Move over teddy bear, there’s a new weighted animal in town! Stuffed animals have provided comfort for many children over the years. New Manimo weighted plush animals provide a deeper therapeutic effect. Weighted animals are a sensory tool for all children, but designed specifically for children with ADD, ADHD, ASD, anxiety and more.
Ashley Z., mother of three children with special needs, says that weighted animals help her children transition from one activity to another and from one location to another. When one of her children is having a meltdown due to anxiety, the weighted animal helps calm them at a much faster pace. It also helps them relax so they can fall asleep easier.
“Since stuffed animals are considered socially acceptable, no matter the age of the user, this is commonly a preferred method when it comes to utilizing something weighted,” said Ashley.
Soft and flexible, a Manimo plush animal is placed on the child’s most receptive body parts: shoulders, waist, thighs and stomach. Recommended use is for 15-20-minute periods to stimulate rest and/or concentration.
According to manimo.ca, children with a learning difficulty or behavioral problem have to “get centered” to do their best. The animal’s weight helps by giving the child better spatial awareness and calming the nervous system which regulates behavior and emotions and makes it easier to concentrate.
“The weighted animal helps my children when encountering stressful situations such as medical appointments and public settings that require patience like grocery shopping,” Ashley said.
Four types of Manimo animals are offered; a turtle, a dolphin, a lizard and a snake. Each is available in several colors and weighs between 1 and 2.5 kg (2.2 to 5.5 lbs). They can be used by children ages three and up with adult supervision.
Manimos are available at learning tree toys, books & games, inc. in Oklahoma City. learning tree also offers additional sensory tools and manipulative products including Fat Brain products, Fiddle Focus and Zingy pasta. The store is designed in developmental sections with their own shelves of toys, games, puzzles and manipulative activities.
Patti Tepper-Rasmussen, the owner of learning tree toys, has always felt that it is very important for all children to be exposed to different textures, shapes and colors. “That’s how children learn, by touch and feel,” she said.
Visit learning tree toys to get your Manimo weighted animal or other sensory product today!
About the author: Jessica Misun is a thirty-something WFHM (work from home mom), wife, entrepreneur, local lover and coffee addict. She has a degree in Journalism-Public Relations from the University of Central Oklahoma and earned an MBA from Southern Nazarene University. When not managing work projects or selling homes, she is managing Pinterest fails for her kid’s school projects. She and her husband share their home in Edmond, Oklahoma with their two amazing children and their sometimes amazing otter-hound.
