My Autism Pick from The Toy Insider’s May Toy Reviews is the FlipaZoo plush by Jay at Play. The reason I give it my accolades is that it is two toys in one, with a flippable body to reveal a totally different plush pal. While that alone is a great feature, the FlipaZoo has other features that parents of children on the Autism Spectrum can appreciate.
The FlipaZoo characters feature mega fluffy bodies, with soft and cozy fur. So, the two small black eyes are the only hard pieces on the entire toy.
FlipaZoo plushies also make for great storytelling as a way to work on speech and social interactions. Get two and have a therapist, an older sibling, or a peer practice having a conversation with your child via the FlipaZoo plush, and practice bounce backs or use them to emulate social situations, like an upcoming trip or visit to the zoo. Having kids practice flipping the animals themselves can help them work on fine motor skills and, even if it results in maladaptive behavior as they learn, the final reward is a plush BFF. Stack the size versions for more fine motor skill practice and as a way to work on pattern emulation.
Plus, use the mini FlipZees for fidget toys and calming objects to hold in key situations. They are also small enough to keep in a purse for rewards and re-directions when those situations come up.
Thus, the FlipaZoo plushies are my “Play Pick” for children on the spectrum this month. Which version would be your child’s favorite?
