Suggested Activities for toddler who puts EVERYTHING in her mouth?

[SundayCrepes]

My 20 month old has a slight speech delay and is in speech therapy. She puts EVERYTHING into her mouth. Her therapist says she's seeking oral stimulation. I can't do many activities with her, things like playdough, paper, crayons, etc. because she puts everything in her mouth. Her therapist recommended painting with applesauce, which I will try soon.

Any ideas for other activities we could try?

[MamaPhD]

Are you specifically thinking about art projects or any activities in general? How about musical activities? Shaky eggs (OK to mouth), harmonica (my 16mo DD LOVES playing it) and dancing to music. Also, have you tried cooking with her? Make something she can taste test during the process (cookies, pudding, etc.). Let's see, what else... I think that's all I have for now. Good luck!

[SundayCrepes]

I was thinking crafty type stuff, but that's my personal limitation, not a limitation I want to place on her. She does love music. We were in a musical play group (similar to music together,) but she could only stay if her brother was there--and he didn't want to go anymore. She'll be old enough this fall to sign up for her own class.

I should start including her more in cooking. Her brother so monopolizes the learning tower at that time that I just hadn't considered giving her things to do.

Great ideas, keep 'em coming, please.

[jnet24]

I know this is a older thread but just wanted to give you my BTDT, and still doing advice. My 3 year old is still like that. I found giving him the oral input he is seeking before we start an activity really decreases the mouthing. His ST suggested chewy foods, like fruit leathers, salty foods, spicy foods, we have a chewy tube and that really helps with the chewing and mouthing of toys. We give it too him during down times during the activity and throughout the day. So if we were going to use crayons, I make sure he has a chewy snack first and when I am getting out supplies I may give him his "chewie." I also make my own play dough with wheat and it is not as big of a deal if he puts it in his mouth. Painting with pudding or whip cream is fun too.

[SundayCrepes]

Thanks for the ideas. What is a chewie toy?

I'm going to Trader Joe's this morning so I'll get fruit leathers (and try and hide them. lol) I hadn't considered giving her a chewie something to eat while doing activities. That sounds like a great idea.

She loves the Trader Joe's gummy DHA supplements for kids. They've got a lemon taste. She can't eat them during activities, they're too small a quantity, but I thought your son might like them.

Since we don't do sugar at this age, the ST suggested painting with applesauce. We mix in food coloring to make it colors. My 4 year old loves that much more than my little one.

[jnet24]

I found the link for you. My sons ST gave him it and it really does help. He also chews not just puts things in his mouth. He loves it. He really likes it when we are at church or at a place where he has to kinda sit still. It really helps. Here is the link to chewy tubes...
http://www.chewytubes.com/

My son has the red T one.

here is a site where you can buy one http://www.affordabletherapysolution...ytube-red.aspx

[keyley1090]

You could go to the play ground and play on the jungle gym and swings with her, just be careful about those wood chips.

The painting with applesauce is pretty smart. I don't know how well applesauce will show though. The only other edible thing I could suggest painting with is pudding, but if you don't want her eating pudding, applesauce could work I'm sure.

The chewie toy idea is a good one too!

[~cassie]

We paint with cool whip sometimes since at that age my son would eat shaving cream. What about making your own playdo? If I remember correctly, there is a peanut butter one-I saw it from the Gosselins-and it is edible.

[SundayCrepes]

Thanks for all the ideas everyone.

jnet, will your son chew on thicker rubber things like that? The ST gave us some solid rubber chewies and she won't use them. That's why I'm wondering about the tubes. Thanks for the link.

We do go to the park and other excursions a lot. I am looking for fine motor activities for her. In the last couple days she has 1. figured out how to put the pieces into a toddler puzzle. 2. Turn on the bathroom sink. 3. Turn the crank on her jack-in the box. (Actually, Sock Monkey in the box.) So she's obviously figuring this stuff out.

We did make playdough. I found a microwave recipe. I figured it was better if she put it in her mouth rather than the store bought kind. She wasn't so interested in it. I think she's still too young, but my 4 year old plays with it all the time. The edible recipe cassie mentioned is MUCH better than the one I found before. It had tons of powdered sugar in it.

