Autistic adult tests out sensory products

Join me as I review some exciting sensory products, many of them recommended by an occupational therapist! Sensory play is not just for kids, autistic adults can also benefit from sensory regulation, provided you get the right stuff.
LINKS 🔗
Autistic traits workbook: mybook.to/thinkyoureautistic
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AFFILIATE LINKS 🔗 (If you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission)
Tray: amzn.to/3oOiRU8
Kinetic sand shimmer teal: amzn.to/43I5L9P
Mad Mattr: amzn.to/42oK5OQ
Thinking Putty: amzn.to/43BUGa8
Pluffle: amzn.to/43oueBp
Playfoam: amzn.to/3qnXDNo
Water beads: amzn.to/3MTygKK
Instant snow: amzn.to/3qtiwH1
Bath slime: amzn.to/3WQZxlF
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
01:10 The Tray
02:35 Kinetic Sand
04:48 Mad Mattr
07:23 Intelligent Putty
09:10 Pluffle
11:42 Playfoam
13:04 Water beads
14:40 SnoBall Play
16:14 Glibbi Galaxy Bath Slime

[@sueannevangalen5186]

The "Pluffle" was a really fun visual stim, when it fluffs up and falls apart. I was like "Oooooh!" 😅 P.S. I'm going to be walking around the house repeating the word "Pluffle" all day. And having a marvelous time.

[@Neonatnoon]

Same, it’s a fun word😊

[@Hi_Im_Akward]

Agree that was my favorite visually and might get some

[@ferrariramsgobrrr]

One of my special interests is true neapolitan pizza, and I've gotten into hand mixing dough from the very start, i.e. incorporating the flour into the water using my hand as though it were a dough hook, rather than mixing with a spoon in the bowl and then kneading by hand once it's a cohesive mass. And goddamn I get a lot out of the hand mixing. It's sensory, it's mindful, it's connecting with a special interest, and it's physically engaging.

[@ferrariramsgobrrr]

Since getting diagnosed aged 29 I've started working with an Occupational Therapist and it's so nice to have access to.

[@Subzero_2]

The roller coaster ride from feels like a cloud to pond scum. Great video

[@YoSamdySam]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@alexandrasanderson6554]

On the topic of water beads, I used to do a bit of backyard Aluminium smelting (ie, melting down aluminium cans in a homemade smelter), and I bought a bunch of the water beads after seeing a youtube video of someone pouring liquid aluminium into a bucket full of really big water beads (larger than these ones) and getting cool coral shaped aluminium 'sculptures' out of it. So I filled a steel drum (like, big bucket sized drum) with water beads when some friends were around for a party, and did a little sculpture thing, which came out okay but not great, since the beads were smaller than ideal for that purpose. And then we had a drum full of bath water temperature water beads. Did I mention that like, 2/3 of my friends are ND in one way or another? We all had to experiment with the sensation of just pushing our hands through the warm water beads, and through the rest of the evening, every now and then people would go outside between rounds of board games or whathaveyou, just to stick their hands in the bucket for the raw sensation of it

[@laurakru5951]

Hahaha German viewer appreciated the Easter Egg! And the video was a lot fun to watch. 😄 I guess you meant „Knete“, this would be dough (or play dough to be more precise). I definitely need to look into this stuff, esp the Mad Mattr or the „intelligente Knete“ (But no sticky or slimy stuff! Sticky and slimy bad! 🙊)

[@YoSamdySam]

Thanks 😊

[@liablume5620]

German viewer as well here and I have intelligente Knete somewhere... I think I have an idea where it is but haven't used it in years

[@liablume5620]

But mine smells bad (always has) that's why I stopped using it

[@crypterkametaron1982]

same@@liablume5620

[@phedran]

I have a bean bag frog friend that i use for squishing and comfort stimming, pocket sized and soft to stroke, highly recommend!

