward with directions and play, what I mean is that with this toy there is not a lot of pretend involved but rather is about getting used to letters and words.

But even better is to have sequence cards specially to low level play skills kids like my son.

Once they learn to use the sequence cards that can be one activity they can use on their independent activity schedule.

The only bad thing is that I wish we have enough blocks to not use two letters in one block and two designs together that can be confusing but I guess you can buy two sets. (I didn't know that would be that way).

I did sequence for all the 3 letter worlds: cat,dog,car,bus

Once you print them I used a simple picture album for target less than $2 

the important thing is when the word changes from cat to dog for example let a blank space between them to make it clear the activity stop and other start.

- At put just the letters you are using. Very simple than as the child gets better start putting together with other letter so the child can look for the correct ones.

- You have to use the same colors as in the pictures.

You can get all the pictures to do the sequence for cat, dog, car and bus HERE.

More to come later.

Thanks

Dr. Seus Fun Game ipad companion Video Review

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Toy Review Busy Farm Lego Duplo Read & Build

This toy is great for that initial phase of play skills more help in how to teach this toys coming soon. Thanks Jana

Toys on a budget podcast part 1

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Toys on a Budget part 2

Continuing the post that we have started for toys under $20. Hope this will inspire you to have some very good toys without hurting your wallet.

One of my favorite places Music Together just have 2 singalong story books based on their music.I'm a believer in the power of music and my son did music together for more than 2 years we got started when he was 4months old and I believe this is why he loves music so much.

You can check them out HERE they are $8.95 with a music download included.


Bath time is a time you can use to teach language and pretend play because while in the tub they can't really run from you ;)

 So explore sets like this one that are affordable and they can have fun specially if bath time is something not enjoyable.

In my case I also have this one of course which my son really enjoys and makes bath time more fun for him

I say things like : let's give Thomas a bath, put Thomas in the track, oh no Thomas fell in the water.

This one is a lot of fun as well

Lucas Speech Therapist has this one and it's fun

I love this set because the tea pot makes real tea pouring sound it's really great 

Of course other cheap option are books, music cds, there's a variety of good ones on amazon I like Lauren Berkner, Baby genius the wiggles and they are all usually under $10.

Hope this inspired you to find good toys that can teach your child without having to worry about price.

Jana

Take the Cake Review

I always saw this toy around and the price was so good that I finally decided to buy. I'm on the quest to bump it up the play toys we are starting the process of setting up a independent activity schedule for Lucas here at home with the help of his teacher. I will talk more about it but that is for him to learn to play independently but I want to see if I can make him to play more with me so we can improve his social and play skills. It's hard for him and with any Autistic child because they are so self centered and really like to be in their own world and have such low play skill levels.

Anyway, it's hard to find toys that will teach him and to have some fun, but this little toy is different because the little pieces are wood which makes them like 3D and the pieces comes in this little shaker which also makes fun to ask them to shake. It's great that we can make the boring matching game into a more active game.

We can work matching skills, fine motor skills and language skills.

Asking the shape colors, ask to find the shapes, asking to shake the cupcake, and taking turns.

Fine motor skills you can ask to pick up the shapes the right way and later cleaning on with the pincher grasp and so on.

A great toy to invest on...

Jana

Trying to Find Exciting Toys Post EI era

Recently I'm changing all my son's toys and re thinking and re planning what will work for us in the post Early Intervention phase. I' ve been noticing that many toys we used are just not tolerable for him. At least to work with me he has been showing some resistance which I think it's normal, some things just reminds him of the "work" we used to do.

The relationship now has to change between me and him and toys and he and his father. We have to try to be more sneaky still teaching him but trying to find now things that goes with the flow and things
we can play together and we can teach him that it's fun to play but not forcing him to say words or that kind of pressure.

Autistic kids have a hard time enjoying toys, that's a fact. I've heard parents that said well my kid never liked toys so he had a computer since young and things like that. Well yes these gadgets are more interesting for them but will I give up on him learning how to play with toys: NO.
I think this is some us as parents of Autistic children have to continue to try, even though the hunt is so hard, money spent many times in things we think they will enjoy and they don't like it at all, but it's part of the process.