For anyone that wants to use the applesauce paints. We've never saved any of the artwork. The applesauce is usually pretty thick and it would be a mess to try and save it. We just paint with it then throw it out.

[SundayCrepes]

cassie, you inspired me to do a google search for edible playdough. This site has 10 recipes. One includes oatmeal. Another is cream cheese based. Then there's the chocolate one.

http://www.familycorner.com/family/k...ay_dough.shtml

Here's another peanut butter one:
Peanut Butter Play Dough

one 18-oz. jar creamy peanut butter
6 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup non-fat dry milk

Mix ingredients together, using varying amounts of dry milk for desired consistencies. Knead it with fingers, forming into desired shapes, adding other foods like M&M's or peanuts for eyes, mouths, etc. Great fun!

Storage: When not using, MUST be stored in an airtight container.

[sapphire_chan]

I would've thought your dd would spit out regular play dough. It's got a TON of salt. I use this recipe and it lasts for months and months in a Ziploc bag, I made it over 8 months ago and it's still moist. But it tastes horrible even though it's totally safe.

Anyway, on topic, cornstarch and water is great fun and food safe.

And pudding works for finger painting, I've read. Use vanilla and you can add colors.

[SundayCrepes]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

I would've thought your dd would spit out regular play dough. It's got a TON of salt.

The playdough I made has a lot of salt as well. I know. I tasted it. However, with a kid who's seeking oral stimulation, you never know what they'll put in their mouth.

I'm glad to know your playdough has lasted so long. I made ours with a microwave recipe. It has tons of cream of tartar which wasn't cheap. Glad to know I won't have to replace too soon. (Assuming it gets put away like it's supposed to.)

[pbjmama]

I just scanned the thread so sorry if this is a repeat. Ask your ST for more ideas for things she can chew on like the chewy tubes. They make all sorts of things hard and soft that different kids like. Some of them are just called "P's" or "Q's". Actually you might try asking an OT. I like affordable therapy for ordering stuff like that.

[leighi123]

Crayola's twistables were the only crayons my ds could use that he couldnt really eat. You can make sure only the very tip of the crayon is out of the plastic, so its hard for them to chew any of it off.

You could make collages with larger bits of paper and other random things that are too big to eat. We use handmade 'glue' which is 1pt cornstarch + 2pts water simmered on the stove until its thick, and then let it cool.

Actually that same recipie makes good finger paint or regular paint, just add some food coloring or a little bit of kid friendly paint to the cornstarch mixture, you can adjust the texture by adding more water to thin it out or cook it more to make it thicker.

[SundayCrepes]

Thanks.

The ST gave us several chewables that are hard rubber and she doesn't like any of them. She had me buy teething toys and she likes those better.

leigh123, I'll have to try your cornstarch paint. That sounds great. My 4 year old will love making it even if my little one ends up not liking it.

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by SundayCrepes

The playdough I made has a lot of salt as well. I know. I tasted it. However, with a kid who's seeking oral stimulation, you never know what they'll put in their mouth.

I'm glad to know your playdough has lasted so long. I made ours with a microwave recipe. It has tons of cream of tartar which wasn't cheap. Glad to know I won't have to replace too soon. (Assuming it gets put away like it's supposed to.)

Put in the mouth, yes, what I'm wondering about is chewing and swallowing. If she just puts it in her mouth you can say "yes, that is yucky, here have some water and here's something you can chew on" those times when you aren't able to swoop in and give her a good chewing object before she bites it. If she's swallowing, even nasty salty stuff, then you can't risk her playing with it without super close supervision. Get the difference?

(Oh, and for your future use, the recipe I posted above only uses 2 teaspoons of cream of tarter for about 2 cups of dough)

[SundayCrepes]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

Get the difference?

She doesn't swallow the stuff so I'd never even considered that as a possibility. It's amazing how much goes on in this world that we aren't even aware of. I just don't want her putting non-solid things in her mouth.

I like your response, "yes, that is yucky, here have some water and here's something you can chew on" those times when you aren't able to swoop in and give her a good chewing object before she bites it.