Is It Too Early to Think Stocking Stuffers? New Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putties are Here!

Thank you to Crazy Aaron's Putty World for providing samples of Thinking Putty for us to base this review upon.  All opinions are our own.

Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty has long been a favorite nontoxic tactile fidget activity in our home. Our first Thinking Putty was a small tin of it and both my kids love the way it felt and how strong and flexible it was. We’ve owned other kinds of Thinking Putty since our first, and we’ve always loved them. When I was offered a review of Crazy Aaron’s newest Thinking Putties, I was excited and knew my kiddos would be as well. We received the Phantom and Super Magnetic putties and think they’re both really fun.

The Phantom putty comes in two kinds, Foxfire and Arctic Flare, and both react to a  blacklight  (included). We received Foxfire Thinking Putty and it’s green in color until it meets the blacklight when it then becomes blue. This Thinking Putty is really fun and the kids have loved writing messages to each other and decorating their creations with faces, eyeballs, etc. The Phantom putty is really cool and provided my children with hours of entertainment.

The Super Magnetic Thinking Putty comes in four varieties: Tidal Wave, Strange Attractor, Reactive Razz, and Quicksilver. We received the Quicksilver and were instantly captivated by this unique Thinking Putty. This putty comes with a ceramic magnet that you can use to “charge” the putty and make it magnetic. From there, the possibilities are endless!

You can pick up small metal objects, such as paperclips, make it levitate with the help of the magnet, and more. This putty is really cool and my kids started experimenting with what kinds of things they could pick up with the magnetic putty.

All of Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty products are very well made and come in their own storage tin.  They retail for about $14.95 each on their website, www.puttyworld.com. You can learn more about Crazy’s Aaron’s products there or on their Facebook and Twitter pages.  These little tins of fun would most certainly make a unique stocking stuffer or Easter basket toys!

Finding Balance With Asperger's: 'Color Pegs, Color Pictures' is a Fun & Creative Fine Motor Skills Toy

Thank you to Fun and Function for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Color Pegs, Color Pictures from Fun and Function help children unleash their creative sides with this fun, wooden toy. This set contains 100 wooden pegs (25 each in red, yellow, blue, and green) and a wooden board to put the pegs into. They are thick, sturdy wood and are sure to last a long time. However, because of the size of the pegs, this is not recommended for children under 3 or any others to whom they would present a choking hazard.

When we opened this toy, my kids were both pretty excited to play with it. I have found that peg boards are usually a favorite of most children, and mine are included in that. They’ve had fun making letters, words, bugs, Pokemon creatures, Christmas images, and more. When they are done, they put all the pegs into the box along with the board and close it up, so it’s a really simple clean up job too.

We are really happy with our Color Pegs, Color Pictures toy. It is also great for fine motor skills and makes for a good, quiet activity for them to do when I have a meeting or other (as they say) “grown up stuff” to do.

You can purchase Color Pegs, Color Pictures on Fun and Function’s website, www.funandfunction.com. This toy retails for $20.99.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: The Pressure of a Sensory Sox Body Sock is Calming and Offers Other Sensory Benefits

Thank you to the Therapy Shoppe for providing a complimentary Sensory Sox bodysock sample for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Therapy Shoppe long ago became one of my favorite online stores for therapy supplies and I have wanted a Sensory Sox for my son ever since I saw it. Therapy Shoppe was kind enough to send one to us and it is everything we had hoped for.

The Sensory Sox body sock is made of super-stretchy Lycra, so it conforms to one’s body. It is a great tool for offering SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) kids calming, deep pressure as well as spatial and body awareness. They provide great tactile input for kids who usually lack in this area. Sensory Sox are used by Occupational Therapists for kids with sensory integration challenges, which can include kids on the spectrum.

My 6 ½ year old son, Quinn, has Asperger’s and all the sensory challenges that go along with it. He really loves his Sensory Sox because it gives him his own little “hideout” when he feels like he needs to get away. He loves the pressure it offers him when he climbs inside, but he also loves to stick his head in and make it like a little pod. When he’s feeling overstimulated, it really helps calm him down and get him back in control of his body. This has been a highly useful tool in our home and we are so glad to have it.

You can purchase Sensory Sox on Therapy Shoppe’s website, www.therapyshoppe.com. It is priced by size, for children 3-5 years old and up to children 12 years up to adult size, and the price ranges from $36.99-$51.99.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: Multi-Use Premium Activity Hoops for OT, Homeschool, and More

Thank you to the Therapy Shoppe for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Finding ways to keep my 6 ½ year old Aspie, Quinn, interested while doing his home Occupational Therapy can be a challenge, so we are always looking for fun products to keep him engaged. The Premium Activity Hoops from the Therapy Shoppe are a great way to do just that. These six, sturdy hoops measure 15 inches in diameter and are flat, so they can be used in many different ways. They help improve his gross motor skills, proprioceptive input (body awareness), balance, stability, and more. The set also included 5 clips so we can even snap the hoops together for even more possibilities.