[@SB-th8uc]

Hello 😊 I just wanted to leave a comment as I was inspired by you to go through the autism diagnosis process recently after watching your videos. I received a diagnosis yesterday as a Level 1 autistic person. I feel immense relief in knowing, and can be at peace. I just wanted to pass my appreciation for your good work. Have a great day all 👍

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

I recently bought a 4'x6' grass area rug. It's got the texture of real grass, without the sticks, rocks and other things in there that can hurt. Plus, it can be used in doors as well. It's very satisfying to walk over without the shoes on. Although, it is kind of on the noisy side.

[@therachelmontgomery]

Can I ask where you got it?

[@laurahoman7083]

My favorite sensory object is the hand warmers I crocheted with silk and bamboo yarn. I've never felt anything else so soft.

[@elisabethm9655]

LOL…so much fun to watch you with the kinetic sand type things. But I wanted to mix them! I know that’s not the way you like to play, but those all look like so much fun. I remember absolutely adoring silly putty and also getting into terrific trouble playing in the mud outside and in puddles. I really got blasted (mind you I was in my teens) when I discovered the magic of cornstarch - gloops and doughs. Kneading bread was ‘my job’ when my mother made it. I still like these types of ‘play’ Thanks for sharing these products.

[@otakutante]

"Knete" basically means to be clay for children that is not supposed to dry as quickly as air dry clay does. It is also supposed to be used several times to play around with instead of being just used once like it is typical for clay. I hope I could help with that description a bit :D

[@Anne-cs3bx]

I just got mad mattr for me and my two AuDHD kids and they played with it for 90 minutes! They never EVER play with anything that long!! It was incredible. Thank you😭😂

[@Anne-cs3bx]

I also loved how it was soft and dry, and not at all sticky. And really not messy. I had each one of us to use a separate rimmed baking tray. And it worked great.

[@Jalaliel]

I have a bunch of orbeez/water beads in a clear plastic container; I put a light under the container and it makes a nice visual stim as well as a tactile one ❤

[@Zombymom7]

They smell awful if you leave them too long

[@memelchang]

"this will keep your kids busy for a really long time" uhhh... yes. my children. definitely. i have those. the toys are certainly not for me

[@Omneyvdwatering]

I love soft fluffy fabric. I have an extremely soft fluffy cat. Just stroking that calms me down.

[@Krista2882]

The "Playfoam" at 11:48- I had that stuff when I was a kid, but it was called "Floam". I love the sound of it, and I liked squishing it, too.

[@AurorasWindow]

I was stressed watching this video 😅 kinetic sand makes me so nervous. Not because how it feels, that I kinda like, a little, but the fear that it would get everywhere and then I’d have to clean. My child and I do enjoy slime, but never get it because of the same fear hshahaha But I LOVE water beads 😊

[@zibadian467]

My fav. sensory things are different types of Bicycle playing cards. I have the Aureo, Stargazer Sunspot and plastic cards. Each has a different texture to the cards from rich to non-existent. The advantage is also that you can take them easily while travelling, as they are not messy and relatively small (standard playing card deck size).

[@portraitoftheautist]

Sam, really enjoyed the video, i am 48, undiagnosed but certainly autistic, thanks for opening a door in my mind that i did not even know was there, have a lovely day 😊

[@yougirl2911997]

Heel blij met je video's!! Zo herkenbaar en je verwoord het zo goed! Dankjewel 🙏🏼

[@atropos_thefate]

The Intelligent Putty sounds like the Aaron’s Thinking Putty that I have (in the USA). I love that stuff-more moldable than silly putty and really nice feel. Mine is shiny like a scarab, mesmerizingly beautiful.

[@laurakurkowski4413]

My scarab one separated and got gross. 😢 None of my others have.

[@orelsa82]

The one in the metal tin is called Thinking Putty in the U.S.

[@glea94]

this was such a fun video! I don't think I've commented before, but I've been watching your content over the last year or so since realising I'm probably autistic. Your videos were one of the first helpful resources I found and I have been on the waitlist for a diagnosis for just over a year. Thanks for your videos, you're spreading so much great information and you seem to have great fun doing it!

