A Holiday Shopping Guide for Medical Families & Parent Caregivers
The holiday season is here!
For those who have already completed their holiday shopping — congratulations! You are my personal inspiration.
For those of us, who were going about our regular business a few days ago, looked at the calendar and realized it was already December 1st… This one is for you! (You are amongst friends here!)
And, of course, for the in-betweeners: Those still looking for the “perfect” gift for that one amazing, family member — This is for you too!
I have compiled a list of gift options for everyone in the family.
This list — Part 1 — is all about the kids (including our adult kids)!
TO: OUR A-MAZING KIDS
Sound Block Puzzles
These block puzzles have knobs of varying sizes and a noise or song that plays when the puzzle piece is correctly matched. Puzzles are fantastic developmental tools, and the knobbed grips can support the adaptive needs of your child with a disability.
- Cool, Adaptive Shoes
For kids who require extra shoe support or shoes that can stretch around AFO/orthotics, a cool pair of new shoes could be a hit. Billy Shoes are a great option for people of all ages who wear orthotics. They’re made right here in Washington and are now available for purchase at Target.
- Weighted Blankets
They are comfortable and calming. This is the perfect gift for anyone who loves the feeling of being snuggled up and wrapped tightly. Weighted blankets are soothing and may help promote deep sleep.
- Adaptive Art Supplies
Is there a budding artist in your midst? Maybe coloring and drawing are among your child’s IEP goals… Or, perhaps you have seen how art therapy benefits your child. Adaptive art supplies make fantastic gift items (and stocking stuffers!) for both little hands and hands that benefit from the added support of the adaptive design. Options include adaptive paint brushes, painting kits, color crayons, and more!
Plastic Scooter Boards
The parents out there may remember these scooter boards from PE class in elementary school. They are loads of fun and just so happen to be a physical therapy tool in disguise. Scooter boards can help build gross motor skills and develop body coordination in multiple positions.
- Indoor Mini Trampoline
Mini trampolines are a fun gift for all the high-energy kids out there! The best part: They are built to be indoors, which means — hello! — an ideal, rainy-day activity! Many different options are available, including those with balance bars for added stability.
- Cube Chairs
Best suited for your preschool-sized kids, cube chairs are colorful, moveable, stackable seating options. They are low to the ground and light-weight, durable and easy to clean. A chair can be flipped on its side and used as a table. These are highly adaptable for household use, and provide solid back and trunk support for kids.
- Sensory Swing
Sensory swings have long been used as therapy tools and are now widely available for home use. Swings can help develop core strength and stability. They provide vestibular input and are just… FUN! There are different style options out there, so shop around to find the best fit for your child.
TO: THE SUPER SIBS
Books by Sibshops
Sibshops is a national program offering support for the siblings of children with disabilities. (The Arc of Snohomish County offers Sibshops for both the 8-12 and 13-18 age ranges. Visit our monthly calendar of events to register your child to attend an upcoming Sibshop.) The organization behind the national Sibshops program has published several books on what it means to be a “Sib” and all of the joys, challenges, fears and triumphs that exist alongside their sibling status. Order the books online at siblingsupport.org.
- Monthly Outings of the Sib’s Choosing with Just Mom or Dad
Give your child the gift of time this year. Set a standing date on the calendar each month that is reserved for just you and your child. Spend the afternoon together and let them guide the activity. That focused time together is a gift for the both of you.
- Overnight Trip
If you have the ability to get away for the night, give your child the gift of a fun-filled, overnight stay with either mom or dad — or both of you, if possible! Plan something that is of specific interest to your child. Take them to their favorite restaurant and pack a board game or puzzle for that evening at the hotel. Often, it is those special experiences that create a lasting memory.
Personalized Adventure List
An “adventure” or “challenge” to-do list that includes various activities, games and sightseeing ventures is a gift that lives on past the holiday season. These to-do lists can present opportunities to carve out time for your child and you to check-off tasks, either individually in a parent-child pair, or as a whole family. While lists and books are available for purchase online, it can be fun to create a personalized list that honors your child’s interests and hobbies, as well as your family’s needs.
