Neurodivergency

8 Gifts for the Sensory Seeker on Your List

Abby H.

There are a lot of reasons people are sensory seekers- For the most part, Fidgets and the like keep their bodies busy and it allows their brains to focus. People with ADHD, ODD, ADD, ASD, or simply those who are very stressed, may “fidget” to help focus.

Fidget spinners, doodling, and tactile small toys are all great. Some people who are sensory seekers (whether they know it or not), require more such as deep pressure or being bundled up. Regardless of whatever type you have, here are some of our favorite gifts that have helped our family:

Remember the Bop It toy from the 90’s? Twist it, pull it, bop it? This Fidget cube is the smaller, more discreet version. With 6 different tactile fidgets, it’s a great way to discover whatever kind of sensation works best.

If you are looking for something bright and colorful, a little more engaging…
These “snake” fidgets as we call them, are IT.

We have some in the sensory box, my car, and the kids’ backpacks. They are fun- you can make a circle, or a snake, my son likes to bend them in weird ways and pretend it’s his mustache.

If you are new to the world of fidgets and sensory toys, this is a great “starter pack”.  It has all sorts of great small toys. They are discreet too.

Some people need sensory items to help them decompress. Items like weighted blankets are great for this type of need. Weighted blankets act like a hug and release feel-good hormones in your body, and help quash the stress hormones like cortisol (1). Weighted blankets for adults should be 10% of their body weight. For growing kids, it should be 10% of their current weight, plus 1-2 pounds to allow for growth (2). I really like this weighted blanket, especially since it has a removable cover. It comes in 2 sizes and 4 different weights.

My big kid loves being wrapped up in a blanket, almost like being swaddled. That gets exhausting after a while, so I took to the internet to find a solution.

Hug Sleep, Sleep Pod is perfect. Especially with a weighted blanket on top!

For fun time, when rolling around and being silly, we’ve found that this stretchy sack is tons of fun, and helps him regulate. And yes, these type of sacks come in adult sizes too!

The next item, while not a toy or fun doodad, is essential in my mind. Not just for sensory seekers, but for those that just need a break from sounds. Loop Earplugs are a life changer. My big kid is easily overwhelmed by sounds, especially out in public, or when his sister is having a hard time herself and is vocal about her troubles. They are discreet too, which is important for tweens and teens.

The last two items are both in my car at all times.

Some sensory seekers chew. Were you a pencil chewer as a kid? Always have gum at your desk? “Chewelry” or silicone jewelry that’s meant to chew on keeps your pencils and fingernails safe.

My big kid has these sweet shark tooth necklaces. There is one in my car (and one in his backpack). He informed me that all the cool kids at school have them. He also told me some junior high girls have pacifiers- which was popular when I was in high school…

And finally, these Liquid Motion Bubblers are great for helping kids (and adults) calm down and center. Remember a few years ago when DIY calm-down jars were all the rage? These are a much better idea- They aren’t going to open and get everywhere. One of these lives in my center console for when kiddos need to listen to some quiet music and re-center themselves.

Managing a Household with Neurodivergencies (ADHD, ASD, etc.)

Abby H.

Earlier this week my friend Sam posted on Facebook, “Neurodivergent Friends what are some tools you use with others that help you with daily life, communication, relationships?”

A few friends posted that they needed help with meal prep, day-to-day stuff, and as y’all know, that’s my bag, baby!

Both my kids are Neurodivergent (ADHD/ASD and ADHD), and their dad has ADHD (combined type/ C) and because of that, we’ve had to make some adjustments to our daily life and how we function. And while our processes and schedules may not work for everyone, hopefully, these tips give you some idea and hope if you need it.

Some of these directly affect/benefit the kids, and some make my life easier, which in turn makes their lives easier.

Having an accurate(ish) pantry, fridge, and freezer inventory. I have made my own sheets in the past (using Canva), but the ones from Organized Home are great.

Meal Prep and meal planning (this includes using Dream Dinners once every few months). This frees up time each night to read, hang out, bathe, and get kids ready for bed.

Meal Prep can be as easy as cut up veggies, fruit, pre-portioned foods, and easy meals or side dishes prepared in advance that only need to be heated up to avoid wasting money eating out because “there is nothing to eat”. Also having one night for take-out. And I have a whiteboard that lists our meal plan for the week- I try and post it weekly on Instagram.