We like to use these hoops during OT, homeschool, and even playtime. Quinn’s favorite activity is to pattern them out and he plays a jumping game similar to hopscotch with them. We also use them for spinning on his arms and legs like you would a hoola hoop, throwing like a frisbee and then retrieving them. We even use them during our kid yoga sessions as a marker for staying in our space. For younger kids, they could be used for counting and color recognition as well. The possibilities are endless with these brightly colored hoops and they have made our OT, as well as other times, much more entertaining and even challenging sometimes.

These hoops are made of plastic, but are very durable and have not shown any wear even though we use them frequently. You can purchase these and all the Therapy Shoppe’s amazing products on their website, www.therapyshoppe.com. The Premium Activity Hoops retail for $24.99.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: Chewy Jewelry for Children with Sensory Processing Disorder

Thank you to the Therapy Shoppe for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Most parents of children on the Autism Spectrum or of those with Sensory Processing Disorder would agree that chewies are a vital part of life. These children typically love to chew on things and have been known to destroy clothing and property with their incessant chewing. The Therapy Shoppe online has many chewy toys and jewelry pieces to choose from, and their Chewy Turtle Necklace is a great and affordable one.

The first things I noticed about this necklace were that it was sturdy enough to hold up to a lot of chewing and that it looks great. Unlike many chewies which look like baby teethers or are very obviously autism products, this chewy looks like a necklace that many kids would wear. Quinn (who is 6.5 years old) actually will wear this one in public, unlike his other chewies. He says this one isn’t “embarrassing”, and I can understand that sentiment.

He has chewed on his turtle daily for over a month now and it’s not showing any signs of wear, so that’s a testament to how well-made it truly is. This necklace also doubles as a fidget because of the many textures on it’s front and back surfaces, so that’s just an added bonus.

The Chewy Turtle Necklace comes in green and blue, and retails for $9.99 at www.therapyshoppe.com. This chewy necklace is PVC, BPA, lead, latex, and phthalate-free, so you can rest assured that it is safe to be chewed on.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: The Sensory Seekers Fidget Kit . . . a Therapy Shoppe Exclusive!

Thank you to the Therapy Shoppe for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Sensory issues are common for kids with Asperger's like Quinn, and fidgets are a very necessary part of his everyday life. We love having a large variety of fidgets so he never gets bored and we can have some all ready for him in the car and out in public. The Sensory Seekers Fidget Kit, and exclusive kit from the Therapy Shoppe, is a great kit that helps us expand our fidget supply with some unique and different toys to occupy Quinn’s hands.

The Sensory Seekers Fidget Kit contains 7 quiet fidgets to give tactile input, help kids learn to self-calm, and help them focus. The fidgets included are the Jumbo Porcupine Ball, Squiggle Band, Tickley Tactile Ball, Brain Noodle, Thinking Putty, Sensory Finger Squeezer, and Fidgeting Fleece Bag. Each fidget is fun, colorful, and provides tons of positive sensory input without being over-stimulating or requiring batteries.


The Jumbo Porcupine Ball, Squiggle Band, and Tickley Tactile Ball are each rubbery little toys that are stretchy and they feel good against your skin but provide lots of tactile input. The Brain Noodle is exactly like a giant pipe cleaner and it’s really fun to bend, unbend, shape, and wrap around your hands to keep your hands busy. The Fidgeting Fleece Bag is a little bean bag that has a fleece exterior so it’s soft against skin, but fun to toss from hand to hand. The Thinking Putty is much like Silly Putty but it’s iridescent and it’s great for building hand strength along with making things. Last but not least, the Sensory Finger Squeezer is a little rubber ring to squeeze that has bumps around it for added tactile input. Each fidget is great and Quinn loves playing with them all.

As with all the Therapy Shoppe’s products, each fidget is really well made and will last for a long time if they’re not abused. You can purchase this and all the Therapy Shoppe’s specialty products on their website, www.therapyshoppe.com. This kit retails for $19.99.

Achieve Peace of Mind By Sending Your Child Back to School with GreatCall's 5Star Urgent Response

Thank you to GreatCall for providing a complimentary product sample along with a 3-month trial of their service for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Keeping children safe is every parent’s priority and GreatCall's 5Star Urgent Response is an excellent tool to help protect them. Whether a child gets lost, is threatened, scared, or in any other emergency situation, all he has to do is press the button and they are almost instantly connected with a National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (NAED) Certified Response Agent who can access their emergency contacts, medical information, dispatch 911, locate the child, or connect them to a live nurse. Plus, the agent will remain on the line with the child until the situation is completely resolved or other help has come. This device is small and lightweight enough to be carried in a child’s pocket, clipped to them, or hung from a keychain so it is always handy and accessible when any situation occurs. And, a portion of the proceeds from the 5Star sales goes to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the charity that was founded by John Walsh.

