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Back-to-school is a challenging time for all children. But children with special needs, especially those with non-verbal Autism may find it even more difficult to process all the feelings that come with this time of the year. They may feel anxious, over-excited or overwhelmed. And it would help to be able to communicate with their teachers or parents.

That’s why we brought this new Feelings Friend into our store, a stuffed animal who teaches facial vocabulary. At Special Needs Essentials, we sincerely want to help children communicate easily with special ed teachers and parents to get the best possible education!

Feelings FriendIt holds a bag with different shapes of eyebrow and mouths to velcro on its face. It also comes with a set of illustrated cards that explain each feeling. And… it is soft. Designed and developed in collaboration with child psychologists, this toy is a unique and powerful way to express feelings when the words just aren’t there!

Here is what Marie F. says: We love this cute little buddy! I ordered this for my Pre-Kindergarten class. We needed a friend that we could help through the trials and tribulations of being 4 and 5. The children chose the name Lucy for her and now she is officially a member of our class. The children even take turns tucking her in for naptime. A few of the children’s winter holiday lists ended up with “A Lucy Doll” on them. 🙂 This toy is well made and just the right size. Thank You!

F emotions friend - Special Needs Essentials

Edushape Feelings Friend Feeling Friends

As a reminder, all education supplies are on sale this month at Special Needs Essentials. Just shop in this section of the site before August 31 to get your 10% discount.

It’s not uncommon to find parents who’ve decided to save their unborn child’s gender as a surprise, so don’t be surprised yourself when you’re invited to baby shower requiring gender-neutral gifts. These days, it’s relatively simple to find baby essentials in shades of yellow and green, but we’ve made it even easier by identifying these six gender-neutral gifts that would be perfect for your loved one’s imminent surprise.

1. Gray onesie

Nothing says neutral like the color gray, and we love the way this witty little gray onesie implies that both the baby and the gender were “worth the wait.” Besides Etsy, we’ve also discovered a bunch of clever, gender-neutral onesies at your local Target — so stop in there if you need a gift stat.

2. Bath toy

Turn bath time into a party with a fun toy like this floating octopus. This little guy lights up, so the baby’s senses will be stimulated during play. What better way to also introduce the baby to one of the most fascinating creatures from the sea?

3. Blanket


Speaking of creatures, this turtle-shaped weighted blanket is perfect for all babies, but particularly ones with autism, sensory processing disorder, sleep disorders, anxiety, ADHD, hyperactivity, and more. Because it’s weighted, the pressure provides a sense of calm and is the next best thing to a comforting embrace.

4. Bibs

Don’t forget to keep it clean when it’s time to eat! These adorable elephant bibs off Etsy are organically made, plus they’re super soft and absorbent.

5. Scarf

We couldn’t help ourselves in falling for this amazing elephant bib/scarf, too:

6. Mobile

Not only is this a cute gender-neutral mobile perfect for helping a little one drift into dreamland, it also doubles as a great piece of baby shower decor. It’s from Etsy, too, so the remarkable mobile is handmade from premium stock paper and can be customized if you prefer a different set of colors.