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SN children

Best present your sen child has had?

17 replies

drinkyourmilk · 10/10/2009 21:44

I'm nanny to a 6yr old with profound sen. I have cared for her for the past 3 years, and i'm leaving beginning of next year - so would like to get her something fab (either xmas or leaving pressie). Tbh I'm running out of ideas - her interests are fairly limited and with generous parents/extended family/family friends there isn't much she doesn't have.

I was wondering if people could tell me toys their lo's have enjoyed the most as inspiration? (plus with xmas looming i guess many people will find ths thread intesesting!)

I can detail her diagnoses, interests and abilities if you like - but tbh don't want to 'limit' suggestions incase i am underestimating/limiting her with my ideas!
Thankyou so much in advance!

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busybeingmum · 10/10/2009 22:18

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drinkyourmilk · 10/10/2009 22:27

Thanks for the reply bbm. I've used spacecraft before, but not the others - so will have a look. I'm not actually in the uk at the moment - currently work in Germany, so i'll probably have to rely on their websites. Spacecraft delivered a bubble tube last christmas for her parents, so i know I can still use them at least. Totally forgot about them tbh until you reminded me!

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r3dh3d · 11/10/2009 03:59

Tbh with DD1 the best things have been a bit outside the box. A waffle maker, a popcorn maker, one of those microwavable hot water bottle things (she chews them) bath toys, paddling pool to loll in, that sort of thing. A full/replacement set of the much-chewed Julia Davidson books. Nice things for her room; rugs and quilts and wall stickers. She doesn't really "do" toys and I don't go far down the sensory route - there's a sensory room at school, another at the hospice and a box at home full of tat from Hawkins' bazaar Santa and I think that's enough. Though it would be easy to spend a lot of money on professional-level light room stuff I don't think we'd get bang for our buck.

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Marne · 11/10/2009 09:23

This

Dd1 loves this

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MumOfThreeMonkeys · 11/10/2009 10:21

my dd aged 5 doesnt do toys either, she wouls rather have a nice throw for her bed or a clock for her wall. last year for xmas we santa got her a cd player and a pile of cd's, she loves music. i still think it was a waste thou cause she prefers me to put her fav songs on utube for her to watch the vids aswell. so this xmas i dont have a clue- she does like tat out of the pound shop thou

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Davros · 11/10/2009 11:36

In common with Marne's suggestions, a rocking chair (proper one that makes a nice piece of bedroom furniture).
Babyliss do a mat you put in the bath that turns it into a jacuzzi, my DS loves it and his sister can enjoy it with him or on her own too
Ipod Shuffle
Swiss balls

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anonandlikeit · 11/10/2009 11:46

Is there a local place that the family like to go, Zoo or something similar.. an annual pass for the little girl may not be too pricey.

DS2's all time favorite is his giant bubble machine for the garden, although we use it in the bathroom in the winter too.

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Davros · 11/10/2009 11:50

A pass to zoo or similar is a good idea and usually one carer can go free.

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drinkyourmilk · 11/10/2009 12:18

These are all great ideas! Thankyou so much (and please keep them coming).

Has anyone seen a decent priced resonance board (or something similar)? Not for me to get her btw (too expensive i should think)

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drinkyourmilk · 11/10/2009 12:21

Oh - and as a suggestion for others - She was given one of those post-run foil space blanket things one year which has proven a huge hit (great noise/shiney/big enough to use with limited coordination)

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feelingbetter · 11/10/2009 13:38

Drink
Foil blankets are just the greatest thing to my little son - he just loves them, tho he is much younger.

Have discovered the novelty warehouse (and spent a lot - all from Santa, of course) which has some brilliant stuff, some things are very cheap - perhaps a mixed bag of cheap stuff.

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feelingbetter · 11/10/2009 13:42

I've ordered a few things from here too. Very efficient service.

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feelingbetter · 11/10/2009 14:22

Oops, haven't actually answered your question - my DS has severe brain damage and VI. He is only 16 months old, but has finally started to use his hands so fave toy at the mo is (apart from foil blankets and balloons) a puffa fish light up squeezy thingy, a bit like this
I like it too, so may not be too young for your little charge.

Due to his VI, he is very interested in noise, so our purchase of a cheap rainmaker toy (about £6) was possibly the best (and biggest!) investment in his toy store. He also has giggle tubes and groan tubes which always make him laugh, and those tinsel pom-pom things.

So basically, lots of cheap noisy stuff, and I've got a very happy boy
Think that might apply to all children.
x

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LolliChopsVioletsWithAChainsaw · 11/10/2009 22:36

I love the look of some of those lights!

I'm visually impaired, and while I do have a lot of useable vision, I'm still highly entertained by lights. Not strobe lights, but things like lava lamps, bubble tubes, stars, glow sticks. Anything I can look at in the dark. Might have to get myself some of the cheaper things off that novelty site!

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JAKEJEM · 11/10/2009 22:47

I have got quite a lot of products on Ebay from my sons sensory room that might be worth a look, username is jakejem. Kind regards, Nikki.

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5inthetomb · 11/10/2009 22:48

Wiggly giggly ball or as Marne suggested, a bilibo.

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claudialyman · 11/10/2009 23:05

an ipod/mp3pillow personalise by getting a cheapy ipod on ebay and put her fav music on it. attach to ipod pillow.

Absolute lifesaver when DS was in hospital and goes to sleep with it every night.

Has improved bedtime no end!

feels like "active" listening as i set the volume so you have to lie on it to hear it so he lies down nuzzling it happliy and finds himself going to sleep

I got pillowcases with zips on ebay so i could stick ipod and wire attachment in and zip up so norisk of wire round neck! or some brands such as ipod teddy wireless so avoid this.

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