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: 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: A Sensory Gel Pad Self-Calming Tool

The Therapy Shoppe is one of my all-time favorite sites for Autism therapy and school supplies, and they’ve made me happy again with their Bahama Blue Sensory Gel Pad. I homeschool my 5 ½ year old Aspie, Quinn, so I know firsthand his struggles with being patient and quiet in school. This 7”x16” squishy gel pad is filled with “bahama blue” colored gel that calms my fidgety child while tons of glittery stars mesmerize him. The 2 flat marbles and 3 black rings inside provide sensory input and keep his restless hands busy while he does his lessons. This versatile, self-calming tool is great for working on fine motor skills along with strengthening and helping with visual motor skills as well.


Quinn and I both love this gel pad. We’ve been wanting one for awhile and it’s proven most useful. The light amount of pressure it puts on him along with the cooling sensation it provides also give him much-needed proprioceptive input while keeping his hands busy. This item has quickly become a vital part of our school day and, because it’s well made, I know it will be around for a long time.

The Therapy Shoppe has tons of great products for all children, but their specialty is sensory-lacking children. You can visit their website to see this and all their amazing products at www.therapyshoppe.com. This Bahama Blue Sensory Gel Pad retails for $24.99.

Thank you to The Therapy Shoppe for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: A New Classroom Sensory Kit

When it comes to classroom settings, many kids on the Autism Spectrum have difficulty staying “tuned in” to their teachers, which is why kits like the New Classroom Sensory Kit #1 from The Therapy Shoppe are great.  Designed by seasoned school therapists, this new kit has an amazing selection of tools that help ASD kids stay focused and attentive. This kit features a small “wiggle” disc, pencil grip, squishy squeeze ball, kneadable eraser, small deep pressure belt, chewy necklace with a red super chew, and a fidgeting foot band.

My son, Quinn, is homeschooled, so I know firsthand what his attention span is like. He always has done better when he has something mindless keeping everything but his brain occupied, so I knew that this kit would be perfect for him.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

The Classroom Sensory Kit has something for all his parts: a “wiggle seat” for his hips, chewy for his mouth, pressure belt for his waist, squishy ball and eraser for his hands, and the stretchy band for his feet. He doesn’t usually use them all at once, but he has and he loves that he has the choices available. All of these are great fidgets and help build proprioceptive input, which is something many kids on the spectrum need help with. Quinn’s occupational therapist says this kit is one of the best she’s ever seen all rolled into one.

Quinn’s concentration has improved tenfold with this set and I would highly recommend it for any child who has difficulty sitting still. Sometimes that little extra bit of sensory input helps more than you’d realize. As with all Therapy Shoppe’s products, they’re all made with high quality materials so they’ll last for a long time, even with regular use. You can purchase this and all Therapy Shoppe’s amazing things on their website, www.therapyshoppe.com. This set retails for $49.99.

Thank you to The Therapy Shoppe for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: Sens-ational Hug Compression Tee

Quinn frequently needs a little gentle pressure to help him with proprioceptive input, which is why we use a weighted compression vest for him daily. Sometimes though, taking the vest places is not possible or he worries about being embarrassed by having to wear it so when I saw the Sens-ational Hug Tee that Fun and Function has, I thought it would be perfect for on-the-go use.

The Sens-ational Hug Tee gives children a calming “hug” via the organic cotton-spandex blend shirt. It is seamless and tagless as well, so it won’t irritate even the pickiest sensory-irritated children. It gives a perfect amount of gentle pressure to calm Quinn without having the cumbersome bulkiness of his compression vest. As an added bonus, it is even machine-washable.

Quinn loves wearing this tee. He says it’s comfy and makes him feel safe and I can see the security and calmness that washes over him when it’s on. By no means does it replace his vest, but it’s perfect for wearing out in public and much easier and less bulky to carry around than his vest. If I know that we’re going to be in public, I put his Sens-ational Hug Tee on under his regular shirt so he can have that reassurance to keep him from feeling too overwhelmed in those situations. We got the short sleeved white one but I think having the long-sleeved would be great as well. Either one would provide a great sensory experience for the ASD or sensory integration diagnosed child in your life. Quinn’s occupational therapist even agrees that this is a really fantastic idea for public situations for sensory problems in children and adults.

You can purchase this shirt in several varieties on Fun and Function’s website, www.funandfunction.com. For Quinn’s size and this particular style, the retail price is $19.99.


Thank you to Fun and Function for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: A Balance Beam Builds Proprioception

For kids on the autism spectrum, knowing their own bodies and being aware of what they’re doing with them is a struggle. This is called proprioception and it’s something that my 4 year old son, Quinn, struggles with as well. Guidecraft was generous enough to send me their Balance Beam to help Quinn learn to build proprioceptive responses. Anything that works on balance is great for children like Quinn because it truly takes a lot of mind and body control to be able to stay on without falling off.

This balance beam is awesome for many reasons. For one, it’s made of solid wood so it’s very sturdy and sure to last. Second, it’s not too high off the ground, so little ones don’t fear trying it out. Third, it actually has an easy and difficult way to use it simply by turning the long beam onto its short side. This is great for older children or once younger ones have mastered it the traditional way. The harder way is still too difficult for Quinn, but he’ll get there someday.

Initially, Quinn could not keep his balance when walking heel-to-toe on the beam, he just side walked it. After much prompting and even holding his hands to help, he has finally figured out the heel-toe way and does very well. We usually keep it in our hallway, so sometimes he still steadies himself on the wall, but he can do most of it on his own. He’s had a great time playing with it and is very proud of himself for being able to do it. I love that he’s building so many skills but in a way that’s fun. Plus, as with all Guidecraft’s products, this will be around for a very long time.

You can buy the Balance Beam and all Guidecraft’s developmental products on their website, www.guidecraft.com. This item retails for $90.

Finding Balance With Asperger's: Building Proprioception with Marble Maze Balance Bases

In my most recent review of Guidecraft’s Balance Base, I described the benefits of using balance-building activities with children on the Autism spectrum. In addition to the Balance Base, Guidecraft generously sent us their Marble Maze Balance Bases, which are a fun twist on a regular balance base. This set of three bases features a marble maze in the center of each one, to make the balance-building into an activity.

Quinn has to really be aware of his body and concentrate on controlling it to get the marbles from one side of the maze to the other. This is so fantastic for building his gross motor muscles, but really helps build his lacking proprioceptive (one’s own perception of themselves) feedback. Many children with Autism struggle with their proprioception, so this activity is perfect for them. These bases are different from the other Guidecraft Balance Base I reviewed, not only because of the marble maze, but these bases pivot all directions, not just side-to-side, for an added measure of difficulty and fun.




With these bases, we tend to do “races”. Three children line up with the bases and see who can finish their maze first. Everyone gets encouragement for finishing and we never have “losers”.  It’s all in good fun and they know that, but competing really kicks their minds into overdrive and helps them to accomplish the tasks much quicker. I’ve noticed that Quinn does much better when he’s being pushed to finish quickly rather than taking his time and getting frustrated with it and eventually quitting. This activity is so good for him, I’ll do anything to make sure he practices frequently.

As will all Guidecraft’s products, these are extremely well made and sturdy. The bases are solid wood with the maze etched out of the wood and covered by clear plastic. Ours did crack a little on the sides when a teenager over 100 lbs. was on them, but they are by no means broken. To be safe, I wouldn’t let anyone bigger than that on them to increase their life. This Set of 3 Marble Maze Balance Bases come in a set of three and retail for $150 on www.Guidecraft.com.


Thank you to Guidecraft for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.