Ask a kid what they want for Christmas this year and there is a good chance the answer squeezes.

The Sensory, a small shop at 40235 LA-42 in Prairieville, is stocked wall to wall with squishies, fidget toys, putty, blind boxes and collectibles. New drops land every week, and the store is open every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

## Stocking stuffers that cost less than lunch

The shop keeps a whole section of gifts under $10. An RMS Teenie Tiny Chrome Mystery Dumpling is $3, a Maltose Axolotl is $4, a Zorbles fidget is $5 and a beaded stress ball is $6. Fans of the viral NeeDoh line will find bigger picks such as the NeeDoh Nice Cube for $18 and the Dream Drop for $20.

Shopping by feel is part of the fun. Collections are sorted into calm and slow-rise toys, loud and crunchy ones, and putty, slime and dough. Every listing says whether an item is authentic or inspired, so you know what you are buying.

## A quieter way to shop

Here is the part worth knowing. The Sensory offers private shopping appointments before it opens at 11 or after it closes at 6. The lights go down, the music goes off, and one family gets the whole store with nobody else in the building.

No diagnosis or note is needed. If a busy shop is hard for your child, or for you, that is reason enough. Book through the form on the shop's website, or text (225) 253-9001, since staff are usually helping customers and see texts faster than calls.

## Good to know

Orders can be picked up in Prairieville in about an hour, and shipping is free on orders of $50 or more. The shop also takes custom orders for shirts, totes and carriers for squishy collections. Blind boxes are final sale, so let the surprise be part of the gift.

Photo courtesy of The Sensory.