Savvy mum overcomes budget burnout with sensory toys and learning tools that don’t break the bank and support her children with autism
Kelly, a UK mum of two, is always on the lookout for more affordable ways to keep her home-schooled children, both living with autism, engaged and entertained.
The cost of supporting kids with developmental disabilities has skyrocketed in recent years. Since 2018, local authorities’ spending has increased by up to 70% alongside a jump in the number of children qualifying for support. Families and carers are estimated to spend an additional £2,605 each year on their children’s specialised learning and development requirements, according to a study by Loughborough University.
This means finding budget-friendly solutions is more important than ever. For Kelly, that has included turning to Temu, an online marketplace that offers quality products at significantly lower prices.
Discovering Temu
Kelly’s introduction to Temu came from browsing online, and it’s quickly become a go-to for her family’s needs. With some savvy shopping skills and a wish list from her kids, Kelly managed to fill her first Temu cart with everything from instruments to arts and crafts, DIY kits, booklets, fidget toys, and much more – all for just £84.30.
“The kids have been entertained for weeks on end,” said Kelly. “And knowing how expensive sensory toys can be, Temu’s a big help on the household budget.”
Kelly’s approach to shopping on Temu is meticulous – she compares prices, explores different listings, and makes the most of deals. “Riley has recently become obsessed with ‘Book Nooks’, but they’re really expensive – usually about £50 apiece. Fortunately, we found them on Temu for under £20,” she said.
Kelly said that Temu offers an affordable option for testing out if her kids will “remain interested long enough to complete it”.
Her children love playing with toys meant for younger children, but according to Kelly, they tend to move on from them quickly. “So, I trawled Temu for games that would hold their attention, and one of my best finds was an Escape Room game, which was a fraction of the cost compared to similar products on other platforms,” she said.
Not only did this purchase save Kelly money, but it also provided quality family time, with the game keeping them engaged for over a week.
Budget-Friendly Finds
Kelly has discovered a range of affordable items on Temu that hold her children’s attention and support their development. These include wooden DIY kits, such as a build-it-yourself pirate ship and a ferris wheel, as well as steel drums, elastic fidget worms, metallic colour pencils, and beads for jewellery and keychain making.
“The two elastic fidget worms were bought for less than a pound a pop, and “these have been played with for more than a week and still going strong.”
Other popular finds include a hydraulic digger, gigantic bouncy balls, a puzzle kit, a booklet of mazes, building links, magic wand building blocks, and a bag of 15 squishy jelly cubes—perfect for fidgeting and sensory play.
A Lifeline for Families
Temu has made a real difference for families like Kelly’s, allowing them to access quality, affordable products without straining the family budget. With ongoing cost-of-living challenges, many families are seeking lower-cost alternatives that do not compromise on quality. Direct distribution platforms like Temu provide same or similar-quality products at lower prices because middlemen markups and logistics costs are removed and passed on as savings to customers.
Research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) suggests that UK households could save around £3,000 a year by shopping on Temu. The savings are a key reason why Temu has become one of the most visited e-commerce sites in the world and a top Apple-recommended app of 2024.
For Kelly, she is just glad that she can find well-made, affordable, sensory-friendly products that her kids will love. And in times of rising costs, that’s a win for any parent.