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Special educational needs and disabilities can affect a child's ability to learn, develop and grow - which can lead to problems later in life, as well as frustration and depression if not given the right support.
Some children may have SEN because of a medical condition or disability, other children may have SEN without a diagnosis or disability. Special educational needs schools (SEN schools) give children invaluable support, education and care which is designed to work with their way of learning, offer extra encouragement and support and set them on the best path possible for their future. Baby Brands Direct know how hard SEN staff and teachers work, that's why we've made it easy to order the best educational toys for your cohort of children. With a massive selection of toys with a host of developmental benefits, Baby Brands Direct is a one stop shop for your classroom inventory.
Children with special needs can benefit from playing with sensory toys. Children with conditions such as autism can have difficulty processing sensory information, resulting in a potential aversion and avoidance to the cause of sensory stimulation - such as loud noises, bright lights or strange textures. By introducing sensory play to a child’s day, education providers can slowly introduce sensory elements to children without them being too overwhelming. Infantino has a varied range of sensory toys that allow children to explore different shapes and textures during play, as well as introducing them to light and sound in a way that isn't too overwhelming.
The Infantino Lights & Sounds Multi Sensory and Multi Textured Balls Sets are great for small classes as they include multiple balls with unique textures, allowing kids to explore them with their hands and play together as a group. Lalaboom's sets of construction beads can also help stimulate kids' senses with their unique shapes inspired by nature. They fit together in a number of ways and the clicks as each bead fits together creates satisfying sensory stimulation to children's ears. Other sensory items available at Baby Brands Direct are comfort soothers which use audio and light to soothe and comfort little ones. Comfort soothers like the Tommee Tippee Light and Sound Sleep Aid come in cute cuddly animal designs, so they're perfect for kids to hug and cuddle as well as for nap time.
Musical toys are a great way of bringing fun and sensory elements to play. Products with a musical element, such as Halilit’s Giant Rainbomaker, are perfect for developing auditory skills. This particular musical toy creates a soothing rain-like sound that children won’t find too overly stimulating and the need to manipulate the toy in order to make the sound helps to build fine motor skills as well as teach cause and effect. The Infantino Baby's 1st Teethe & Play Music Set combines bright coloured musical toys with teething textures, which are perfect for young children going through the painful period of teething and to naturally support the instinct to explore with mouths and gums.
Memory games or games that help children to understand emotions are also great for SEN schools, as children with special needs can find it sometimes difficult to express their emotions and feelings effectively and may struggle with memory issues and cognitive dysfunction. French brand, Janod, have a great selection of puzzles and games that are designed to introduce the concept of emotions to children - as well as jigsaws and learning games that can help improve cognitive skills. Toys like the Janod WWF Koala Stacker And Rocker are perfect for teaching essential skills like problem solving, as well as teamwork and reasoning. Children can also develop their fine motor skills by manipulating the blocks into place. Construction toys are also perfect for this, with building blocks like those from Mega Bloks allowing children to unleash their creativity while developing key skills that will benefit them later in life.
Activity tables and centres like the VTech Play & Learn Activity Table allow multiple children to play together, helping improve communication, social and emotional skills. By allowing children to interact during play, they can improve their vocabulary and also gain empathy and understanding of others. Such activity toys help to teach topics covered by the school's curriculum in a fun and engaging way, helping to boost knowledge in a less intensive way than being stuck at the school desk.
With over 2500 items under one roof, Baby Brands Direct offer everything SEN staff and teachers need to make their classroom experience engaging and fun for children with special educational needs. We dispatch high quality branded products direct from our on-site warehouse, so orders are able to be delivered quickly and efficiently. With multi-buy discounts and no minimum order value, teachers and staff can order as much or as little as needed to cover the requirements of their class.
Why are bathtime toys such good sellers?
Because bathtime is part of most children’s daily routine, from babyhood through to school years, there will always be parents looking for ways to make it a more fun experience for their children. In addition, as many bathtime toys are quite simple – such as squirters, cups and buckets – they are well priced, making them the perfect impulse buy. They also make fun, affordable gifts. However simple they may be, bathtime toys still make a huge contribution towards a child’s development.
Making bathtime fun
Bathtime is a favourite time of day for any parent who is at work all day. It’s a chance for them to enjoy some focused interaction with their baby or small child, so they want to make it as fun and enjoyable as possible. It’s also the ideal time for dads in particular to encourage physical play (research has shown that fathers tend to play in a more rough-and-tumble way than mothers) – splashing, blowing bubbles etc – and we have toys to help with that too. Parents also like to see toys that have an educational element, so bathtime toys that teach cause and effect as you pour the water in and out of them, letters and numbers that stick to the side of the bath and tiles all provide opportunities for some fun learning.
The importance of routine
The routine of bathtime is important, as it offers a sense of control and structure. Children who know what to expect throughout their day are better able to regulate behaviour and emotions. Bathtime, which offers an opportunity for communication between parent and child without interruption and other distractions, can be invaluable for language and communication development. So, it’s clear that making the most of this time is key. A toy that encourages interaction and makes bathtime a fun event rather than an onerous task, is invaluable in so many ways. And because bathtime can be a very different experience depending on a child’s mood – perhaps they are a little tired, a bit grumpy, or need another snack or bottle before bedtime – it’s always good to have a variety of toys to choose from to suit their mood. Janod’s bath books when they are tired, Munchkin Bath Toy Dunkers when they feel more active and Tomy’s Aquafun Octopals for fun.
Sensory and science play
Bathtime also offers a sensory experience for a baby, as the water touches the skin, as they learn about the different temperature of air and water, as they are patted dry. Toys such as the Munchkin Bath Float and Play Bubble Balls offer lots of movement and texture to add to a sensory experience. Fine motor development can be improved by squeezing water out of a squirter, like our Vital Baby Squirt and Splash Ducks and Frogs, fitting together the Boon Pipes before pouring water in and watching where it will come out. It’s also never too soon to discover scientific concepts such as volume, full, empty and displacement.
