These are a favorite in our house! A while ago LM started filling his backpack with "treasures" and wearing it around the house. What a great alternative to a weighted vest! We definitely noticed the calming effect it had on him.So recently we were at a play date with a whole lot of little girls. And if there's one thing that little girls know how to do best, it's play dress up. Much to my delight, LM wanted to join in on the fun. Pretend play is still one of his biggest struggles, so at first he just donned a tutu and walked around the room. (We're progressive like that!) I could tell that he was trying to calm himself and organize his thoughts by pacing the room, all the while watching the girls play. Hmmm, how could I facilitate this?
I spotted a backpack and started filling it with wooden blocks. He put it on, took one more lap, and sat down for "tea time" with the ladies. Success! But next he wanted to know if he could wear a princess dress. "Well, you could ... (as I search around for something else) but how about a super hero cape instead?" I picked up a velour baby blanket, pinned it onto the straps of the backpack, and Voila! a weighted super hero cape! LM grinned and took off to save the universe. In fact, "princess and super hero" play dates are still our most successful social interactions.
So that's the story of the backpack cape. I love it for its obvious sensory benefits, but the pretend play opportunities are endless too.
Have fun!
Lea
No comments:
Post a Comment