[@philurbaniak1811]

👍👍thank you so much for the demo, I really appreciate this!

[@AutisticlyRose]

Loved this, would love to see more please!

[@Hi_Im_Akward]

There are glitter bottles I was thinking about getting or making. Its mostly just for a visual stim to calm down but I really like the idea of it especially to help me when I'm stressed. Older kids definitely can have one as long as they understand not to open it.

[@LoveCrumb]

I keep putting off finding adult sensory toys for myself, but this is pushing me to try some here in Canada-this looked like so much needed fun!

[@LaCafedora]

My friends got some of these things for the foster child they briefly cared for, so I had a chance to try them. I hated everything. It's clear that they are enjoyable by others, but they all leave some kind of residue on my hands that I find upsetting. I do like dry, clean things, fluffy or smooth. Petting my cat is lovely, as is sweeping my fingers through my own hair. I also enjoy lying nude on a microfiber blanket or on fresh sheets. In fact, if there is the tiniest particle of anything on my sheets, I cannot rest. I habitually sweep the bed before I lie in it. So I'm apparently very particular about what touches my skin. I don't totally understand what's going on there, but it's definitely a Thing. Thanks very much for the feedback about this. I am nonetheless curious about the sensory experience of others despite my own brand of weird.

[@cloudGremlin]

Another person who hates the residue! I’ve played with a few of these (kinetic sand, putty, slimes) and though I do love the feel of kinetic sand I hate hate the feeling of that little residue it leaves on your hands. I like running my hands over rough, firm textures more- I rub my hands and jewelry a lot when I’m out and about lol

[@nightfalldust]

I didn't like these ones either. because of the residue, and also because they just feel icky. I was kind of hoping there would be slime, because I do like slime, but I have to wash my hands a lot after, because it just feels weird. there's also different types of slime as well, that I like and don't like. I think I just generally don't like the messy stuff.

[@piddlydiddly]

struggle with them too, they all seem to attract dust and hair and that gives me big ick

[@zumaone3692]

Watching this video was so much fun...Thank you for doing it. :) I do have the sand and thinking putty and love both of them; hopefully I will be able to try some of the other things out soon.

[@electron2601]

Yes!!! I love it when you make videos. I'm busy at work but super excited to watch it later!😊

[@reallyeasy100]

I just bought myself a small Mad Mattr sample, and I love it! Thank you for the recommendation.

[@WonAndOnlyWonton]

So uhm… Im autistic. But learning about autism is my special interest. Your channel has been a haven for me

[@BilliesCraftRoom]

My current special interest is making mandala from loose play itrms. Great and Vicki brands have been fab. Awesome on so many levels. It's wood, feels nice to rummage through in box, sorting by shape or colours and brain also living making patterns with it.

[@cindiwright5677]

Thanks for showing the different products!

[@GorditaGuerita]

This was fun to watch and listen to!

[@katie1353]

Love love LOVE this! I still play with blu tack to this day, was so happy when I discovered they make it in pink now! I do love a good putty too. My boys and I love the stress balls with water beads inside, they do eventually burst but then we keep the beads in a bowl and play with them. I've been wanting kinetic sand for ages and now want it even more. And that pluffle stuff looks amazing too! My youngest (9) has struggles with handwriting and find motor skills so definitely worth trying some of these out with him too and he loves putty etc too. Thank you for this video. It was so fun to watch! X

[@slimsonite2111]

A sneaky squish. Haha! Love it

[@reginaw5085]

Please do more videos like that!

[@BilliesCraftRoom]

I like the look of fluffle, but the one I got have me migraine as it was so strong chemical smell and didn't like the silicon feel in it left on my hsnds. Love kinetic sand! I watched same videos of it and had to get some. I keep some in a herb jar,with a wooden craft stick held to the side of the jar. I love it. It's great to like at with clay tools too. Warning SOME options are scented, so choose carefully.

