Gravity chair fights Gravity

Again, this is not my idea.  This one is from a lady called Cherie in Queensland, Australia. Honestly Special Needs mums are the best problem solvers! Cherie got sick of trying to move a Gravity Chair with her child in it, or hoisting  her child out, moving chair, then hoisting them back in.  The Gravity Chair people make a trolley but I believe it is quite expensive, so she made her own.

You need:

• Gravity chair

• Trolley.  Cherie used this one from Bunnings. It's $95 and has a handle, lockable wheels and you can use a hoist with it.        https://www.bunnings.com.au/toplift-300kg-folding-platform-trolley_p2970735

• Industrial strength velcro to hold the chair to the base

End result:



Thank-you Cherie for allowing me to share your idea.

Just hanging around on your pram or wheelchair

I like to have things handy. These are some neat little things I hang off of Owen's wheelchair that you might like to try.

A nappy Bag dispensers for hanging on prams. This is the one I bought at Big W for $4.50 but have since found them much cheaper on ebay.

I refill it with these pet waste bags I found at Kmart as they are much cheaper than the baby ones (only $2), fit and only a fraction smaller

Hand sanitizer, only a dollar or two from a cheap shop.  You usually find them at the main counter in a box like this.  And I buy 1 litre pump packs from the discount chemists and refill them from that.

I haven't got one of these yet but I will trial one next time I go to Kmart. A hanging wipes dispenser. Only $2.50 (got to love Kmart).

I know I mentioned this in a previous blog but I love my snack dispenser. It's made by Brica Shop around for the best price as currently it is $15 in Big W and $24 in Target.

I use a lanyard to attach toys to the chair.  I just thread it through the toys and then the wheelchair straps, knotting it in the middle in need to ensure Owen can't choke on it.  He can't throw the toy off and it makes it easier for him to manoeuvre and play with.

You will note I also hang a hat off the back too.

For more ideas on setting up your wheelchair/stroller refer to my previous blog The Sara Lea method and kitting out your wheelchair

DIY Little Room and Resonance Board

I have met some amazing mums on my journey with Owen.  Many of which I met through Playgroup at Narbethong Special.  Like me, lots of these mums put their creative caps on and build their own version of more expensive therapy/learning equipment. Nicole is one such mum and she has just made this amazing “little room” and “resonance board” for her boy.  To buy the two you would be looking at around $3000.  This one cost her around $500.  She has been kind enough to allow me to share her instructions with you.

What you need:

From a hardware shop:

• PVC tubing  (how many depends on how big you make your room and how long the pieces are that you buy)
• Plywood for the Resonance board and the sides of Little Room (as per above, how many depends on room size and size of sheets) – Extra tip, if you are in Australia and shop at Bunnings they will cut these to size for you.
• Optional PVC glue (Nicole did not use).
•  2  @   3 way “t junction”  joins
• Piece of Perspex
•  Clear plastic tubing
•  Little wooden dowels
• 4 long thin pieces of wood to frame the resonance board. Extra tip, if you are in Australia and shop at Bunnings they will cut these to size for you.
• (optional) pipe padding.

Order online

• 2  @ 4 way “L tee” pvc
• 6  @ 3 way PVC  joins 

There are a number of ebay shops online that sell these specialist products.  I used a company called Klevercages

·.

General supplies:

• Elastic
• Zip ties
• Sensory items to hang in the room or to stick around
  the edges
• Small wood screws
• Wood glue

Tools:

• Hacksaw (for the pvc)
• Drill
• “Step” Drill bit for drilling holes the Perspex
• Screw driver
• Paper, pen to calculate the lengths you need to cut.

Instructions :

Resonance board:

• Cut the plywood to size (if necessary and you haven’t had Bunnings do it for you)
• Cut the side pieces to size (if necessary and you haven’t had Bunnings do it for you)
• Screw and wood on the underside of the board (this will help it echo and make noise when the child uses it).

       

Little Room:

• Work out the dimensions you want for your child’s little room
• Measure the inside of your T junctions, corner joins etc.  You need to take this into consideration when cutting your PVC to get your little room the right height.  This is the complex bit.  Remember the measure twice, cut once rule.
• Cut your PVC and put the frame together, see the pictures I have shared. Use glue if you want (But don’t if you want to grow it).
• Cut your plywood for the side and using zip ties attach it to the frame.  Trim them with nail clippers to avoid any sharp edges
• Cutting Perspex is tricky so get a glass cutter to cut it to size for you.
• Drill holes in the Perspex and add it with zip ties to the top of your frame.
• Drill holes to hang your sensory items from.
• Attach them with elastic threaded through the plastic tubing.

Place the little room on top of the resonance board and play.

Note getting a larger child in and out can be an issue.  Try a slide sheet or a sheep skin (noting sheepskin dulls the sound of the board).  Nicole reports the little room is actually quite heavy and awkward to move and advised she is going to put handles on the side of the little room so it can be manoeuvred.

Thanks Nicole for allowing me to share your creation!

Playing the Xylophone with limited fine motor skills

Kids love Xylophones but not everyone has the fine motor skills to play one.  When I made my own sensory wall  I put put an altered xylophone on it, then I decided I could put it on a one of my individual sensory boards to make it more portable.  Here is how you can do one too:

You need:

• Plastic chopping board 
• Wooden xylophone ( I got one from ebay for under $10 delivered)
• wooden beads (I got some pet parrot beads on ebay for under $5 delivered)
• hat elastic
• cable ties
• drill

Drill the holes in the board that will allow you to attach the board to something, also drill holes to allow you to attach the xylophone to the cutting board with cable ties.

Thread hat elastic through the beads. You will note I thread it through, then I looped back and went through the hole a second time.  This just helps to keep the beads from moving around too much.  Attach the elastic to the xylophone, then the xylophone to the cutting board.  Attach the board to any fence you have created or put it on a tray/table for your child to play with.

Always supervise when using as nothing is 100% secure.  Good luck and happy creating.