Sensory problems plague many children these days, whether they are on the autism spectrum or not. When Guidecraft sent us their Sensory Stepping Stones, I was very excited because it was one of the many things on my list for therapy tools for my son, Quinn, who has Asperger’s. The six Sensory Stepping Stones help aid with balance and gross motor use, as well as self-awareness, and of course are a very tactile activity because the stones each have textures. Each of the six wood stones has a different texture on it. From sandpaper to foam to smooth wood, each one is a sensory delight for children.
We started using these by feeling with our hands and talking about how each felt to touch. Then we moved onto standing on them and talking about how it feels under our feet. Quinn loves the stepping stones and frequently moves them from his room to the living room to get to walk on them more.
Some of the textures, like the corkboard-feel one, really bother him and he doesn’t like them, but others like the ridged foam one, he loves. Sometimes he walks on them with his eyes open, picking his favorites and jumping around and other times he closes his eyes and talks about how they feel under his bare feet. Regardless of how he plays with them, they are giving him the tactile awareness that he needs.
Sensory Stepping Stones, like all Guidecraft’s products, are very well made and sturdy and will last for a long time with good care. This set of six stones retails at $55 on Guidecraft’s website, www.guidecraft.com.
Thank you to Guidecraft for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.
