Affordable Therapy Equipment Ideas You Can Use at Home
Parents ask us all the time what types of therapy equipment and everyday items they can use their child’s NDIS funding towards. We’ve seen hundreds of amazing products and companies that families benefit from, and that genuinely work for their kids.
But what about the everyday items you already have at home (or can access easily) that are affordable, simple to use, and can help you stretch your NDIS funding just that little bit further?
Source Kids recently shared a brilliant list of affordable and accessible items for therapy at home, and we’ve included their ideas below.
Here are three categories of items we use over and over again for different skills and therapy activities:
- Household items
- Recycled materials
- Cheap craft materials
Household Items for Therapy
“This is one of my favourite categories to use things from. Children love to think they are using something that they usually don’t get to play with. Items like flour, rice and shaving crème are great examples of ideas to use for sensory play. Pegs and cotton balls can work on fine motor, jugs, spoons and water have endless opportunities for water play…”
- Cookie cutters
- Flour
- Rice, grains and pasta
- Cotton balls
- Food colouring
- Laundry basket
- Plastic food containers
- Photos
- Measuring spoons and jugs
- Outdoor natural materials (sand, dirt, leaves)
- Shaving crème
- Water
- Pegs
- Aluminium foil
- Zip lock bags
Recycled Materials for Therapy
“Gone are the days where an egg carton was just an egg carton, I often incorporate them into therapy. Using fine motor skills to fill them or setting them up with sensory materials for some creative and dramatic play. My husband will often make sure that he asks if I need any of the items below for therapy before throwing them out. I really enjoy using these sort of items for two main reasons; they get one more use before they are recycled and because you don’t need to worry if they get dirtied or broken as you were getting rid of them anyway.”
- Egg cartons
- Milk cartons
- Empty boxes (for example, cereal boxes)
- Lids from baby wipes
- Bubble wrap
- Foam from packaging
- Paper towel rolls and wrapping paper rolls
- Shoe boxes
- Lids from pasta jars, juices and squeezy yoghurts
- Empty herb jars
Cheap Craft Materials
“One of my favourite things to do is visit the cheap dollar stores as they are full of never-ending ideas on items that can be easily incorporated into therapy. More often than not these items can also be used over and over again and are so cost effective. Stacking paper cups to knock down to encourage crawling, elastic bands on paper cups to encourage two-handed play, painting on butcher’s paper against a wall for some standing practice, stickers on dining chairs to encourage side stepping and cruising along furniture.”
- Pipe cleaners
- Sticky tape (coloured and clear)
- Paint (you can make homemade)
- Cellophane
- Butcher’s paper
- Blu-Tack
- Buttons
- Glitter
- Crepe paper
- Playdough (you can make homemade)
- A variety of different sized balls
- Paper cups and plates
- Elastic bands
- Stickers
How Do I Fund Therapy Equipment Through My NDIS Plan?
If you’re wondering how to use your NDIS funding to purchase items like these, they will often fall under low-cost Assistive Technology (Level 1) and are usually purchased from your Core budget.
For a clear breakdown, read: What is Assistive Technology under the NDIS? You can also chat with your Plan Manager if you’re unsure whether a specific item is appropriate to claim.
Sources
