You Say You Want Cheap Easy Therapy? Hello Crafts!

What’s this?  After my posts about photography you’re still not convinced that arts and crafts are the best thing ever for kids on the spectrum?

Always Keep a Craft Stash Handy

My parents knew to always keep something nearby for my hands to work on, whether it was as simple as paper or buttons or more deliberate like a lanyard kit or colored glue.  One of the best gifts I ever received was a personalized Tupperware container filled with crafty odds and ends much like this one from Land of Nod (which I’m sure any parent could pull together for much less money just by looking around the home).

Aspies agree that doing crafts or hobbies with the hands:

• develops fine motor skills
• has a repetitive nature that eases anxiety
• often follows a logical sequence but also teaches creativity

Cale from Spectrum Siblings honed his motor skills as a child by cutting and sorting coupons.  Not only does this not cost anything, but this is a great way to put your child to work saving you money! (Cale, I’m curious whether you still have any craft-related hobbies outside of working with kids…?)

Agentwool does some amazing work with yarn and other textiles!  She says the repetitive nature keeps anxiety at bay while allowing her to supervise her children.  I don’t know about you, but it has to take a lot of talent to make this while keeping an eye on anything let alone kids:

She spun that yarn herself; are you asking yourself how you can get your hands on some of her work?