Something You Can Shake a Stick At
November 8, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
My son’s toy preferences have always been straightforward and basic. Things made out of wood, with strong colors, minimal “special features,” certain textures, have all along been favored. Gizmos aren’t Charlie. While he’s been very glad to be in possession of two Leapsters (one beat up and not really working, the other still kind of newish), carrying them around and keeping them with him seems as or more important than pushing the buttons and looking at the little screen and playing the games.
So it makes sense to me that a stick was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. Few playthings can be more basic and readily found in one’s own frontyard. Simplex munditis, yes.
Well I will be the first to make a comment about sticks. If my son finds a stick, he will put all of his other toys aside and play with the stick for quite sometime. But unlike Charlie, my son Brendan can play his Nintendo DS for long period of time. Each of our children is so unique.
It is the case that Charlie often seems to just want something to hold especially when we are away from home (have you seen Autism is a world with Sue Rubin—-she carries around spoons).
And then there’s Conor Doherty and his straw
It’s stickish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPHtKarae2Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hHgooSo_CI
Well,yeah it’s `not like you ever actually OUTGROW this stuff,or anything like that.
Toll! Ein neues Wort…klotz! Viellen Dank, Roger!
Nintendo should create a game for it’s Wii system entitled “Stick”. To play the game, you just hold the controller as if it were a stick. Best of both worlds.
Christine, that’s an interesting point you make about just wanting to hold things. I do remember an instance where my son got a hold of my sets of keys. He had them in his hand for a long period of time “playing” with them and at the same time it may have been calming to him.
How striking the similarities…while we don’t have the ever present Leapster (opting for the Nintendo DS)…he too, loves the simple bright colored toys such as blocks…or the most basic, the stick. The stick becomes a light saber, a shining sword and my son – the gallant knight, or a revolutionary musket protecting land and liberty. He is quite versatile!
As for the need for something to hold…very true! He has to have something…anything. His DS…but most often his increasingly well worn book DK Eyewitness Series book “Castles.”
All the DK Eyewitness books are excellent btw. When he was very young, around 4…he was esp. attached to the “Egg” book (it bascially covered anything born out of an egg…from insects, birds to snakes).
And I kind of think it’s the pens attached to the Leapsters (until this morning—-they got pulled off) that seem to be a big draw………
I’ve given Charlie squishy balls and other sensory “fidgets”; he likes these, but does tend to find things he like for himself.
Very interesting and consistent with my experience both as a parent and as a therapist. I don’t track the Toy Hall of Fame, but they might consider the cardboard box next, eh?
Yes, I saw the video of the woman who is calmed by holding spoons. That fits, too.
I like M’s idea for the Wii. There should be some way to be compensated if the idea is commercialized.