Build OT into the everyday.
(All views are my own as a parent.  They do not constitute professional advice.)

Weighted and sensory things tend to come with a warning to only use with a professional.
Yes, maybe I should have an OT in the background advising, but I don't have that (3 years on a waiting list for OT, and my son is unlikely to go to an appointment anyway), so I use trial and error. (I did ask a private OT once was a weighted blanket dangerous, as in death, and she said no)

We do games of push ups and who can hold themself up the longest by their hands and who can lift the most.
I have a small weighted blanket for the couch and a larger weighted blanket that helps with sleep. My son chooses whether to use them or not. The larger one is very colourful and he loves it.
I have a timed lava lamp in his bedroom.
He has a weighted lap snake that he puts over his shoulders sometimes.
I have sensory beanbags: you have to do a lot of work to get out of them. He sits in one while on xbox. His friends love it too so I got a second.
I use straws in all drinks. I have chewing gum with me always. My son started chewing the computer wire so I bought a selection of special needs chews. Everytime he has a wire in his mouth I say nothing but replace it with a chew. Now he uses them on his own.
My son does not get a lot of exercise and during our housebound phase I looked at trying to bring the exercise to the boy.
I created an activity room, with full lenght kickboxing punchbag, a pull up bar in the doorway, an exercise bike, weights and stretch exercise bands. I used to push him in a swing seat hard against a mattress leaning against the wall. Now he's too big and I'm going to replace the swing seat with an adult cuddle seat. His use of the room varies, but it was also a resource for me when I was housebound and continues to offer an exercise room for me too.

I have lots of different types of balls from yoga ball to pingpong. I set up pingpong on my kitchen table. I have putty. I have paint. I have a box at the end of my son's bed with stress balls and putty and a bodysox in it. It is an emotional toolbox but we don't call it that, we call it his Minecraft crate.

I have an outdoor trampoline. Unfortunately my son only uses it when other children are over so it wasn't worth the expense. I'm looking at a small indoor one as one he's more likely to use.

I amassed all this stuff slowly, one thing at a time. Some were an instant hit, others ignored at first, but all have had their uses over time.




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