I am often asked by families and professionals online, and at my learning center here in Paris, what kinds of toys and tools they can buy for children with autism to help them progress in their learning goals. I put all of my recommendations into this complete autism gift guide.
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The toys you choose to buy will depend on your child’s interests and their specific learning goals, however, these recommendations will be good options for most children with autism, particularly if they fall into each category.
Autism Gift Guide : Sensory Communication Resource
Sensory Communication Workbook
Click here to learn more and buy the Sensory Communication Workbook.
Autism Gift Guide : Visual schedules
What is a visual schedule and how can it help your child?
This visual schedule will show your child the exact order of activities for a day.
By showing the day’s activities step by step, visual schedules can help reduce frustration and increase communication at home.
Autism Gift Guide : Pre-made visual schedules
Visual Timetable for Home
This visual schedule makes it easy to show your child each step necessary to get ready for the day. You can point to each step or guide your child to complete each step and then remove the image once the task is completed.
Buy this visual schedule for activities at home on Amazon.
Autism Gift Guide :
Visual reward chart
I love using visual reward charts at my center. They are really useful at home too. You can choose a “reward” (or “reinforcer”) for your child or you can ask your child to choose the “reward”. Your child needs to complete a certain number of steps before (1-5) before he or she has access to the desired activity or toy.
Buy this visual reward schedule on Amazon.
Autism Gift Guide :
Bathroom routines visual schedule
Bathroom routines can be difficult to learn and these visual schedules can help. Children with autism tend to learn more easily if they have visual prompts to help them follow steps and instructions. You can use the entire pack of visual schedules or take them apart and hang them up one by one in the bathroom.
Buy these bathroom visuals on Amazon.
Tools to make your own
Instax Mini Camera
This little camera is really practical for creating your own visual schedules (as well as a variety of other fun and educational projects with your child).
You can use it to create your own visual schedules. Just snap a photo of each of your child’s activities during the day, print them out, laminate them and hang them in the order that your child will be doing them each day. If you are creating your own visual schedules, you can include photos of your child’s favorite foods, pictures of particular people (such as your child’s speech therapist and/or teacher) and places (such as home, school, your local grocery store and the library). Creating your own custom visual schedules gives you more flexibility. You also have the added bonus of using real photos, rather than illustrations, which makes it more concrete and therefore easier for your child to understand.
Buy this Instax Mini camera on Amazon.
Instax Mini film
Buy this Instax Mini film on Amazon.
Instax mini photo fridge magnets
I love using these mini photo magnets in the kitchen of my learning center. This would work for in your home too. You can take photos of the steps of a meal, or your child’s favorite foods, and stick them to the fridge. Your child will know that he or she has to set the table, eat and then clean up and can even use the photos to ask for particular foods depending on the situation.
Buy this Instax mini magnets on Amazon.
Use your photos to make a visual schedule
Laminator
This is probably the tool that I use the most at my learning center. I use it to make all kinds of learning materials for the kids. You can use it to laminate your visual schedule photos to give them extra durability and to make them waterproof (particularly useful if you are using them in the kitchen!).
Autism Gift Guide : For behavior management
Chewy Tubes
A lot of children with autism have sensory-seeking behaviours, including mouthing behaviors. If this is the case with your little one, chewy tubes can really help reduce this kind of behavior.
Buy this chewy tube on Amazon.
Digital timer
We use digital timers at my center to teach the passage of time and to show the children that we are going to do the activity for a certain amount of time. There are many ways that using a digital timer in your program can increase productivity and learning, while decreasing frustration.
Buy this digital timer on Amazon.
For the child who is learning to write
Acrylic writing slope
This acrylic writing slope provides very useful support for children who are learning to write, particularly for children who have difficult with fine motor skills and need extra support. It’s my favorite tool for teaching writing.
Buy this acrylic writing slope on Amazon.
For sensory play
Playfoam starter pack
Playfoam is so much fun! This is an easy sensory activity you can enjoy with your child. It can also be used during sensory breaks.
Buy this playroom starter pack on Amazon.
Playdough (classic starter pack)
Playdough is a valuable sensory tool in so many different activities, including play dough mats
Buy this play dough starter pack on Amazon.
Playdough (with sparkles)
Buy this play dough sparkle starter pack on Amazon.
For the child who needs to build fine motor skills
Snapping cubes
Buy these snapping cubes on Amazon.
Helping Hands Handy Tools
Buy these helping hands handy tools on Amazon.
Super sorting pie
Buy this Super Sorting Pie Game on Amazon.
The Sneaky Snack Squirrel Game
Buy this Sneaky Snacks Squirrel Game on Amazon.
For the child who is learning to tell time
Write & wipe demonstration clock
Buy this Wipe & Clean Clock on Amazon.
Big Time student learning clock
Buy this Big Time Learning Student Clock on Amazon.
For creative play
Doctor’s set
Buy this Doctor’s Kit on Amazon.
Rabbit hand puppet
Buy this Rabbit Hand Puppet on Amazon.
I love these particular hand puppets because they are really well made and durable. This is so important as often children with autism tend to be rough on their toys and you want to make sure that you are purchasing toys that will last for a while.
The Ultimate Autism Gift Guide
The toys and tools you need to teach your child this year.
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