When you receive your GreatCall 5Star, the first thing you are instructed to do is complete the online setup which has you enter your child’s name, address, medical information, and any other pertinent info as well as contact numbers for both parents and any other emergency contacts you would choose. The setup was pretty quick and straightforward but also very thorough. You can then send an automated test call to your device to make sure it’s functioning properly.

(Please turn the volume up on your computer or device in order to hear the audio.)

The first time we sent the test call, Quinn accidentally hit the button too many times and we ended up with a response agent calling us on the device to verify everything was okay. She was very nice about our mistake but went ahead and made sure the GPS was functioning properly and it was perfectly accurate down to our exact address, not just a general location. She also verified our information was correct. I was surprised at how crystal clear her voice came through and how she instantly knew to whom she was speaking and addressed Quinn by name. That was very comforting to me! Because he has Asperger’s, he does not handle stressful situations well, so knowing that he has help at the touch-of-a-button that will know his name and address him by it is very reassuring. I think that will make a big difference in the event of an emergency. Knowing they also have a way to contact me in the event that we get separated somehow is very comforting as well.

I am really thankful we got this device and will be continuing our service once our trial 3 month period is complete. I hope we never have a need for this, but knowing that Quinn has it gives me peace of mind. The GreatCall 5Star Urgent Response device comes in black and silver and retails for $49.99 at GreatCall.com. Currently they are running a 10% off sale for back to school here. The monthly subscription service for the device is $14.99.

You can visit GreatCall on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Google+, and LinkedIn. Also, here is a site with some great safety tips for kids that GreatCall recommends.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: Weighted Lap Pads Provide Proprioceptive Input to Calm Children on the Autism Spectrum

Thank you to the Therapy Shoppe for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Weighted lap pads are a great self-regulation tool for children on the autism spectrum. My 6 year old Aspie, Quinn, is a child who greatly benefits from weighted items so when the Therapy Shoppe offered me one of their Weighted Lap Pads with Fleece Covers, we were really excited to try one out.

Weighted lap pads provide proprioceptive input that helps to calm sensory-seeking kids’ nervous systems. This regulation helps kids focus and to be able to think more rationally and to pay better attention. These small, discreet weighted lap pads are wonderful to use in school, movie theaters, restaurants, and more.



Quinn received the 5 lbs weighted lap pad and it’s been a wonderful addition to our lives. We take it many places and use it frequently at home while sitting at our dining table or on the couch.  It helps him to focus and has made his life and behavior much better. Plus, the inside is made of very high-quality, water-resistant nylon and is covered with a comfy fleece cover that removes for easy washing, so it’s sure to last a long time and withstand much “abuse” from our lifestyle.

We are very happy with this weighted lap pad. It works perfectly, is an appropriate amount of weight (also offered in other sizes from 2 1/2 – 7 lbs.), and is very sturdy and well-made. We will be using this lap pad for a long time and are so glad to have it.

You can purchase this and all the Therapy Shoppe’s products on their website, www.therapyshoppe.com. This 5 pound weighted lap pad retails for $40.99.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: Wipe-Clean Weighted Blankets are Perfect for Homes with Young Children and Pets

Thank you to the Therapy Shoppe for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this weighted blanket review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Weighted Blankets are a must for some children on the Autism Spectrum and my son, Quinn, is one of those kids. Weighted products really help give Quinn proprioceptive input and ground him physically which usually helps him when he’s having a meltdown or is on the verge of one and really improves his sleep. We’ve had a homemade weighted blanket for years, but it recently got ruined and was not washable, so I had to throw it out. The Therapy Shoppe kindly offered me one of their wipe-clean weighted blankets and it could not have come at a better time.



When our old blanket got ruined, it really disrupted Quinn’s daily life. He really needs a weighted blanket at night to help him calm down and get to sleep and when he’s in “meltdown mode”, the weighted blanket is even more vital. Our new blanket is the Wipe-Clean Weighted Blanket and we really love this blanket. It weighs 7 pounds, which is perfect for 45-pound Quinn. It is a great size too because it covers him all the way up when our old one only covered his legs. It is a very cute, gender-neutral print so it would be great for boys or girls and I absolutely love that it doesn’t matter what gets spilled on it, what kind of animal hair gets on it, or any accidents that happen because it can just be wiped off and it’s like new again. It is also a very durable material, so it can take a normal amount of “abuse” that kids dish out. The quilted pattern of it is great because it holds the inner poly pellets in place so the weight is evenly distributed to provide a perfect amount of calming pressure.

