Where to find budget friendly toys for a sensory seeker?

[1990shopefulftm]

Waiting for an paediatrician appointment for 2.5 year old DS as it's suspected he could be autistic, he absolutely loves the toys at the local sensory room and I m trying to find options to have at home for it, but the minute you add sensory/disability onto a product the prices really seem to hike up?

I d just discovered cerebra have a toy loan service for a month so we re on the waiting list for that, but as he has no diagnosis I m not sure how to more easily afford options for him to keep.

Have you applied for DLA?

I’m not sure sensory toys are ever cheap, unfortunately. Have you tried second hand?

New Life also offer sensory toy loans. And, there are grants e.g. Family fund you could check whether you are eligible for.

Yes I ve applied for DLA in May so hopefully will get a response by October. I think perhaps I ve just been looking in the wrong place for second hand items.
I ll check out new life, I m really not sure whether he meets the family fund criteria but I guess there's no harm me applying and seeing what the response is.

As Relaxinghammock says these toys and equipment aren’t cheap. Keep looking on second hand sites. I suppose you need to know what to search for.

Ask at the sensory room if things he really likes have a name. You can then search by item. Look in resource catalogues too/ online.
These are good sites Google TTS sensory and look at
https://www.cheapdisabilityaids.co.uk/collections/sensory-toys-and-special-needs-toys

Some can be made cheaply e.g. google Tornado Tube. You can make a sensory bottle using 2 large pop bottles. This can be used for ready steady go activities etc.

You can make smaller sensory bottles with empty bottles and clear shower gel glitter etc. Well sealed lids and close supervision of course.

You can make a light spinning top with a salad spinner and light string. Richard Hirstwood has good ideas.

Here’s Richard’s site. He runs courses and has videos onlinr.

https://hirstwood.com/sensory-on-a-shoestring-and-portable-sensory-environment/

Thank you, I ll check his suggestions out. I ll be perisent with checking 2nd hand websites in case anything comes up.

Ikea. Take a look at the Lomsk spinny chair, the plufsig mats, the busa play tunnel, the play tents, the kura bed tent and (honestly) the fyllen folding laundry basket.

Brilliant, I didn't realize they had playmats, thank you