[@BilliesCraftRoom]

Home made wise, recycling empty jars, putting rice, lentils or sand in them. Nice to look at, shake for sound of like at for touch.A great way to use up out of date unused dry food items.

[@mgracie8129]

List of my favourites, play dough (homemade), chia seed with water and food colour for a food safe slim, kinetic sand, lovveeeddd fake snow as a kid and also the foam ball stuff but i remember it being different? We used to build stuff with it and it would dry out. Chickpea foam with food dye that you can make patterns with if you just do dots of dye. Jelly 😅 again edible (can you tell i have a toddler)

[@punkee666]

I added more glitter to my shimmery kinetic sand, you can add a fair bit without it falling out of the mixture 😊

[@webratjen]

loved this. your honest takes, the full disclosure affiliate links, the not liking everything!

[@nathanmiller7324]

I think you might be able to make the kinetic sand shimmery by adding mica particles to it; I know that polymer clay that looks shimmery or 'metallic' uses mica.

[@YoSamdySam]

Great idea!

[@c_and_l]

@@YoSamdySam Mica (as a mineral) can be toxic - so I'd be really careful with trying this, especially if you're trying to grind it or similar yourself. Make sure you're careful what you're getting.

[@theljconrad]

Thanks for an interesting and useful video. This week I visited a sand beach and I found touching the dry sand to be so therapeutic and calming! So I was considering buying some kinectic sand as a no-mess alternative that I can use at home. Dunno if it would have the same appeal since I guess it is more like wet sand, but looks like it will still have some stress relief benefits.

[@YoSamdySam]

It's definitely sand-like but not the same as dry sand. Unique texture!

[@JayJay-if5rl]

This was such a great video - I have ADHD and spinners don’t really do anything for me but I love playing with clay or blue tack so this has given me some more ideas. Could I ask you to post a link to the clear storage boxes from Amazon? I’m in the UK as well. Many thanks

[@tabitas.2719]

There's definitely been enough people so far, but "Knete" is playdough. :D I also love your Dutch accent of speaking German. ;) So writing this info again to boost the algorithm. :) I'm glad I'm getting around to more of your content after quite a while of ... yeah, life? Thanks for all your content; I enjoy it! :)

[@tabitas.2719]

I do want to add that your German is very comprehensible and it was a neat easter egg to hear you read the whole instructions at the end! :) (*trying to prevent misunderstandings, as tone is lost in text...)

[@whitneymason406]

My son and daughter both love Kinetic Sand! I like it too!

[@DryadsBounty]

Good gawd, Sam?! My visceral reaction to just imagining touching any of these products…except maybe the water beads…had me hiding my hands in revulsion😬😬 My curiosity is piqued though as to what other sensory play aides there are?!

[@user-nt1fg9tp4j]

Hello There Sam My Name Is Georgia I’m 23, From The UK & On Tuesday The 23rd Of May This Year 2023 I Was Officially Diagnosed With Autism.

[@user-nt1fg9tp4j]

Thank You So Much Sam.

[@dinieldelaware]

Hi their sensory stuff has definitely been a problem for me and my entire and I never understood why until after my autism diagnosis. I'm so glad that you made a video on this!! I also started a KZbin channel in hopes of helping others who are late diagnosed, any constructive criticism would be good 😊

[@Scarygothgirl]

Great video! Something I'm always curious about with these kinds of products is the smell. What do they smell like? Does the smell linger on your hands?

[@user-gl6dg8ho3j]

As far as I know, you CAN reuse the snow. Just let it dry out. And apparently, the same powder is used in diapers (and menstrual pads?).

[@carolahoms1117]

I’m still a bit confused on when and why to use sensorie things for myself, but I will try out that when my kid is really hyper to give him some clay to play.... maybe I should think of a sensory box and put it out to see when I find the need to just tuch sand oid

[@Ben_79]

setting fire to sensory products...cant wait for that video ....😁

[@Resie78]

My oldest put glitter in our pink kinetic sand. We now have very sparkly sand, and the way it works hasn't changed. So if you want sparkles/shimmers, that's a way to do it. But yeah, they shouldn't put "shimmer" on the package if you have to look for them with a magnifying glass.