But why we should keep trying?!

• Because is a form of engagement and socialization with them. 
• It teaches them to socialize and rules of social interactions.
• It teaches taking turns
• It teaches  Speech
• Overall shows them to have fun !! Toys are fun!!

Anyway, then it came the Hex bugs I came across them searching on Amazon. And got this:

This is the travel set which is supper convenient because it folds and I have even taken this to friends house. But it just comes with 1 bug and I got some more they are so inexpensive I buy on Amazon because Targets always  they are sold out.

The nice thing also you can attach other hex bugs hives in this one. Like this is on my wish list:




He loves spirals and to see this bugs go around will be very fun .
At first I thought he was going to be scared but now he actually likes to grab and put them in certain places and going down the little slide. What are things they can help?

• Eye coordination
• Sensory issues because the bugs vibrate
• Speech: bugs, go, your turn, my turn, say the colors of the bugs  yellow bug, black bug, go down, turning, go fast, go up and so on.
• Fine motor skills

Another one that seems fun is this one:

Does he play for a long time? Of course not but the point is no matter how long he plays he is engaged.

Jana

Sorting Toys

I love sorting, I think it teaches so much for the kids, and there is great options out there. But you have really to take advantage so the toy can last and teach many kinds of sorting. Because many times the toys pretty much just sort colors, but we want much more than that. Also sorting board games can be great activities for speech, because as you sort by repeating the words we make children learn the words and try to speak them.
This particular one in the picture I love it because right now we use for basic things, but later with the boards that comes with we can do more advanced sorting and that's help how even a toy maybe you can think your kid is too old  for it can really work in your advantage.
This one is the Farm sorting center. And is just cure to have this animals, they also come in different sizes so we wil work later on big and small.
They also have the Vehicle sorting center which seems to be fun for later on.

Also I found some good alternatives




The super sorting pie we have as well, and it' s so good at first we started with colors, but now we are going to shares and also starting to practice fine motor skills asking him to pick up the fruits with the holders. It's a excellent toy that will last a lot. Also you can use sorting toys to work with math.

Here is a article on benefits of sorting.

The Challenge Floor Puzzles

Floor puzzles was introduced to me by one of our formers EI therapist.  At first I thought that would be too challenging for him and that he would not be able to do. But again is all about seen the toy with other eyes. He doesn't do what we suppose to do right now but he will but while this we work with collaboration, waiting, sharing, turn taking. All this you can accomplish with floor puzzles.

With him is all about patience and collaboration we don't want them to do the puzzle by themselves because of course they can't but it's about asking for help, waiting ..

So at first he cried a lot I think was frustrating for him, he knows is something harder than what he is used to. But we encourage him to help us, basically we doing the puzzle and he just kind of helping pressing down the pieces. 

For Speech we can say things like my turn, help me, we are almost done, your turn.

Of course here you can see we used Thomas because always is a extra encouragement. With time using the puzzle again we notice a decrease in the complaining and the crying. But you have to keep it up so they don't loose that skill. And it's great to improve memorization.

Here are some ideas:

This one is great quality and so many opportunities I actually bought to give his Speech Therapist so she could use not just with him there but with other kids, she loved it !

This is the one we have from Thomas

This is another great one for the alphabets with Thomas

And here some other ones that are on my wish list:

thanks

Breaking The Ice

So we just had black Friday and although my wish list is huge for therapy ideas for Lucas it's hard to see any of this toys in Target black Friday deals, but browsing around there late that afternoon I found one that indeed was on my list. Simple toy again but it's fun that requires 2 people to play together.

The big thing here is cause and effect because he knocks the ice and he knows at some point the whole thing will come apart. And also required from him some coordination with his hand, in the beginning he got a little frustrated not being able to know how to put the ice together before we start hamming it. But for now I figure I do the whole thing and ask him to come and play. He really than started to enjoy.

Words you can teach : Ice , hammer, break, down, fall. I usually repeat a lot like hammer hammer, the ice ice ice. Asking if he wants to do it again and more.






It's a cheap and fun toy.

Jana