Comments on: Crash Zone

By: Donna

Donna — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 21:42:10 +0000

A friend lent us her homemade crash pad for our son. She bought several yards of corduroy fabric and sewed up three sides to make a square. She used velcro on the fourth side so it can be opened as needed. Inside she stuffed old pillows, batting, foam pieces, etc. The crash pad is about 5′x5′x1.5′. You can run and throw yourself into it, jump or roll off the couch or bed onto it (I know, I know), etc. The inside isn’t solid so you land differently each time you crash into it. The spaces created by the loose contents can add to the sensory benefit by hugging him when he lands and the fabric is an added bonus. No broken bones here, yet!

The other plus is, while the crash pad is bulky, I can put it upstairs in the attic when he’s not using it.

By: beagooddad

beagooddad — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:02:12 +0000

MOM, I thought about that. I just worry that they might be a little too springy for what he seems to be trying to do. He seems to like that firm collision. He loves bouncing, too, but this just seems a little different.

Aunt Kel, that would be awesome. We’ll hold off on doing anything until we hear from you.

Janine, we do have a place like that around here and all 3 of the kids LOVE it and would move there if we let them. We also have our own bounce house at my father-in-laws house that they play in when we go for visits. Pookie uses them a lot like you describe with your son.

By: Aunt Kel

Aunt Kel — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:38:53 +0000

They are redoing our gym at school this summer. I wonder if they are getting new pads for the basketball area? I will ask!!!! Maybe it could be your lucky day!…. I will keep you posted.

By: MOM

MOM — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:11:34 +0000

Would inflatable mattresses be cheaper and appropriate? Love MOM

By: Janine

Janine — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 01:43:44 +0000

Hi,
This year we discovered the Bounce Zone not sure if you have something like this locally. Its a huge gym open all year has 6 inflatable bounce houses for 1 hour and 6 dollars our kids go great activity especially this past winter as we live in Maine. Great for our 2 typical kids but particularly awesome for our son with autism who likes the input of crashing into couches. Hes 5 yrs old a crash input seeker and the the bounce house gives him the same input he runs crashes into sides or he’ll lay down and the kids jump he loves it , he will belly laugh for an hour we even bought a smaller wonderful little tikes version for home outside te kids love have used it on evey nice day after school this summer inflate deflate in 2 minutes its awesome and safe and fun while providing the input.
He also wears under armor Tshirts the althletes wear the can be found at sporting good stores for like $20 for kids they been awesome too it again provides the smoosh input like wearing a hug our Ot explained for sensory seeking kids and he loves to wear it its very helpful.

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:35:05 +0000

we had some one-inch-thick foam mats that fit together and you lay them out on the floor. (Example: http://www.amazon.com/Multi-Purpose-Reversible-Charcoal-Anti-fatigue-Childrens/dp/B000V9IB0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248899626&sr=8-1) If you got two or three sets of these and piled them up it might provide enough padding for him on a wall (although you’re still talking about $100).

Of course, Little E is 6 and he likes to do that stuff too sometimes (as does Little P, who is 4)…so it could just be a little boy thing.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:59:44 +0000

I worked as an aide to a little boy who had autism for part of my course work, and he was REALLY into the strong physical contact. His favorite thing was to be picked up like you would an infant, held really tight, and swung back and forth. If I couldn’t do that (like at circle time, he was 4) I would sit with him between my legs and cross my legs over his and put my arms around him tightly. He really craved that sort of contact.
Maybe you could get a few cheap beanbags, old couch cushions, or an old mattress (craigslist!) for Pookie to crash land onto. It wouldn’t be like running into the wall, but I think it might give him the same sensation.
Who knows though, it may just be a 6 year old thing. I can remember being around that age and doing “belly flops” on my parents’ bed.