- Hobby Gift
Has your child shown a special interest in a particular hobby over the past year? Do you share a special interest with your child? If so, consider a gift that might cultivate that interest, and — perhaps — is something you can do together. If you are a musician, maybe your child would like to take up an instrument so that you can play together. A gift of personalized baking supplies may lead to the two of you spending more time together in the kitchen. Are there complex LEGO sets that call for a combined parent-child effort? Hobby gifts can naturally create special moments to spend extra time together.
TO: OUR ADULT KIDS
- 2022 Activity Planner
Is there any better time than now to set someone up for success in the New Year?! For those who still prefer a low-tech, paper-based calendar, the gift of a high-quality planner may be just the right choice. There are seemingly endless options out there, so consider what set-up might best suit your child’s daily life. Planners keep us all on track and are a daily exercise for our time management and executive functioning skills.
Adult Coloring Books
Coloring books are fun for all ages! An adult coloring book and a simple set of colored pencils can provide a nice distraction during long wait times in doctor’s offices or during bus commutes to and from work. And it easily fits in a purse or backpack!
- Fitness Pass
A punch pass or monthly membership to a gym or other exercise class is a wonderful gift for those who are active and interested in such programs. For those who require adaptive support, the YMCA of Snohomish County offers inclusive programs in dance, yoga and other activities.
- Items for Organization
Organizational tubs and storage boxes are always helpful gift items — especially for those who have recently moved or are planning a deep Spring-Clean in the New Year. Perhaps a stand-alone, bathroom cabinet or shoes racks are needed. A large, magnetic, refrigerator calendar or a tabletop, erasable white board are also solid gifts to help keep our lives, our homes and our schedules as organized as possible.
- Join a Team Together
Is there a special activity, hobby or sport that you and your adult child both enjoy? This holiday season, consider paying league dues or the entry fee for two people. Invite your child to join you for cooking classes, a bowling league or a book club.
TO: THE WHOLE FAMILY
- Museum or Zoo Memberships
The gift of a family membership is, literally, one that keeps on giving all year long. Family memberships, such as those by Imagine Children’s Museum or Woodland Park Zoo, allow for endless family fun and many memorable outings.
Family Kites
Let’s go fly a kite! Well, maybe, let’s make plans to fly a kite once the spring flowers bloom…. Still, how exciting for the kids to each unwrap their own bright, colorful kite this holiday season! It makes it easy to imagine many beautiful, sunny days spent with family at the park. (Check out this article for information on some of the best kite-flying hills around the Seattle area: tinyurl.com/ycks2us9)
- Day Trip Adventure by Train
Plan a short family excursion by train! Even if your destination is a place you have visited many times, the journey along the rails offers a fresh perspective and a new experience. For the holidays, give each kid an envelope that contains a homemade train ticket with your destination depot and information on activities that you plan to do upon arrival. (Here are five day-trip options by train: tinyurl.com/2p8bfehw)
- Sleds and a Trip to the Mountains
Tis’ the season! With a family gift of new sleds, make a plan to get outside and embrace the beauty of the Cascades! The great thing about sleds is that there are options that meet the needs of different family members. A saucer sled may be the right fit for the daredevil of the family, while a toboggan with a high backrest can provide the additional trunk support that another family member needs to fully enjoy their time on the mountain. (Check out this list of nearby sledding hills: tinyurl.com/4etw8czw)
*** Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Holiday Gift Guide with ideas to honor the parent and family caregivers you know and love!
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Whitney Stohr is a Parent to Parent Coordinator at The Arc of Snohomish County. She is passionate about advocating for medically complex children and children with disabilities and their families. She is a mom and medical caregiver herself, who is energized by working closely with other parent/family caregivers. She lives with her three-year-old son Malachi and husband Jason in Lynnwood. Connect with her online at whitney@arcsno.org.