help! what to buy for 5 yr old non verbal dd?

[SantaFio2]

am at a total loss! havent a clue what to get. Nan is buying her baby annabel (:() and mil is buying her dolly-related stuff. She had a bike for her birthday a few weeks ago.

I am just at a loss. Any great thinfgs she would love? and would benefit her?

TIA:)

wow thanks for all the great ideas:o

I will let you know and will look at the neurosmith stuff now.

I think a leapfrog would just confuse the hell out of her:o but the table might be a good idea, if we have room

easel good too

lots and lots of good ideas

leapfrog confuses the hell out of me too, fio and I'm a lot older than your dd. I always try the display ones out but they never work for me. How about a plastic guitar so she can do rock music? My sons fight over theirs constantly so santa is bringing them another one to save their mother's sanity.

Had another idea this morning for a small thing that could be vaguely educational- nesting Russian dolls. I used to love mine, and they are quite good for words to do with sizes :)

Another one here who likes the sound of the light-up pegboard.

Ahem....for ds1 & 2 of course...

A lot of the parents I work with ask us advice on this sort of stuff.
To facilitate language development, toys that encourage imaginative play are perfect (eg kitchens, shops, doctors sets and so on.)
If you are trying to encourage vocalization of any sort, then things that reinforce sound making are great, such as computer programmes where a child 'speaks' into a microphone and something happens on screen eg a penguin jumps into the water.
I would particularly recommend a company called 'Inclusive Technology' who make BRILLIANT stuff, in partic. excellent computer programmes for about £40 each. They are also such nice helpful people . Primarily aimed at people with s/n but suitable for all. Sorry, don't have number on me, but website should be easy to find.
Also in educational mode, ask your salt or SENCO if you can have a look at their catalogues. There are thousands of brilliant things out there, but due to the nature of public health and educational funding, you will only see a fraction of them. Absolutely nothing to stop you ordering from brill catalogues like the Winslow Press or Psychological Corporation. (Alsohave excellent text books on various things which are readable.)

I use a lot of salt stuff withown kids and extended family-they all love it!!

Of course, you may want to run screaming at the idea of 'educational stuff' in which case just go with whatever she likes (but Ipromise you, 99% of kids would like the stuff Imention.)

One more thing-sometimes I've known a family club together to buy something more expensive like a sound beam-sort of pole which gives out invisible beams-when someone moves in the line of the beam, sounds occur, higher/lower quieter/softer according to nature of the movement. Quite pricey but brilliant fun.

One MORE thing-some s/n equipment unnecessarily expensive (notInclusive Technology though!) For example I/ve seen people buy expensive bubble tubes, and fibre optic thingies for their kids (esp ones with Autism) but you can get them at a fraction of the price in Argos or novelty shops.

The light up stuff was from toysrus.

Inclusive technology are great. Remember to ask for VAT exemption if your child qualifes. Also for any order placed during December they are giving away free copies of switch it Xmas (worth 30 odd quid).

thanks again everyone:) tamum I really like the idea of nesting dolls and they seem quite popular here:o

Ah nesting dolls - I just bought some really nice ones in Oxfam for a friend's dd. They are painted with an indian lady in a sari rather than russian one. Have the added bonus of being fair trade too.

we have bought dd1 - pram, sandpit, books, tea set ( she loves pretending to cook and feed the family.) anything musical - dd1 loves instruments or musical toys. She loves toys that give feedback iykwim.

I couldnt get the neurosmith cubes anywhere :(

I have bought her some leapfrog fridge phonics, which are letters that make the 'a' 'b' 'c' etc. sounds when you put them in this little conbtraption. It looks quite simple but I think it will be useful now she has started copying alot more.

and i bought some wooden fruits, chopping board and wooden knife (asda!)

it came to less than 20 pound so i suppose i will get her something else aswell. Quite interested in the russian dolls :o (but I think there is some in my sisiters old room) the easel and the tomy aquadraw thing (just i can see lots of squables about that one, as the fight over the megasketcher now)

santafio - I think someone mentioned on here that Boots were doing something like the neurosmith cubes.

right have bought her an aquadraw too! agis on the 20%off thing which I knew nothing about FF told me after and I said I wondered why it was so much cheaper!

dh's anutie has bought them a leappad thing with a free easel

hurrah

There are some (not exactly cheap) Russian dolls \link{http://www.russiannestingdolls.co.uk/\here}, Fio. Perhaps best avoid the Beatles ones unless you want to scare the bejesus out of her :o

shamwe you cant get the music blocks. we have them and one year on they are still played with, not just by dd2 but by me as well. i am really after new cartridges for it but cant get them anywhere

try ebay for the music blocks.