How many times have you asked your child to leave their toy cars at home, for fear of losing them while you are out and about? What are they to do when they need to wait - impatiently - somewhere? This innovative product can solve these precise problems! This washable and very portable Fold Up Car Mat is easy to pack up and take along with you to appointments, for use in social scenarios to encourage communication whilst involved in an enjoyable activity alongside others and for role play. The Car Mat was designed by an Occupational Therapist (and mum of 3 Autistic children) and has a fun Australian theme with many recognisable destinations on the car mat for them to drive their cars to, including driving from the supermarket, school, car wash, veggie store or even the local footy and cricket game - it has it all, and the cars pictured within the illustration drive on the 'correct' side of the road (well, correct for Aussies!). Countless role playing activities can be played out, again with communication encouraged between those involved. Many families use the mat in church, doctors surgeries, at restaurants and it is also great to take away on holidays.
This mat is used by many Speech Pathologists during individual and group therapy to encourage children to initiate and develop communication skills and vocabulary. They can also be located in Principal’s offices and in the ‘quiet corners’ of Pre-Schools and Child Care Centres or Primary Schools, to allow children who are overstimulated in the environment to take a break (usually from all the visual, auditory, vestibular and olfactory sensory input of a classroom), before returning to the same environment after regulating their senses.
The Fold Up Mat size is approximately 62cm x 42cm and is machine washable.
With some creative input, there are limitless opportunities to develop a child's imagination and extend their vocabulary and to encourage interactive play with all the familiar destinations for their cars to travel to and from!