Toys/equipment for children with special needs?

[katymac]

Hi again - sorry to be a nuisence

I want to but or borrow some resources (prob from our toy library) to help with the child I hope I will be minding soon

She has cerebral palsey and epilepsy and some development delay, she is about 9 m developmentally (I hate that way of describing it)

Can anyone advise me what sort of thing I should look out for? Or anything that has been particularily good

I am also thinking about using a "passport" to details her likes and dislikes - has anyone used anything like this and was it useful?

TIA

When our dd1 went to nursery - i did up a day book which I wrote in for the nursery - just hings like what we did - any therapy, hospital etc appts, a bit about her family etc. At the end of the day every child got a little report card - which showed - what they had eaten, toileting, activities they had done etc. Interesting to look over. THey also wrote a longer 'report' in her day book - re friends, who she played or interacted with etc.

Thanks the day book sounds a bit like the passport

A passport would include info about the child, likes/dislikes/medication/family etc

I use a diary for daily info - so that's a bit of both

Hi Bethron - I haven't met her yet - but the possibility of looking after her has brought up lacks in out toys and equipment.

I feel whether or not I am able to care for the little one, my resources need updating. I am assuming that these types of toy will be enjoyed and played with by other children.

Thank you for your feedback - it's useful to know what sort of things to expect

www.funjunctiononline.com/

go here

They are beyond fabulous, and specialise in sourcing toys for SN, then integrating them with the other toys in the shop. Result - a toy shop that anyone can buy anything from, and it'll be safe and interesting/stimulating.
(friends in northampton didn't even realise it had a hidden agenda and have been buying their non-SN children toys there for years.)

I love them!

Thanks for the link - I'll have a good look

Hi Katymac,

I went on a course today that was looking at communicating with children with SN. One of the things we covered were communication passports, I don't know if this is of any use to you:

Communication Passport template

It sounds like the 'passport' you are talking about. They seem brilliant - the teacher recommended fitting it onto 2 sides of A4, adding photos of the child so that they were wanting to show it off to family, friends, carers etc., and then laminating it. I'm going to make one for my dd .

That's brillant Chonky - we did it on a communicating with children with complex needs - but we didn't get a template (I was going to try and cobble one together)

That will really (of course she might already have one)

Do you think it will help your DD?

I'm definitely going to make one for dd. I think I'll have the abbreviated version laminated on bright card with photos, and then I'll keep a copy of the full version at home so that I can keep it updated with the more detailed stuff (and her achievements ).