This age I think is the hardest to purchase gifts for children on the autism spectrum because there’s such a wide range of growth during these ages. Not only that, but many times they are still not at the level of neurotypical children. So I will try to cover a wide range so hopefully you’ll be able to find the perfect gift for your kiddo. Everyone knows about the traditional board games and toys, so I’ve tried to focus on things that are more tailored to those on the autism spectrum.
Need toys and ideas for younger kids, check out our gift guide for babies through toddler.
Ball Toys
I don’t know about you, but my kids love ball toys. There are so many ball related toys out there for our kiddos to choose from. We have a vast variety of balls in both sizes, weights, and in many cases, shapes … which might initially sound weird, however some balls can change shapes and sizes as you’d see from our first two examples.
Why do we have so many, well, it helps with figity hands. All of our boys from little to big still bounce the balls around the house, toss them from hand to hand, and more. In that way, it also helps with hand eye coordination, and it allows us to play various games with them. Whether we start with rolling, or catching, up to kicking as they get older, it allows them to practice turn taking, hand-eye-and-foot coordination, and also allows them to burn off some of their energy, something which I hear as a common complaint among parents of kids on the spectrum.
One of our favorites is the Phlat ball, which transforms from a flying disc to a ball when thrown. Another favorite is the Hoberman Sphere (original) or the Expandable Breathing Ball Sphere (as some versions are called), which compact down and then expand outward. A word of caution: the Hoberman Spheres/Expandable Spheres can break if played too hard with into smaller pieces which could be a choking hazard for younger siblings or individuals with pica.
Switch Pitch balls change colors when tossed into the air and caught. These are great because the changing color seems like magic, and it holds the kids interest. They work great as long as you are not too rough on them. Unfortunately one of our kids pulled on some of the pieces, and it caused it to malfunction and finally break. They don’t have to be handled with “kiddie” gloves, but you can’t be too rough either.
Knobby balls are textured balls, which are my kids’ favorites. They work well for bouncing, but also provide tactile reinforcement for sensory seekers. Whether they roll them around in their hands, or bounce them on the floor, or anything else, they seem to have fun with them. Word of caution though – these don’t always last a long time if you have a kid that is teething.
Fidget Sensory Slug
This is a great stocking stuffer idea for those who love sensory fidget toys. It wiggles and makes a soft clacking noise. As with everything sensory these days, there are higher quality versions and cheap knock-offs. We have two different companies’ versions of the fidget sensory slug and both (Zayin and Cevioce) have lasted well, unlike cheap knock-offs that break and become choking hazards to younger siblings or individuals with pica.
Something Wild Card Games
This is a fun family card game if you’re tired of the traditional card games and you even get a little Funko figure. You can mix and match other Something Wild versions (including Mickey & Friends and it’s newest Baby Groot) to change it up. The rules are simple and easy to learn.
Zingo
ThinkFun’s Zingo is a good starter game because it is easy to follow and has large words and pictures. It is sturdier than most typical Bingo games. Kids find the slider to reveal the tiles great fun and prefer it to drawing pieces out of a bag like most Bingo games. Zingo uses many common sight words so you can work on sight words while you play.
PAWZ The Calming Pup
hand2mind’s PAWZ The Calming Pup teaches children deep breathing patterns, used for calming. PAWZ uses lighted prompts with kids inhaling when the light gets brighter and exhaling as the light fades. This is something that can be set out and kids can use it on their own when needed for calming. It includes a night light with a timer that can be set for 5, 15, or 30 minutes.
Bocci Ball
My son played Bocci Ball as an event in Special Olympics and loved it. This bocci ball set comes with a carry case and a tape measure for those times where people can’t agree who is the closest. It’s a great outdoor family activity that you can play right in your yard.
Weighted Plush Animals
These can be soothing to children on the autism spectrum. There are all kinds available to suit every child’s needs. There are also different weights so you can pick a heavier weight if your child needs more weight. There are many different kinds including ones to be hugged or snuggled with, placed on your lap or hung over your child’s shoulders. Some are even lavender scented.
ONO Roller Jr
The ONO Roller Jr is fantastic fidget if your child fidgets a lot and has a hard time focusing. It’s a little pricey, but well worth it. It’s quiet and contained in your child’s hand so it isn’t distracting to others. We use it all the time at church and no one even notices.
This is a great sensory toy for the pre-teens and teens since so many sensory toys are big and noisy. These they can use without worrying about standing out. This is available in multiple colors and there is also a larger sized one (The Original ONO) if your child has large hands. (We use the larger ones ourselves both to release stress, but also to exercise our hand muscles.)
PicassoTiles/Magna-Tiles
Magna-Tiles and PicassoTiles are great fun to play with. You can build all sorts of interesting things with them. They are tactile and spark creativity. They are colorful and visually appealing. These can entertain your kiddo for hours if they like to build. Kids can start out by building in 2D and then move up to making 3D creations. Magna-Tiles typically costs more than PicassoTiles, but Magna-Tiles has lots of different themed sets that are unique to them.
Light Tables/Light Panels
The first time I saw a light table was at our local Hands On Discovery Center. I liked how you could change it up with different things on the light table, such as letters, numbers, shapes and blocks. However, we just didn’t have the room for a light table.
One day I came across a light panel, which is perfect since you can pull it out and let the kids play with it on the top of the kitchen table and then put it away when playtime is over. This is so versatile and you can change it up so the kids don’t get tired of playing with the same thing.
