20 Low Tech Items - Dollar Store
By Chris Heisler & Jill Martin
Today's activity brought Jill & I to the dollar store to find some low-tech items that could be used to enhance performance of an individual with a disability. It was amazing how many options there were once we got a little creative with the items we found. I'm really pleased with the letter/cookie sheet activity, as I feel as though this is something that I can bring in on day one of the school year and use!
1) Magnetic Letters - these magnetic letters could be used in tandem with any metal surface to identify letters, letter sounds and to make words. They would be helpful for students with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia.
2) Floormat Blocks - these blocks could be used as a puzzle and could be useful with developing fine motor skills.
3) Magnifying Glass - could be helpful for anyone with a visual impairment in reading smaller texts.
4) Foam Pool Noodle Connector - this could be a great sensory object for a child with autism, to help relieve tension or stress when feeling overwhelmed. Children could put their hands/arms in the pool noodle.
6) Large Bath Brush - this brush could be used to paint with, if someone had trouble gripping a regular paintbrush due to fine motor skill difficulties or any other physical disability. It would allow them to participate in in-class art activities, as well as extra-curricular painting.
7) Blue Document Holder - this document holder (found in multiple colors) could be used to assist a person with dyslexia with reading. Colored transparencies, put over texts on white backgrounds, can help stabilize letters, making it easier for the individual to focus & gain meaning from text. 
8) Medicine Bottle Magnifier - this item would be very helpful for anyone with visual impairments. It helps magnify the texts on medicine bottles in order to prevent confusion. 
9) Play-Doh - Play-Doh could be used for a variety of different reasons: it could be sensory for children with autism, it could be used as a fun way to build letters/words for people with learning disabilities, it could be used to build shapes for children learning them who may have low-retention. 10) Jar - this item would be great for making a little sensory jar for children with autism. It’s small enough that they could fill it with their favorite items & keep it within hands reach, in order to use it whenever they see fit to help ease anxiety or stressful situations.
11) Toothbrush Holder- Add rocks or beads to this item and it could be used as a noise maker for students. It is easy to hold for most and has ribbing which adds sensory details.
12) Caterpillar Toy- This item is prickly and squishy and would be great for children who enjoy sensory activities for entertainment or calming.
13) Hands free binoculars- This item could be used for students who don’t have the use of their hands or have low vision. The binoculars strap around your head and magnify what you are looking at. 
14) Frisbee- This giant frisbee is soft in texture and is larger and easier to hold than a regular frisbee. This can allow everyone to particpate. 
15) Enlarged Badminton racket and Shuttle- This item would be good for students with low vision or slower hand eye coordination.
16) Jumbo calculator- This item would be good for students with low vision or for students who want to learn numbers.
18) Foam Building Blocks- This item could be used to build, stack or sort. They are made out of foam so it could be used to squeeze when a child feels stressed. This item could also be dipped in paint or glue and used for a crafting activity.
19) Positive saying Pilons- This item could be used as a stacking or sorting activity. They are large in size so would be good for any student who has difficulty with fine motor skills. They have a rubbery, smooth texture.
20) Dish Scrubber- This item could be used to clean surfaces or dishes. Students could use this for painting or as a tool for scratching an itch. This item has a rough texture so would be good for students who like sensory details.
Very nice, It was interesting to see so many inexpensive items used for such valuable purposes.
ReplyDeleteVery nice, It was interesting to see so many inexpensive items used for such valuable purposes.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas Chris (and Jill). I like that you showed the magnetic letters and cookie sheets. At the primary level we use these everyday so I kind of forgot that it is another lo-tech option. One create twist we were shown through our Beginning Readers PD this year was to use an acetate graph/chart with spaces for each letter. The acetate will stick directly to the cookie sheet thanks to static cling and this way you can arrange and store the letters in alphabetical order. This cuts down on the length of time it takes some kids (and you) to find the letters during word building activities. I'm pretty sure I have an electronic template that I can email you.
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