[@SimoneGD]

Kinderfysio isn’t the same as occupational therapist, the word you look for there is ergotherapie. But there are some overlapping areas between the two occupations (physical therapy and occupational therapy) so I get the confusion. - now let’s watch the rest of the video (paused at 0:23 mark, ooops!)

[@YoSamdySam]

The kinderfysio we go to does a variety of different therapies (sensory integration, regular physio, fine motor skills etc) so maybe they aren't the "typical"

[@SimoneGD]

@@YoSamdySam that makes sense for a kinderfysio I suppose. There are also occupational therapists who have speciality in working with children, sensory integration and such. But as I mentioned; the two fields overlap a bit. I’ve been to different “handtherapie” specialists (for elbow and wrist problems) which have been both physical therapists AND occupational therapists, just to give an example. They had some overlap in what they could offer and do for me but still were their own speciality. And yes, maybe your therapist isn’t typical. Sometimes I see therapists having a variation of therapies they offer I find really.. something. For example: a form of physical therapy, coaching, emdr, hypno therapy, sleep therapy and sensory integration all combined in one therapist. For me that sounds like a bit much! 😬🙈

[@johnhatton4290]

I think the fake snow is a similar material to the absorbant core of nappy. Not sure how someone discovered that though 😂.

[@YoSamdySam]

I'm not sure how they can say it's suitable for outdoors then because that seems... Highly polluting?

[@magicalspacegiraffe]

I share the lack-of-sparkle disappointment... Btw, you mentioned there are some diy recipes online, would you consider making a video about some of those? I'm sure someone else has done it on KZbin, though I just like your way of conveying things 😅

[@YoSamdySam]

Good idea!

[@tigermind108]

I'm the sort of person who hates the feeling of Weird Stuff on My Hands, so I'm probably not the target demographic for any of these 😆 But as somebody who's only recently started being intentional about paying attention to the sensory things that work for me, I still really enjoyed this video-both 'cause it's just fun, but also as a model of what that kind of intentional investigation looks like!

[@darkangelprincess101]

The foam ball one is a strange one for sure. My kids love it and I love playing with it but I don't know what to do with it

[@alejandro-314]

Really fun video. My son's birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks and I think I'll get the Mad Mattr! I was looking for a gift that we both can use 😅 That slimy stuff looks disgusting 😂

[@YoSamdySam]

I forgot to mention that the quantity of Mad Mattr I had here was 2 bags worth! So check the sizes beforehand!

[@BrazenNL]

I thought you were in The Netherlands? If so, could you post links to NL stores. If not, never mind!

[@YoSamdySam]

Educadora Webshop stocks a lot of these (and more, but unfortunately they were out of stock of a lot when I made this and had to order elsewhere)

[@BrazenNL]

@@YoSamdySam Ah, thanks

[@GaasubaMeskhenet]

oooh i've never seen silly putty in such a neon color i waaaant it

[@julie_uk_]

Add some fine glitter to the sand?

[@jlzombiecat]

Growing up the only stuff I had besides Playdoh (which smells terrible) was Silly Putty. I loved to bite it because it would snap apart with that sort of pressure. Edit: I should have waited until the end of the video to see if I had to say anything about the products... The Playfoam made my stomach flip over and over, and I jumped every time it made the sticky noise, yuck! lol.

[@hispoiema]

that bright green German one seems like Silly Putty

[@harrietwindebank6051]

Bought some madmattr!!! I hope it doesn’t smell.

[@YoSamdySam]

I've never noticed a smell, so fingers crossed! Hope you enjoy!

[@harrietwindebank6051]

I can report that i detect a strong chemical smell in the madmattr. I can use it outdoor at arms length. However I would avoid this if you are sensitive to chemical type smells.

