What is a weighted lap animal?
The weighted lap animal from Harkla is a smaller and cute version of the weighted blanket.
It’s a sensory tool that offers deep touch pressure (DTP) to a person’s legs as it rests on the lap when in a seated position. With the soft, furry fabric, the lap animal is the perfect addition to help regulate the nervous system.
Sensory Inputs Provided by The Weighted Stuffed Animal
Deep Touch Pressure:
The weighted lap animal specifically provides proprioceptive input - deep pressure as well as tactile input, which is also known as Deep Touch Pressure (DTP). This type of sensory input has been shown to provide a calming effect for various individuals and situations.
Proprioceptive Input Proprioception is the awareness of the position and movement of the body. Sensory receptors are located on your skin, joints, and muscles. When we move, these sensory receptors send signals to our brain, telling it about the movement's effort, force, and heaviness. Then our body is able to provide an appropriate response.
When we think about proprioceptive movement, we can also include heavy work - any movement that works the muscles and deep pressure - any input that provides pressure to our body, and vibration. Proprioceptive input is typically calming to the nervous system.
Tips For Introducing The Weighted Animal
Some children LOVE the weighted lap animal immediately - these children love the weight that is provided.
If your child is resistant to using the weighted lap animal, try these tips to engage them:
- Talk about what the lap animal is used for. Use positive verbiage. For example, “This can help your body feel calm.”
- Start small. Allow your child to explore the lap animal before using it. Take your time. Talk about how the material feels. Talk about how heavy it is (or isn’t).
- Try using it when your child is happy and calm during the day. “Hey, let’s try your lap animal/blanket for 5 minutes while you’re playing!” This provides a positive association. Let them control when they want to stop using it for the moment.
- Use the lap animal during play activities. Use it as a sled. Roll up like a burrito. Make it fun!
- Once your child is comfortable with the lap animal, start trialing it during specific activities. “Let’s use your lap animal while you do homework.” Then talk about how it felt to use the lap animal. “Did you feel calm or more silly when the lap animal was on your lap?”
- Try adding a picture of the lap animal to the child’s visual schedule or daily routine schedule so they can see a picture of when they’re expected to use it.
- Never force your child to use the lap animal. It's meant to be a positive tool, not a negative consequence.
- Don’t stress if your child seems to love the lap animal one day but refuses it the next. Some days are better than others. Plus, as your child learns more about how their body feels, they may not need it every day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this work as a fidget toy in the classroom? Yes! As you can see in the reviews below, it's been shown to stop fidgeting for some children instantly:
"Immediately upon using the lap pad our son stopped his stimming behavior in the classroom!!! What a miracle!!!" - Loving Mother
Is the lap animal washable? Yes, it is! We recommend hand washing but when necessary, you can machine wash with cold water on a delicate cycle and low heat tumble dry or hang to dry.
How much does the lap animal weigh? The Harkla weighted lap pad is 5 pounds. Can I return the lap pad if it doesn’t work out? Absolutely. Harkla has a lifetime guarantee on all of its products. If you aren’t satisfied, we aren’t either! Click here to read about our return policy.
Final Thoughts
The weighted lap animal can be a great addition to your child’s routine. There are so many ways to utilize the lap animal to provide your child with a calm, organized sensory system in all environments.
Just remember, it’s not a magic fix or a quick fix to solving behavior and sensory challenges! It is a tool that can be used in coordination with other tools to help your child experience a happy life!
For more strategies and information, listen to All Things Sensory by Harkla podcast episode #68: Tips and Tricks for Using Weighted Products Efficiently.
If you'd like to learn more about our weighted stuffed animals, check out the articles related to them below:
