Helpful Blogs
Let's Celebrate Dads!
Massive shout out to all the dads out there… and big hugs to those that have dad’s who have their angel wings. As much as I celebrate this day for my world, I very much ‘feel’ the trickiness & grief of this day for many too (hope it's not triggering to say that). Whatever your day holds, I hope it is nurturing & blessed. Mike - Kai & Kobi's Dad Love you to bits Mike! Literally couldn't do Kaiko without You. You tirelessly gives to all of us, put up with nagging & OCD tendencies (eek) & love on us in so many ways. You are unbelievably hard worker & supporter of our boys and I want to say THANK YOU MIKE for being such an incredible human, we are blessed to have you in our corner! My Dad Dad it's hard to find words to express how much my dad means to me! He tirelessly sacrifices EVERYTHING for his family, love on us, spoils us and is wise council ALWAYS. I get my impatience, expectations for perfectionism, voluptuous figure, heart, thinking outside the box, commitment to family, love of business and having a go and my generosity all from you... Honestly, I couldn't have a better dad, mentor and life coach. You literally pick me up, without judgement, every single time I fall. Love you dad... bless you are mine! Davo - Mike's Dad This is a rare photo of Davo without his 'Dr Harry' cap... her loves all over us and the boys, it's always YES when we need help, when here at Kaiko HQ; furiously can be found folds boxes for sending orders & is such a good dad, Davo (pop) and friend to many. We love you Davo.
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NDIS can be Overwhelming
NDIS can be overwhelming. I know it is for me personally navigating it for my family. The fact you even have navigated into the system is amazing and you should know you’ve done a great job, as that alone is HARD. I get asked so frequently – are we allowed to get these items and/or have items refused as part of funding for some that are plan managed - here are my take homes I got from doing recent training around the topic i thought I would share. Highly recommend though, you do the training yourself. Sam from the Growing Space is incredible & so knowledgeable (both from personal experience and professionally) and she runs online courses on it as we each take home different things and her examples and checklist and suggestions SO worth it. Please note my ponderings below aren’t advice and there is more to it of course but in case its helpful here they are. Did you know you can also just self-manage this part of your plan and leave the rest plan managed? It certainly gives greater flexibility if you’re running into stress around consumables. My personal take homes …. Section 34 of the NDIS Act only applies what goes in the plan not what its spent on once funded from what i understand & the overarching United Nations Convention that underpins the Act is around choice and control. My understanding of the legislation /ACT that underpins it all is as long as the participant can confirm YES to each of the below they are allowed to use their core funding/consumables for items such as regulation tools and sensory supports. I recommend for any participant they keep a copy of their responses attached to each of their invoices should an audit take place all that information is in place. Please excuse the language below - i am framing it in NDIS language (which can be icky IMO) • Do I need this because of my disability? (ie i wouldn’t need to buy it otherwise) • In line with your NDIS Plan Does it make sense with what's written in the NDIS Plan? • Meeting your needs - Will it help you do things you want to do to live a good life? • Affordable Can I afford the support within my support budget and plan? • Most appropriate funding body -Is it something that should be funded by the NDIS and not other government services like dental, health or hospital services, education, housing or public transport? • Is it safe? Is it safe and legal? It should not hurt you or put yourself or others at risk.
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Meet Helen a Neurodiversity-Affirming Counsellor
We wanted you to ‘meet’ Helen Poulos one of our gorgeous new stockists, who is a Neurodiversity-Affirming Counsellor in case you’re in need. She is a proud mum of two and has been a primary school teacher for over a decade, and also a professionally qualified Counsellor. She empowers families, people of all ages and senior citizens to understand, identify and meet their children’s and their own emotional, sensory, academic, and physiological needs. Being neurodivergent herself means a personal understanding of different life experiences. When it comes to hobbies, her true passion has always been helping people but what energises her the most is learning about neurodivergence, mental health and neurodiversity-affirming practice. Helen’s particular areas of interest: raising children respectful to their neurology, CPTSD and identifying and supporting late identified adults throughout their journey of identifying their neurology. Her clients say they feel a sense of relief, they're validated (usually after being dismissed when initially trying to seek a referral for diagnosis). They're able to gain priceless insight into their struggles and finally have access to the strategies that may help them proudly meet their neurodivergent needs and thrive. Her adolescent clients feel they're finally speaking to someone who "gets" them. She supports people Australia-wide on telehealth and have consulting rooms in Sydney's Inner West. She will soon be accepting NDIS funded self and plan managed clients. She has some availability for new clients so if you're in need of support feel free to reach out for a chat! Contact Helen: Facebook: facebook.com/ASKCounselling.com.au Insta: askcounselling Linkdin: www.linkedin.com/in/helen-poulos-17484a281 Or to book a discovery call via www.askcounselling.com.au 0483 191 198 info@askcounselling.com.au
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Siblings Support is Available
Are you a sibling or parent of a child or adult with additional needs who has siblings? Maybe you are an allied health professional, educator or work in the disability sector and work with siblings? If you answered yes, then Siblings Australia is your go-to for programs and supports for siblings of people with disabilities. The sibling relationship can be one of life’s longest lasting and supporting that relationship is at the core of what they do. They help to maximise the well-being of siblings and build their capacity to navigate life’s journey as the sibling of a person with a disability. Their programs and Supports include: SibWise: Designed for parents, healthcare workers, educators or disability professionals who care for, support or come into contact with siblings of children with disability. This learning program will assist people to better understand and respond to sibling needs and challenges. SibWorks: A peer support program for siblings aged 8-12. Facilitated by professionals in the health, education, disability or community services space whose work brings them into contact with siblings of children with disability. The program is designed to support siblings by building their emotional well-being and resilience and connecting with others who share the same experience. SibConnect: National, state-based, peer support groups that provide an opportunity for siblings to connect in person, and exchange experiences and provide mutual support, whether that be over a coffee or game of bowling. Recognising that, sometimes, ‘no-one understands a sib like another sib’. This program provides opportunities for siblings to connect with others who understand the sibling experience better than anyone. SibChat: An online private chat group (hosted on Facebook) exclusively for adult siblings to find support and connect with others who understand the sibling experience. Provides an opportunity for siblings to connect online in a moderated forum, exchange experiences, and provide mutual support. Subscribe to Siblings Australia updates via their website . They’d also love to hear from anyone with a TeenSib (aged 13-17 years) that would be interested in helping them create some teen-specific activities, such as: A discord server for teens to connect and chat via an online community. Collecting written/videoed stories of teen experiences as a sibling. Online/in-person peer groups for teens to meet and hang out with each other directly.
Read moreOur Top 12 Favourite Fidget Toys
Bond & Wild Blog Written by J.E.M Hast As support workers and members of the neurodiverse community, the team and Bond & Wild spend a lot of time playing with fidget toys, which can also be helpful for stress relief in senior living communities. Our favourite supplier is Kaiko Fidgets, a Melbourne-based family company with a neurodivergent team! They make a lot of their fidgets and have a huge variety available through their website and at in-person events. I actually first met Kai and his mum Joanne at the Mornington Craft Market quite a few years ago, when they were just starting out. I remember having a lovely chat with Joanne and picking up some Christmas gifts for friends and family, as well as a fidget to try for myself. This was well before I was diagnosed with ASD and ADHD, but something about the spinning, shiny fidgets were irresistible. Since then I’ve been a return customer, both at conventions and their online store. So, of course, I leapt at the opportunity to review some of their fidgets! The fidgets on this list are all from either my household collection or the Bond & Wild company stash. (This isn’t a sponsored post - we just genuinely love their products.) However, everyone has unique sensory needs and will have wildly different opinions on each fidget. To give you a balanced perspective, I roped some friends and family in to help me review each toy! Seven of us, aged between 23 and 65, sat down with each fidget and filled out forms rating each one in four categories: Sensory - Is it fun to play with? Does it feel nice? Suitability - How well does it help you focus or self-regulate? Subtlety - Could you use this in public, like at work or school? Satisfaction - How do you rate it overall? For each category, participants rated each fidget on a scale of 1 to 5 stars. (Yes, all the categories start with an S - I had to make them match…) They could also make optional comments. This list has been ordered based on the average satisfaction rating for each toy, starting from lowest to highest. Averages have been rounded to one decimal place. Let’s get into it! 12. Stretch Bunny The Stretch Bunny is a cute little rabbit that can be pulled and reshaped. The outside has a rubbery texture and the filling feels like sand. Mine didn’t come from Kaiko, but it is the same as the one stocked on their website. Sensory: 2.7/5 Suitability: 2.4/5 Subtlety: 2.1/5 Satisfaction 2.7/5 “Sooo cute! I feel bad for squishing it but it's fun to smush it into shape.” - J, 27 “Very good. Only problems are loud 'rice' noise when squeezing and impact of size on concealment.” - F, 23 “Very bad. The sound and texture is gross.” - L, 23 11. Hungry D The 'Hungry D' is a metal fidget made up of an outer ring and bike chain links. The chain can be pushed in and out of the ring, or twirled around on fingers. Sensory: 2.4/5 Suitability: 2.8/5 Subtlety: 3.7/5 Satisfaction 2.7/5 “A little noisy, but wouldn't distract other people.” - L, 23 “…I want to go riding my bike!” - S, 65 “Annoying. Cold.” - T, 55 10. Marble Mesh The Marble Mesh Fidget is a simple toy constructed with mesh and containing a single marble. You play with it by pushing the marble up and down. Sensory: 2.6/5 Suitability: 2.9/5 Subtlety: 4.1/5 Satisfaction 2.7/5 “Love it! Top 3!” - T, 55 “The texture of the black mesh is very rough. While enjoyable, the motion… becomes repetitive after a short duration.” - F, 23 “Probably too small for my hand size.” - S, 65 9. Jelly Mochi Bunny The Jelly Mochi Animals come in a range of colours and types of animal. Mine is a purple bunny! They’re soft, squishy fidgets which can be stretched, squeezed and smushed. Sensory: 3/5 Suitability: 3.1/5 Subtlety: 3.7/5 Satisfaction 3/5 “Doesn't get sticky like some other mochi, which is great. Really feels like jelly!” - J, 27 “Clammy and sticky. Not a favourite.” - S, 65 “Feels like it came out of a nappy.” - T, 55 8. Fidget Pad The fidget pad is like the classic fidget cube, but improved! Its shape is reminiscent of a miniature game controller, making it particularly appealing for gamers. It has a range of sensory features on a small surface. While mine was from Kaiko, it’s an old, simpler design which might not be available anymore. However, the newer ones are more vibrant and have some patterned designs. Sensory: 3.6/5 Suitability: 3.4/5 Subtlety: 2.7/5 Satisfaction 3/5 “Big fan. I like that it has noisy and quiet options. Lots of ways to fidget.” - J, 27 “Good options. The amount of noise from some options means it can't be taken anywhere.” - L, 23 “It's not for me. More resistance would be nice. It's a bit flimsy.” - E, 28 7. Infinity Cube Infinity cubes are becoming more and more popular. The eight connected cubes fold in various ways which allow you to engage with either one or both hands. Unfortunately, many infinity cubes available at toy stores are made from cheap, lightweight plastic with visible seams. The ones available at Kaiko are much sturdier. They come in three weights - here, we’ve looked at the lightest (silver) and heaviest (black) varieties. The silver infinity cube is the original and the lightest in the collection. Unlike the others, it isn’t made of metal, which means that it’s also the quietest. Sensory: 3.3/5 Suitability: 3.4/5 Subtlety: 2.1/5 Satisfaction 3/5 “Very enjoyable to use and movement requires just the right amount of effort. Noisy clicks reduces subtlety.” - F, 23 “Love love love. Too noisy for quiet places though.” - L, 23 “I was worried it would break if moved the wrong way.” - S, 65 The black infinity cube is made from zinc alloy metal and has impressive heft. It’s almost twice the weight of its silver counterpart, despite being the same size. Sensory: 3/5 Suitability: 3.3/5 Subtlety: 2/5 Satisfaction 3/5 “Really easy to get into a rhythm with this. Excellent weight.” - J, 27 “Could use in public settings like cafes but not at work or school - clicking is very obvious. Too heavy for long term use.” - L, 23 “Transformers gone wrong.” - T, 55 6. Flappy the Squishy Duck Flappy the Squishy Duck is a delightfully bright yellow duck. He can be squeezed and gently pulled, as he’s made of foam-like material. His wings, legs and neck also flap, which makes him a great companion for people like me who enjoy flapping as a stim. Sensory: 3.3/5 Suitability: 3.6/5 Subtlety: 2.6/5 Satisfaction 3.1/5 “Very nice to squeeze and pull. Perfect amount of squeeze, give and resistance. It's a massive yellow thing, therefore not subtle.” - F, 23 “Sticky and somewhat gross. But FUN!” - S, 65 “Would score higher if it didn't gather dust/fluff so readily.” - E, 28 5. Wooden Twist & Lock This colourful wooden fidget is made of 12 wood blocks connected by elastic. The grooves on the blocks enable the user to twist this fidget into a range of shapes (like pictured). Sensory: 3.6/5 Suitability: 3.1/5 Subtlety: 3/5 Satisfaction 3.3/5 “One of my faves! The colours are great and it makes a satisfying clicky noise.” - J, 27 “Can make shapes, good snap, scrunchable.” - E, 28 “Corners don't feel great.” - S, 65 4. Noomi Squeezibo The Squeezibo by Noomi is a fidget made from squishy rubber encased in a stretchy cotton fabric. I purchased mine directly from Noomi at least four years ago and it’s still going strong! It weights around 75 grams, heavier than most squishies, and is very durable. Sensory: 3.6/5 Suitability: 3.1/5 Subtlety: 4.1/5 Satisfaction 3.3/5 “Soft and squishy! Yum!” - S, 65 “Nice texture, great size. Fave.” - T, 55 “The texture is weird. Kinda unsettling.” - L, 23 3. Fiddle Stick The Fiddle Stick is a nifty fidget with several distinct functions, including a switch, a rolling ball and numerous buttons. Mine came with the standard fidget spinner attachment, but