Mum Lisa got in touch with our Toy Library in the hope of finding some toys that her son Harley would enjoy playing with. In this post she tells us a bit more.
Tell us a bit about Harley
Our two-year-old son Harley is a happy little boy, but due to a variety of reasons, he requires support, encouragement and assistance with almost every aspect of daily life.
Being autistic and non-verbal he struggles to communicate with us and gets overwhelmed and distressed extremely easily, causing him to try to harm himself. He also has PICA and so will eat anything and everything he can get his hands on. He needs constant supervision at all times.
But, with the right environment he thrives and is so happy. As he has endless amounts of energy Harley is at his best when he is engaged with an activity. He loves being outside, messy play and being in water. He prefers solitary play, unless it’s adult led such as blowing bubbles or kicking a ball to him. He’s also very affectionate and loves cuddles.
Why did you get in touch with our toy library?
It is difficult to predict what toys Harley will be interested in. Over the past 2 years, I have spent a lot of money on toys for him that are suitable and age appropriate but which he shows no interest in. He can also show interest in other toys for a very little time, and then has his favourites.
That’s why the sensory library is great, because you can borrow toys and if your child likes them, you can go and purchase them without the worry of whether or not they will be interested in it.
What did you like about our toy library?
The whole process was incredibly efficient and easy to register and use. The Librarian was amazing, very friendly and lovely to communicate with. She explained everything clearly and it was very straightforward.
Using the toy library has made a big difference to our family allowing Harley to explore what he likes and saving us spending money on toys that our son won’t be interested in. I hope to keep using the service.
Our Toy Library is free to use – take a look to see what toys your child might enjoy playing with.
