It took us a long time to understand that what looked like fidgeting was actually something much more important. Our son wasn't being disruptive when he wiggled in his chair or needed something in his hands. He was regulating.
Sensory Regulation: The Basics
When the nervous system is dysregulated—overwhelmed, under-stimulated, or anxious—the body will often seek input to try to rebalance itself. For children with autism or PDA, this need for sensory input is frequently more intense, more constant, and more specific than in neurotypical children.
Once we understood this, so much of his behaviour made sense. The hand-flapping during excitement. The foot-bouncing at the dinner table. The way he'd chew on his collar. These weren't bad habits or a lack of self-control—they were his nervous system doing its job.
What's In Our Sensory Toolkit
Over time, we've curated a small collection of things that genuinely help. Articulated animals—particularly the flexible, jointed kind that you can move in your hands—have been a revelation. He carries one in his school bag and will often come home, pull it out, and spend ten minutes quietly bending and flexing it while he decompresses from the day.
We also use: small fidget tools he can keep on his desk, a weighted blanket for evenings, and what we call "movement breaks"—agreed moments where he can jump, spin, or roll before being expected to focus again.
Why We Started Making Our Own
Made In Cobham grew partly from this need. When we couldn't always find the right sensory-friendly, open-ended toys in shops, we started 3D printing them ourselves. The Wigglekins, the Fidget Flickerz, the articulated creatures—these were born from watching our son and asking: what does he actually need? What would genuinely help?
We're not a therapy service. We're parents who found something that worked and wanted to share it.
Finding What Works for Your Child
Every child is different, and what regulates one child can over-stimulate another. If you're just starting to explore sensory tools, we'd suggest starting small: one or two things, offered without pressure, and paying close attention to what your child gravitates toward. The best sensory tool is the one they actually want to use.