we tested it without any attachments. (Apparently there’s a new cog attachment, which I’m really keen to try!) Sensory: 3.9/5 Suitability: 3.1/5 Subtlety: 2.7/5 Satisfaction 3.4/5 “The highlight of this is the amount of stuff you can do on a small package.” - F, 23 “Too noisy but great variety for senses.” - T, 55 “Lots of options - like that. Noisy, not super subtle. Would like the slider to be springloaded.” - L, 23 2. Cog Spinner The 42 gram cog spinner isn’t your typical fidget spinner. This tough metal fidget has three interlocking gears which can be rolled independently of the main spin function. Spinning it around the centre axis creates a fast, quiet spin with a mild level of vibration. Sensory: 3.6/5 Suitability: 3.3/5 Subtlety: 3.4/5 Satisfaction 3.4/5 “Very subtle. Good weight. I like how repetitive it is.” - L, 23 “Big fan of metal. Suitable for large pockets.” - E, 28 “Feels like you should have more ways to use it… Cogs feel uncomfortable on skin.” - F, 23 1. Spinning Cube The oil slick spinning cube is a uniquely shaped spinner constructed from three parts. You can hold both corner pieces to spin the main body, or vice versa. The beautiful oil slick effect is lovely when still but absolutely spectacular when you set the fidget in motion. This was by far the most popular fidget, receiving more 5 star ratings than any other. Sensory: 3.6/5 Suitability: 3.6/5 Subtlety: 3.6/5 Satisfaction 4.1/5 “Great weight and feel. Like how the light reflects as it spins.” - S, 65 “Nice weight. Good spin. Very nice.” - L, 23 “Metal. Cold. Shockingly satisfying/mesmerising.” - T, 55
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Two autistic adults talk about adult diagnosis, parenting neurodivergent families and why fidget tools.
Joanne Seymon is an Occupational Therapist, mother of a neurodivergent family, founder of Kaiko Fidgets and was diagnosed Autistic/ADHD at 51 years of age.
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Celebrate Mothers Day the Neuro Spicy Way
For us, understanding this fact is everything… consistency around food (of texture, taste, smell) is key. It's not that we necessarily just want junk food, but what we DO NEED is things to taste, smell and feel the same way in our mouth each time. It is why its super common to see both children and adults smell food before they pop it in their mouth, even food they’ve had before countless times. Also, predictability is often super helpful in regulating and managing our world. I know I like (almost need) to eat the same thing EVERY DAY for breakfast. Sometimes I’ll eat ‘the thing’ so much that then it's ‘dead’ to me and I can’t make it again and I then move on to my new hyperfocus breakfast. As an emerging (in self-understanding) Autistic & ADHD’er I also get that breakfast is often my only consistent meal, as I often forget to eat and drink throughout the day… Something many of us struggle with. As I unpack my self-understanding of being a late-identified neuro spicy human, the surprising gift has been more self-compassion and grace, I am kinder to myself now & I also understand why things are important to me & that’s it is perfectly OK rather than think I’m weird or broken. I wanted to share for a range of reasons… firstly because, well lets be honest…I am an OVER SHARER, but also in the hope that it explains, affirms & validates the some of the things you may experience in your world. Have an awesome day! Jo
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Kaiko Fidgets on Sunrise
This very clever Melbourne teenager has managed to turn his fidgeting into a rewarding family business. - Sunrise
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Back to School tools to help with the transition
Heading back to school can be challenging, for ALL ages! Often for us as parents/carers too!As both an Occupational Therapist & mumma of a neurodistinct household I frequently get asked what are my recommendations for sensory supports. They can make such a difference in how they manage both the transition back to school and also the day to day anxiety throughout the year. So… I’ve pulled together 3 kits with my top picks. An early primary kit, an upper primary kit and a secondary kit. It may be your child suits one from a different category - trust your gut on that, but these are my go-to items.There are loads of other awesome supports in our back to school collection also if you’re wanting additional support. Feel free to ask me any child-specific questions too :)Joanne SeymonOccupational Therapist
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Interview by The Platform
Hi! My name is Kai (he/him) and I’m 16 years old. I am Autistic and Dyslexic. I love manga, anime, anything to do with Japan. I enjoy exercise, playing chess, D & D and talking about my special interests. I am also the founder of my family-owned business: Kaiko Fidgets!
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Back to School Tips
Transitions into a New School year and not easy on any child, especially our neurodiverse kids. Planning ahead can be helpful with both sensory supports and practical things that can make it a little easier.
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What does Hubba Bubba, crunchy apples & carrots have in common?
Did you know chewing gum, crunchy apples & carrots are some of the best sensory supports around?
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