Help buying for a family

[mommyatty]

My BFF knows a family that has fallen into homelessness. We have adopted them for Christmas. I’m struggling with what to get them.

The little girl is 11. She has schizophrenia and severe learning disabilities. Also sensory issues. She has asked for headphones, so I can get those.

The boy is 13. He’s on the spectrum and has related sensory issues. He’s asked for LEGOs, Minecraft stuff, and trains (not electric). I’m struggling here.

I have never met these kids, and I don’t know their level cognitively. So I can’t figure out if I’m going to get something too babyish or too hard. I’ve asked my BFF for guidance, but heck! I need to go get this stuff!

[rere]

Those Lego sets are sometimes experience and very cool, so definitely one of those. My kids love them. They even have Lego Mind craft sets.

[mustardseed2007]

If she wants head phones could she perhaps use an itunes gift card also?

Does the boy want a wooden train set? There are some really neat but inexpensive ones you can get. Hobby ones are more expensive...

[rere]

Dec 11, 2017 12:38:05 GMT -5 rere said:

Those Lego sets are sometimes experience and very cool, so definitely one of those. My kids love them. They even have Lego Mind craft sets.

Expensive not experience. Stupid spell check.

[2chatter]

LEGO MineCraft series run from age 6-12 or 7-12 mostly - I have been looking for DS. Does he have any sensory issues related to color? The MineCraft line is my least favorite as it lacks color depth - the sets are, for example, largely orange. It makes it harder for me to see the dimension.

Unrelated vent - I spent 20 mins Friday choosing a set for DS. I had a 40 percent off coupon. That wasn’t actually a coupon - “we just made it look like one!”. Side eye to the local mom
And pop toy store.

Levels will be important — for very low cost and basic, McDonalds have Happy Meal trains right now. Minion themed.

[twinmomma]

If she has sensory issues and is asking for headphones, she likely needs/wants the big ones that cover your whole ear to help with blocking outside noises. My sister teaches a lot of kids with sensory issues and they will sometimes just wear the headphones to help block stimuli when they're overwhelmed.

[freezorburn]

Lego train sets run upwards of $100. And not all of them include track. And it might be unwieldy for a family that has to move often or share space with others.

But, there is a small Lego Creator 3-in-1 kit #31054 that my son has fallen in love with. It’s a small kit that runs about $6-10 and the instructions show 3 different projects that you can build. Then mix and match. Between me, his dad, and grandparents, he has managed to get us to buy him maybe 6 copies of this same kit, so he can link them together and make a small train.

[mommyatty]

freezorburn, one of my major concerns is space/portability, so I will look into the Creator kit. Thanks! They are in an extended stay hotel, hoping to find permanent housing. And they don’t have a car. So everything needs to be very portable! I’m thinking of the Minecraft legos. They don’t look enormous. They aren’t trains though. So maybe the creator kit would be better.

[2chatter]

mommyatty - I would buy a plastic snap case for them regardless of the set. Nothing big, but the boxes are worthless.

[erinshelley21]

Dec 11, 2017 18:30:19 GMT -5 2chatter said:

mommyatty - I would buy a plastic snap case for them regardless of the set. Nothing big, but the boxes are worthless.

Yes to a container. Toys r us has a great selection!