You shouldn’t have to bust the bank to build your home sensory gym. That’s why I like IKEA.
IKEA can be a goldmine for integration therapy and sensory gym equipment. Let your child have crazy fun and develop gross and fine motor skills – all on a budget.
Read on for sensory activities that can help your child. A sensory diet with a conscious.
Active Play (for safety, be sure to have good mats below this equipment)
Ekorre Hand Rings – $8.99 – Great for spinning, upper body and core strength, crashing, launching into pads, playing “collides” with a sibling (now you know what goes on in my house….). We’ve had the Hand Rings, Swing, and Rope Ladder for over 3 years and they are still super sturdy.
Ekorre Swing – $14.99 – Now you can swing inside the house – really!
Ekorre Rope Ladder – $14.99 – Let that climber loose.
(Ekorre Hook- $1.99 for 2 pack – you’ll need these hooks, or something like it to attach the rings, ladder and swing to your ceiling)
SPEJA Tunnel - $19.99 – Tunnels can be used as an obstacle course and for developing those all important crawling skills (no matter how old you are!).
MULA Toy Hammering Block – $5.99 – Inexpensive way for the younger set to get that hammering feedback + the fine motor development and logical thinking.
Rusig Rocker – $9.99
Sparka Soft Toy – $3.99 – Soft balls to throw and catch.
VIRRE Slide with Ladder & Guard Rail - $149
Creative Play
Raket Table Easel - $.99 (keep your eye out for the Mala easel with a chalkboard on one side – I hope IKEA brings this back!) An easel in a sensory gym? You betcha. Easels (or any vertical surface) are a good way to build upper body strength. (Don’t forget the Mala paintbrushes – set of 6 only $2.99. Mala Chalk – $1.99 / 24 pack)
Mala Drawing Paper Roll ($4.99) & MALA tabletop paper holder ($5.99)
Calming Areas
Ikea Koja Tent – $9.99 – Tents are easy to find, but the Koja and Anemon come at a very nice price.
Ikea Korall Anemon tent – $14.99
PS Lomsk Swivel Chair – $79.99 – This chair doubles as a spinning chair and hideaway.
Rofylld Children’s Rocking Chair – $39.99
Be sure to sign up for IKEA’s catalog to get more ideas. Note: I’m hoping you have an IKEA near you, because most of these products can’t be ordered through IKEA online. Or, better yet, forward this list to grandma and grandpa……
Comment below and tell everybody what sensory gym add-ons you have found at IKEA.
All the Best,
You may also like:
{ 1 comment }
Our previous OT clinic had a cute little ball pit that our little guy loved! We have wanted to slowly put together our own sensory gym and wanted to implement one of these. We purchased a bag of ball-pit balls from Toys R Us for $29.95 and a large (32 gal) storage tote at Lowes for $13.98(?). We can pop the lid off and have tactile-sensory time in the ball pit and when we’re done we just pop the lid back on and put the box away. The balls area contained and have a nice, easily accessible space for sensory time. (safety tip: while the child is in the “ball-pit” the child should be supervised, especially for safe exit and the lid placed out of reach, so no one becomes trapped in the storage tote with the lid on)
Comments on this entry are closed.