The Snack Box- I also organized our fridge and pantry to be more ND-friendly. Stuff that should be eaten (healthy food like fruit, cheese sticks, yogurt, etc.) is at kid eye level in clear packaging and is labeled (I use expo markers on my Rubbermaid containers), and I have a “Snack box” in the pantry that is available 24/7 for hungry faces. It’s got individually portioned shelf-stable snacks and meal components. And on days when I am too tired/rushed to cook we have “Meal of snacks” where I serve a variety of snacks on old-school sectioned cafeteria trays- fruits, veggies, crackers, cheese, cookies, and a drink (juice or iced tea is a hit).

We have a list of snacks on the fridge so the kids know what there is to snack on. It is a visual list (I drew it), and when we are out of specific items, I cover the picture with a piece of posit note.

Calendars– in the kitchen, and one in each bedroom. I update them weekly, plus the grownups use the calendars on their phones and we have a shared family calendar. Kids get reminders each day in the morning and afternoon of any appointments or events that will take place during the day. The visual and auditory reminders really help cement the appointment in their mind.

Visual reminders– next to the front door at eye level there is a sign that reminds us we need: cellphone, wallet, keys, and garage door opener. It’s laminated.

Visual schedule– this is mainly for the kids. I drew up a daily schedule using words and pictures. I wrote a post about it here.

Lists– Everyone has a “Care tasks” list each week that includes appts, returning borrowed items, and tasks to do throughout the week. You can read about my weekly Care Tasks here. 

Larger font digital clock with day of the week, date, and what part of the day (morning, afternoon, evening, night). The kids can read a clock, but it can take time to engage their brains and count by 5’s, but the “old people clock” as it was marketed on Amazon helps them instantly and helps a lot with the “is it time for xxxxx yet?!?!”

Using your phone to stay on top of details- I saw this on Facebook in a group and I’ve started doing this. If you have an iPhone, there is a notes section in each contact. I’ve seen them used to keep track of favorite fast food at various restaurants, favorite foods/drinks, clothing sizes and brands, favorite colors, birthdays, and anniversaries. It’s such a game changer.

The fidget/stim box– we have a plastic box full of fidget/stim toys for everyone to grab when they need to focus. And everyone has some in their room too. This includes headphones to cut down on loud sounds (I buy the landscapers kind from harbor freight). We have 3 pairs in the house and two pairs in the car. For those not familiar- fidget toys can help calm the body so the mind can focus.

Some favorites include pop-its, hand strengthening eggs, fidget cubes, fidget spinners, stretchy tubes, pop tubes, and stress balls (the kind with Orbeez are super satisfying). Amazon sells really great fidget toys mutli-packs.

Medication Boxes- We refill our medication boxes each week (both AM and PM).  The three of us take our meds together each morning at breakfast time. Our medication boxes live on the kitchen counter, along with our pill minders: Jon Cena and Skeletor.

Stuff has a place– The kid’s shoes and backpacks are always by the door during the school year, ready to be cleaned out and refilled each night. My car keys and purse live in the same spot, the pool key has a special spot. The extra toilet paper and paper towels are always in the same spot (under the front bathroom sink). These are just a few examples of the ways that we remind ourselves and create routines. Creating routines can give us a sense of normalcy and be calming.

The Family Binder– One last thing that doesn’t directly “help” the kids but helps the family, especially in times of emergency is the family binder. I’ve had one since 2010 in various incarnations. I have a really old post about it here.  It’s basically my brain in paper form. It’s got all of our important papers, insurance info, important phone numbers, policy numbers, warranty information, receipts for expensive/valuable stuff, copies of most recent IEPS, copies of diagnosis paperwork, lists of everyone’s meds, doctors info, etc. Think of it as all the info you’d need if you lost power for an extended period, your house burned down, or there was a tornado.

There are a lot of other things that we do in our home to help the kids- keep them safe, regulated, and happy. The stuff listed above is just a small sample. Everyone’s home runs differently. And this was and continues to be a lot of work. The examples above are continually changing, and evolving in our home, and are a combination of 11+ years of hard work, learning, and failing. Some of this stuff I did to try and get organized in my late 20s, even before I was married and had kids.