Affordable and Fun Toys To Meet Sensory Needs!

We know that buying resources or toys to support your little ones can be expensive! We have put together a list of some affordable but fun toys that can help to support your children’s sensory needs. And, best of all… they can be easily found at your local Kmart!

What are sensory toys and how can they help?

Sensory toys are toys that stimulate some of the body’s senses, like touch, sight, smell, or the feeling of our body moving in space. Each child has different sensory needs, meaning they need different amounts of sensory input. Some children, especially neurodivergent kids, seek extra sensory input! And for many kids (and adults too), sensory input can be calming or can help with concentration. That’s where these toys can help!

So here is a list of sensory toys that you can easily find at Kmart, and some ideas of how you might use them!

Peanut ball:

• You can roll the ball over your child to provide them with deep pressure. This can be very calming!
• The child can also roll, lay upside down or bounce on the ball! This provides movement sensation and vestibular input- which is the feeling of the body and head being in different positions.

Bubbles:

• Blowing bubbles can provide oral input for those who may be seeking it.
• Children can also feel the bubbles when popping them (providing tactile input) and follow them with their eyes (providing visual stimuli)
• Children also have to move their bodies to pop bubbles, providing movement breaks

Play dough:

• Playdough is a tactile (touch) activity 
• Pushing, pulling and rolling playdough can provide calming feedback to joints and muscles (proprioceptive feedback)
• Different coloured playdough can also provide a visual aspect to this activity 

Scented Play dough:

• The added smell provides an additional sense into play dough play

Scooter boards:

• A scooter board can be used to provide movement in a range of different ways!
• The child can sit upright on the board and push themselves along, or lie on the board and be pulled along, or pull themselves with their arms.
• A child can also push and pull the scooter board, this is an example of a heavy work activity which can be regulating and provides resistance to meet their sensory needs.
• This activity can be calming and alerting for our senses.

Sensory bin:

• This is one example of a sensory bin, these are a great way to incorporate a range of sensory experiences through play e.g. touch, vision, hearing, smell and encourage sensory exploration 
• You can also create your own sensory bin at home
• This sensory activity can be paired with tasks that help develop visual attention skills- e.g. “find the …” 

Wobble/balance cushion:

• A wobble cushion is a great way to provide sensory input for regulation while seated
• It provides opportunities for movement and sensory feedback to muscles and joints (vestibular and proprioceptive input) and can calm the nervous system 
• Additionally, a wobble cushion can also strengthen core muscles and balance and support attention

Motion bubble timer:

• These timers provide visual input through colour and moving bubbles, which can be calming.

We hope you like these Kmart finds!