I was devastated when our old weighted blanket got ruined, but now I am glad because this one is so much better! It has saved us so many tears and other problems and it is really better suited for Quinn. I don’t have to worry about him not having what he needs and he really loves his weighted blanket. Its weight helps him calm down when he needs it, soothes him when he’s upset, gives him body awareness, and overall makes our lives so much smoother. We are so grateful to the Therapy Shoppe for introducing us to this amazing therapy tool and it will be very loved by us for a long time.

You can purchase this Wipe-Clean Weighted Blanket at www.therapyshoppe.com. It comes in a 5 lbs. blanket or 7 lbs. and they retail for $118.99 and $133.99, respectively.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: Conversational Card Games for Developing Social Skills

Thank you to Super Duper Publications for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Getting to know people is something that my 6 year old Aspie, Quinn, has trouble with. Kids on the spectrum tend to have trouble knowing what questions to ask or even know they should ask questions when interacting with others. Social cues are typically not their forte. So, when I saw products from Super Duper Inc. that would help him to ask questions that would build relationships, I knew I wanted them. They were kind enough to send us both Topic Talk and All About You, All About Me to review.

The Topic Talk Conversation Card Game takes learning about people and gives it a fun, competitive twist. In a group, players take turn drawing Topic Cards and then discussing the selected topic by using up their Conversation Cards on their turns. Each player gets a chance to both share and ask questions, but it’s done in a fun way so that kids like Quinn don’t realize that they’re actually building meaningful friendships. This game is fun and quick to play, plus it's simple to set up and stores away nicely. It also keeps everyone interacting the whole time so no one is sitting there bored waiting for their turn.

All About Me, All About You is what Super Duper calls a “Fun Deck” and, even though it is similar, to Topic Talk, it has a different value. This deck features questions to ask when interacting with peers. The cards are fairly identical to the Topic Talk ones but this deck is more portable and can be used anywhere. Just pull a card from the deck, prompt the question to your child, and watch as they learn something new about someone. I think this would be great for busier group activities at places like the park, restaurants, or in a larger classroom. The concepts are the same but the uses are very different.

Even though these two products are similar, they each have a different value in our lives and I will surely use each to help Quinn learn new things about his friends and relatives. Both of these products store in a metal container and can be purchased at www.superduperinc.com. Topic Talk retails for $32.95 and All About Me, All About You is priced at $12.95.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: 6 in 1 Webber Portable Therapy Center

I am always on the lookout for products that make my life easier, and the 6 in 1 Webber Portable Therapy Center is just such an item. This incredible therapy tool was designed to make a therapists life easier by having many tools they’d need right at their fingertips. I have found it to be a very useful tool in my homeschool as well.

This portable therapy center contains a magnetic dry erase board, pocket chart, Velcro receptive panel, acrylic mirror, and two removable pouches as well as pockets to store pens and everything else. It measures 13 ¾” x 12 ½” x 2 ¼” so it’s roomy enough for everything without being too bulky to transport. Plus it’s made of durable and easy-to-clean vinyl, so it can withstand minimal abuse and still come out looking nice. This genius setup is so handy and contains all the things I need right at my fingertips for teaching as well as doing at-home therapy for my 6 year old who has Asperger’s.


I keep this with my teacher supplies on a shelf so it’s right at hand when I need it. Inside the portable therapy center, I keep dry erase markers and eraser, pens/pencils, magnets, various felt items (for use on the Velcro board), and exercise cards to use with the pocket chart. Quinn can practice writing to improve his fine motor skills or just draw with the dry erase markers for fun. We have various sets of magnets for math or just pretend play that he uses when he’s done writing. Sometimes he even draws his own scenery then plays with magnets on top of his creations.


In addition to the above, we have felt and Velcro-backed items that we use similarly to the magnets. We have multiples of various items (such as bunnies, snowmen, frogs, etc.) which we use either for counting or making up stories with and I have themed ones that correspond to stories, like the Monkeys Jumping on the Bed set (pictured below). Felt board items are so fun and Quinn loves having stories illustrated in a different way. Plus, it’s always fun to get to make your own variations on books.

We utilize the mirror for practicing facial movements, which is especially beneficial for Quinn as he doesn’t always understand expressions.  We also use our hands for sensory experiences with shaving cream which provides excellent tactile input for both kids.

I really love how this therapy center is constructed and have thoroughly enjoyed using it for my kids. It is lightweight so it is easily moved, but the setup is obviously well thought out by people who know what they’re doing. I have no criticism for it at all; it’s a truly great product. This would be a handy tool for any teacher, home educator, or therapist.

You can purchase the 6 in 1 Webber Portable Therapy Center on Super Duper, Inc.’s website at www.superduperinc.com. It retails for $79.95.

Thank you to Super Duper, Inc. for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.