[@patriciag571]

The snow stuff is diaper filling. Yeah.

[@GTSongwriter]

R.I.P. YO SAMDY SAM

[@ashleighAshlee]

As I'm watching this vid, for some reason, i felt slightly out of control as if my legs are in quick sand or unable to grasp earth because I'm standing on clouds 😂 Do i sound crazy or am i making sense 😅

[@Jenn12141983]

I don’t know who thought bath slime was a good idea 😂

[@melomania]

[autistic adult here] I've tried the same kinetic sand than yours and I hated it : it smelled reaaaaaally bad and left a weird residue on my hands, I had to wash them right away!! :s

[@Charlotte-hv6ll]

Leaving a comment for the algorithm

[@missannaventure]

Intelligent snot 😅😂😅😂😅 I’m 44 and i buy so many pink sensory toys, people ‚out there‘ probably always think I buy them for my kids. (Spoiler, i don’t have any 🤪😇😂)

[@c_and_l]

I was cringeing the entire video lol. I don't think these are the kinds of textures for me at all.

[@krugerfuchs]

7 bloody ads

[@titactaco]

Grifter.

[@tapansharma8831]

I would definitely suggest trying toys that engage your senses like Flywheel-based ones or anything with spinning gears. They can provide a calming, engaging experience, especially during moments of emotional stress or overwhelm. Prisms, both metaphorical and literal, have been a tremendous tool for me. They're like a means of untangling the thoughts in my head, gently shifting perspectives when things get too emotionally intense. It's like they help me keep a hold on my humanity, instead of resorting to manipulative tactics to achieve my goals. Speaking of prisms, I like to think of them as a way to establish a form of "quantum entanglement" with my own experiences. They tie my perception now to the past perceptions that I had when I formed certain messy memories. This might come across as a bit convoluted, but I hope the world can use my words to gain a bit of insight into my experiences. If my insights inspire any profitable ideas, I would appreciate help paying for school loans and maybe a nice house for my parents. I'm happy to earn my own living, though. I've been diagnosed However, I believe labels can sometimes limit our understanding of the full complexity of a person. Finally, a note on medication: I'm currently transitioning off depression medication and it's a strange journey. It feels like it initially replaced a depressive state with a more manageable one, and now as I'm weaning off of it, I've become more sensorily aware again. I'm navigating this change, but it's intriguing to experience. Thanks for listening! #MentalHealth #Autism #ADHD #Experience #SelfExploration

[@tapansharma8831]

I'm not sure why it won't let me post the link to the chat gpt chat that I used to help me make sense of the original comment I had (a lot more convoluted, patched/"ligated" together with my editorial band-aid skills). [i can try sending the link again if u or anyone else wanted to ask more about my thoughts] I'm currently trying to learn the cognitive opposite skills I yet need to approach task delegation (among other things) necessary in an OR before I apply to schools again. Its because in the process of communicating, I am only able to provide un-ligated Okazaki fragments while my introspective-leading strand vanishes into the the sea of sensory intake and im-"prismed" perception; this is entirely to prevent the collapse of the emotional-"superpositioning" I use to systematically assess each experience in light of different emotional "filters" [add "intentionality" to emotional perspectives when we are stuck in a "vaccuum" of the conceptual-"opposite" emotion-eg, When extra happy, I ask "is there anything sad?" OR when extra EMPTY, I ask "what has fullness while being empty?" and I let my thoughts wander on their own in the prism" -In Essence: "I hold a prism up to my eye, my eye is a looking glass to my mind, my mind becomes that which is the opposite reciprocal of the prism. Because the spectrum feels stabilized under the oscillating influence between yourself and your natural-opposite, past-future self. [Become an "Exciton" to understand the particle oscillations within the emotional lattice oscillations of the mind's alpha helix to beta helix to alpha helix. that is to say....breathe...| dot--[|-->(line-{enil)

[@JoULove]

I'd love to see you try out some of those cool slimes like @slimeobsidian9857 makes! Especially a sparkly one ✨