I Spy Bags and Jars

I've been blogging about weighted products lately and I thought I would change things up a little bit. I've been fascinated with I spy bags lately and thought I'd share.

This is basically just a clear plastic pencil case, filled with coloured rice and small objects, with a picture of the objects attached to show what you're looking for.

I found the pencil case at Dollar Tree. I used vinegar and food colouring to dye the rice. I chose to dye my rice red, blue, and yellow. I used everything from plastic drywall screws to beads to paper clips to small toys as the oblects to find. Before putting the objects in, I put them all on a table and took a picture. I made sure to sew the zipper shut since all that rice would make quite a mess if the pencil case was opened. I printed a picture of the contents, laminated it, and attached it to the pencil case. 

I chose to make the "viewing window" of my I spy bag smaller. Originally both sides of the pencil case were see-through. I just used some colourful duct tape to make the viewing window smaller. The size of the viewing window will determine the difficulty in finding the objects.

Anyway, that's it! There are jars like this that you can buy, and they are a lot neater, but they're also a lot pricier. Whether you make or buy, though, I spy bags and jars are super neat and can provide the distraction needed to calm down after an overstimulating experience.

Weighted Animals

I recently blogged about weighted snakes. I realize snakes aren't for everyone, so I thought I'd try something a little softer and fuzzier! 

I decided to use a frog since there are so many stuffed animals that are more girly and I wanted to give an option for boys. I found my Webkinz frog at Dollarama for $3 and there were some other stuffed animals available for lower prices. I like the Webkinz ones because the stitching is strong enough to handle the weight and extra stuffing.

I used a seam ripper to open the stitching at the frog's rear and pulled some of the stuffing out. I set the stuffing aside to be used later.

For filling, I used some pool sand that I had laying around. You can use anything with weight like rice or dried beans or peas, play sand, grain, or anything else nontoxic that you can find. I put the sand in small "snack size" zippered baggies so that it would be contained. 

I stuffed the little baggies of sand into the middle of the frog, leaving some stuffing all the way around to keep it feeling soft. I then stuffed in the stuffing that I had set aside, just to make sure the frog would still be cuddly. I sewed the frog shut.

I chose to remove the tags while I had the seam undone as I know that tags can really bother some people on the spectrum, and some people in general!

The frog works quite well as a weighted lap buddy and is much neater looking, in my opinion. Anyway, it is another option for people looking for weighted products and it really is easy to make.

Weighted Snakes

There are tons of tutorials for weighted snakes on the internet (think Pinterest), and they really are a great tool. The light pressure of the snake draped across the lap can help a squirmy child feel calm enough to sit still. The gentle squeeze of the snake draped around the shoulders can feel like a nice hug. I even enjoy draping the weighted snake I made around my shoulders, it's so calming!

So, what is a weighted snake? It is basically a knee sock filled with rice, tied or sewn shut, and then decorated. I tried to make mine unisex in appearance since it can be useful for both boys and girls (and sensory room consultants).

I sewed on buttons for eyes and made a tongue out of felt, but you could do so much with this idea. You could use a brightly coloured sock and make a caterpillar, or add wings and make a butterfly. You could make it into a train, a plane, even an eel! The only limit is your imagination, so think about what your child likes and let your ideas run free!