Toys/activities

My doughter loves the adena montessori

We do the Lovevery subscription and my daughter loves them. There’s also kiwico. Both Montessori toys. And at least with Lovevery they’re always giving other activity ideas too with stuff around the house

For kids anything can be a toy. Just make sure you supervise if you have them playing with pots and pans. But if you have leftover containers that are plastic, you could probably use those as stacking/nesting toys too. Not to scare you, but self soothing by rocking sounds like possible stimming ( self stimulation). It's not always over stressing, it could just be something she enjoys. Stimming is something autistic children and adults do as a response. It could be to something good or bad that they are responding to ; so a happy response, something they do to calm themselves, something they do if they are nervous. I know about stimming.... Because I'm an audhd momma ( very recently formally diagnosed as an autistic adult, though in the autistic community, adult self diagnosis is valid.... And very long time diagnosed as ADHD) . Yes, girls are autistic too. And women. There's usually a screening for autism at the 18 months visit, I think . She may be what the medical world calls high functioning ,

If she is autistic. I say the medical world calls.... Because anyone with autism can be high functioning or low functioning depending on the supports they have and if they are overstimulated or overwhelmed or dealing with a lot mentally ....

I've got a lot of information if you have questions about autism spectrum disorder and best treatment options , if it turns out that she is on the spectrum . ABA , while the oldest therapy.... Unfortunately just teaches kids what not to do.... Rather than helping them figure out what to do instead of teaching " conformity or else "

@Elizabeth I’ve been wondering if she may be autistic and plan to bring it up during her next doctors visit. She does it very, very frequently now that I do think it may be stimming. She will do it when upset, going to bed, just randomly while playing or doing her own thing.

Stacking cups remain a favorite here.

@Savanna there's an autistic group here on peanut! For autistic parents and parents of autistic children ( many parents of autistic children end up seeing themselves in their kids, so it's not super uncommon for parents to self diagnose themselves or even seek formal diagnosis) .... Not to be confused with autism moms ( the warrior moms who seek out a cure ). As an autistic mom, I know how problematic that is. Because there is no cure for a brain literally being different.

Doing it while playing could be happy or enjoyment stimming. I stim sometimes when I'm really "in the moment " and enjoying things a lot..... A few years ago I stimmed at a water park wave pool because I was happy and was enjoying myself. Sometimes I stim in bed by moving my hands, but not all that often

You can put paint In a XL ziplock bag and let her smoosh the paint around or give her stickers to put on paper. Or for like a sensory and idea, crush up gram crackers to where it looks like sand then put it in a bin with little toys like Dino’s or excavators.