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Are you looking for the perfect hang out for your kiddos? I remember scrolling through, Facebook, Pinterest and Amazon for hours trying to find the PERFECT room ideas! Then I took the time to learn about my kids and what THEY would want in THEIR space. Once I started thinking like a toddler things got much easier.
I am an Amazon junkie. So 90% of what you see pictured in any posts is one click away with 2 day delivery! (If your Amazon prime that is.)
A Place to Jump
When I started to think about my boys and what they liked to do, this is the first thing that came to mind. Vincent’s comfort object used to be his calculator and we would literally have to take it everywhere with us. Before therapies I used to have to get out his calculator and have him jump a specific amount of times. “Vincent jump 30 times.” He would type 30 into his calculator and then jump that many times. When we got the trampoline we began doing this there.
Maxwell does not care for the trampoline however. He LOVES to jump, but prefers to have a hard landing. So for him, I found the mats. Most of the time they stay folded up in the corner as pictured just so he has something to jump off of. However, sometimes we lay them out and make an obstacle course! Very fun and helps the boys learn to follow directions (and run out energy. A must.)
Below is a link to our favorite trampoline!
A Place to Hide
Maxwell LOVES to hide in dark, quiet place when he gets overwhelmed or overstimulated. It used to be scary, I’d frantically look all over the house to find him under my bed or in the closet. One of his therapist suggested we make his “own quiet place.” This is meant to be somewhere Max could go when he is feeling overwhelmed but we know exactly where he is. This spot has worked great for that!
The above picture is a bed tent. Although large and gaudy he loves it here! The top can either be drawn down and zipped to enclose the tent or tied up as you see pictured. He prefers the cover down as you would suspect, so he has his own quiet place to regroup before returning to be with us. If your kiddo likes to hide you could even try doing puzzles, books or social stories in the tent for better focus!
Vinny loves the tent too! He enjoys reading his books inside. (He doesn’t like for me to see him reading, he always shouts, “Mommy go to big room!” When I peak my head through the tent.) He also loves taking flashlights and shinning them on the back of the tent. This will probably be a fun activity we can incorporate some school work with in the fall!
Below is a link to a similar tent!
Heavy-work
In this area of the playroom we also do our heavy work. Maxwell’s favorite right now is pushing his shopping cart. We load it up with socks filled with rice and the jug you see pictured. He pushes it from one end of the room to another and then we move on to table time activities with more ease.
Below is a link to a similar cart!
Academics
This area helps aid the boys in academics. The pointer was purchased from dollar tree and put on the black sign with Velcro dots (I LOVE VELCRO DOTS. I get these in the sewing section of Wal-mart.) We can then use the pointer to point at the different areas on the wall.
Below is a link to our pocket chart for only $13!
Books, books and more Books
Developing a love for reading and learning at a young age is SO important. We read everyday! The more books children are introduced to the greater love for education, imagination and creativity develop. Such vital qualities in our world.
School Room
We are blessed to also have a sun room the boys use as their “school room.” It’s really where we do most of our therapies and “center play.” I think it’s important to do some work at the table just to see how ready your kiddo is for school. For Maxwell we have a weighted vest and wiggle seat to help with this time. Although, to be totally transparent a lot of our “table time” just ends up on that brown rug pictured 🤷🏽♀️
Here is our favorite wiggle seat:
This vest is similar to Maxwell’s favorite!
Sensory Play
We LOVE sensory boxes! They are so easy and keep my boys entertained for just long enough for me to put together breakfast or lunch. (By dinner time they are definitely watching a show in their play room. I am not that good yet). I like having the “base of the sensory box” like hard noodles, water beads, black beans etc already put together so that I can throw in the add ins in minutes! (Makes me feel good when I can check something off my to do list in about two minutes).
Here is a link to what I use to organize our sensory fillers!
Showing off their Artwork
You know how they always send home buckets and buckets of art work from school and then you are just left with this huge pile because you can’t quite bring yourself to file 13 yet? Well this adds some color to the room, let’s the boy see their work being recognized and keeps my fridge and closet clear of messes. It’s one of my favorite parts of the school room.
Here is a link to our wall decal:
Calm Down Corner
This is my next favorite area of this room! Vincent really struggles trying to define and express his emotions. This area helps him to learn to define his emotions with the posters and then calm down to be able to express them more appropriately.
We also enjoy this type of swing!
Sensory strings: https://amzn.to/3mftKd2
Our favorite calm book: https://amzn.to/3GV5ogS
Pop it’s: https://amzn.to/3q7qrFZ
Sensory tubes: https://amzn.to/3siXHwI
Too Many Toys
I try to buy toys that have a purpose and can teach a skill because playing is learning for young kiddos BUT these kids are spoiled rotten from our huge support system. So we get creative with totes, baskets, crates etc to hide our toys. The sun room is fun too, because I can line their toys along the windows and it makes it look like more of a play room and keeps them out of the way.
I don’t see the lightning McQueen roller coaster anymore, but this one is actually larger and looks more fun! https://amzn.to/33IOy6z
And that’s all I have on our sensory/play room! There are lots of ideas out there but the best one is just to watch your kids. See what they want/need and keep your eyes open when at the store. It doesn’t have to say “sensory” to work in your room!
Supporting Autism Mamas 
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