It’s unavoidable: the buzz of the holiday season is starting to sound louder and there’s an excitement in the air. It’s palpable! Gift giving can be such a special, unique, and memorable experience for you and your kids. And yet, let’s be honest, it can also feel overwhelming! The lead up to the holidays doesn’t need to be so stressful (there’s enough stress already just with everyday life!).
We tend to opt for gift ideas that are somewhat unexpected, fun to engage with, and (bonus!) that offer sensory benefits for our children. Knowing that the holiday season can already feel overwhelming to sensory sensitive kids and adults alike, we aim to reduce as many additional stressors as possible by choosing individualized gifts to suit each child’s needs. This Christmas, let us take the anxiety completely out of the shopping process for your family and offer the absolute best 2022 gift guide for sensory tools! This guide includes tried and true sensory suggestions that have benefited kids, their families, and classrooms across Canada for the past 20 years. fdmt is a WEConnect International-certified local women-owned business out of Québec. This established and trusted Canadian brand has repeatedly won numerous awards for its unique curated sensory tools along with its manimo, the only weighted animals that have been thoroughly researched in medical literature. Parents and teachers keep coming back to fdmt as a trusted source and one-stop shop for original high-quality tools that help soothe the senses, regulate, address general sensory processing issues, support anxiety, autism, ADHD, and a variety of other special needs.
Here’s our 2022 countdown for the best sensory tools to gift:
1 – A wide variety of price points makes this amazing gift guide accessible to all families, no matter what the holiday budget is this year! fdmt’s manimo line of plush weighted animals has been a favourite in my classroom since 2002 and has been a staple in our home for the past 11 years. We’ve even loved adding manimos in our teachers’ holiday gift baskets or gifting them to nieces and nephews. They’re the GOAT around here! They come in a variety of weights (between 1-2.5kg) and designs. The choices are endless, as the seven different plush animals come in three colour choices too (blue, green, and silver)! Choose from the beloved turtle, the friendly frog, the cuddly cat, the snuggly snake, the doting dog, the dazzling dolphin, or the loving lizard. (Our family faves are the green frog and the blue cat!) If your child already uses a manimo in the classroom, consider buying one as a gift for them to use at home during homework time or before bed.
2 – Have you ever been to an aquarium and stood mesmerized by the jellyfish? Felt a sense of calm wash over you as you watched the critters float weightlessly in the water? fdmt’s round jellyfish lamp offers that same soothing visual effect! The colours gently change and support a sense of relaxation – perfect for a sensory corner in your child’s bedroom or playroom!
3 – Watch out! The kids and parents might end up fighting for use of this heavy neck pillow. At this price point though, you’d better add two to cart, just to play it safe! The heavy cushion offers proprioceptive input that’s a sensory soothing delight, reducing tension in the shoulders and upper back. It doesn’t hurt that this heavy neck pillow can help support attention and concentration too!
4 – This portable light box opens up a world of creative possibilities for kids of all ages! The sensory benefits are overwhelming with this unique gift: your child will be developing their find motor skills while enjoying some tactile sensory input and visual stimulation. Not to worry: sand play doesn’t always have to be messy. Just easily clean the light box with a cloth and you’re all set to go for your next playtime!
5 – You had me at giant cheese ball! Bring your stress ball game to a whole new level with this giant one that’s sure to get your entire family giggling. (Parents, a word to the wise: this would make the perfect office exchange gift too!)
6 – Another all-time favourite in fdmt’s line of weighted products is the heavy thigh pad. Pressure can been increased or decreased depending on how you fold the pad. But head’s up: this is another parent favourite so at this price point, be sure to plan for more than one in your home so kids and adults can all benefit during movie night or while working.
7 – Wary about keeping a real fish alive in your home? Us too. This mini artifical aquarium is eye-catching and supports emotion regulation with its soothing visual experience. Another fan favourite for a home sensory corner. Imagine your child reading their book before bed cuddled up next to this coral reef – how calming. Yes please, don’t mind if we do!
8 – This playful textured alphabet is such a unique way for kids to enjoy a multi-sensory experience and learn! Each letter can be traced or squeezed as kids manipulate them. This is the gift that keeps on giving as there are a million and one ways to play and learn with them! Try setting them up on a light table for even more sensory stimulation!
9 – In our experience, there isn’t a better stocking stuffer than this colour mix maze! Drops of mixed colours fall slowly from top to bottom and mezmerize, creating a soothing effect. This is a kid favourite but I’ve known plenty of adults who love having these mazes on their work desks too for moments of high concentration, brainstorming, or simple stress relief!
10 – This playfoam pluffle sounds as funny as it is fun! Its unique texture is engaging and highly stimulating. Another perfect stocking stuffer gift option, this feel-good fluffy stuff would be an ideal addition to a sensory bin. Unlike some other sands and playdough, this pluffle never dries out and doesn’t stick.
Gifting these sensory toys responds to so many unique sensory needs. Most of them are ideal for use both at home and school. And if the biggest issue is who gets the next turn with the weighted neck pillow, then we think it’s been a pretty successful holiday season! Our Christmas shopping lists are already done and we’re feeling less anxiety about the holiday rush than ever before. We’ve made it easy with fdmt. Enjoy this top 10 list of the best sensory tools as you too prep for the weeks ahead!
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