Terriann and her Fiancé Mark set up Elephant Beanbags in 2010 after supplying Fatboys for a number of years.
I have been meaning to get a bean bag for my therapy room for well over a year now, to replace the cushions and blanket I currently have on the floor. Some things just never make it off the to do list. 🙈
Anyway, when I was in Dublin a few weeks ago, I was in traffic behind an Elephant Beanbag van. I went straight onto their website (btw, I wasn’t driving 😉), put a Beanbag and a dog bed in the basket, and of course got distracted.
At the time, I had no idea that they were a local company. I was so delighted when I heard Terriann talk at the recent JCI Mayo ‘Taste and Toast’ event, where she mentioned they were based in Ballinrobe.
She spoke about how they have designed their product around their customers, redesigning the material, safety zips and adding more stitching all to produce a better quality beanbag.
There are a few different sizes and products and lots of colours to choose from. I explained to Terriann, that I will be using it for rough and tumble, OT exercises and story time- which is usually me and one child on the bean bag. She recommended the Jumbo size.
The bean bags can all be wiped clean, which is a super plus around kiddos and they are so versatile. I am excited at the thought of bringing mine outside to read a book, or sunbathe (if by some slim chance we ever get a Summer in Ireland).
Over the years, I have been to a lot of OT appointments with clients and there has almost always been a bean bag in the room. OT's often put them on the ‘to buy’ list, to match recommendations that need to be worked on e.g. getting up from the beanbag, walking across a bean bag, catching something while standing on a bean bag etc. I think it is because the unsteady surface is good for working your core and your balance.
I myself, frequently recommend schools and homes to get bean bags, to provide an area for regulation, self- soothing or de-escalation as part of behaviour support plans. They are easy to move around and are great for shaping around a person and sort of giving you similar pressure that you might get from a hug.
If there is someone reading this that has their own company, or runs Summer camps or events etc; you might be interested to know, that they also rent out the bean bags too. They will even match your company colours if required! Believe it or not, the Mayo team have been having their team talks on the Elephant BeanBags for their big games this past while. Maybe that is the secret to their recent success 😉
(fingers crossed for Sunday, Mayo4Sam 💚💔)
I can't wait to get my bean bag and its just a bonus to get to support a local business!
The junior bean bag is 110cm x 140 cm and costs €109
The jumbo bean bag is 135cm x 175cm and costs €159
There is free delivery on all orders.
Great blog Keira I cant wait to get a elephant bean bag too, cant believe I have seen them so many places and never knew they were Mayo let alone a native of Westport's brain child. Even more excite to order one now well done ladies.
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