Gift Guide for Children on the Spectrum

Knowing what to get your child is a struggle for any parent, and this is no less true for parents of children on the spectrum. However, with a bit of thought, you can get a gift for your child that they will love. Here are some tips from us when making your shopping list.

1. Consider your child's motor skills and sensory interests

Some children might have different movement abilities than neurotypical children their age. Make sure that your child can play with the gift you purchase. Many children on the spectrum also have sensory issues and might have strong preferences for specific textures, sounds, or visuals. Try to find things that match these preferences.

2. Try to Limit Screens and Technology

While technology is not always a bad thing, overuse of screens and technology can put your child at an increased risk for language or motor delays.

3. Start with your Child's Interests and Expand

You know your child better than anyone, and you likely know what their current interests are. Try to select a gift that involves their interests while also introducing new experiences to your child. If your child loves toy trains, consider a toy train that is made of a different material than their other trains. Children are more open to new experiences if are linked to familiar and well-liked topics.

4. Choose Toys that encourage Movement

In addition to movement being generally healthy for anyone, toys that encourage your child to move will help them continue to develop their motor skills. Blocks or Balls encourage your child to interact physically with the world around them while having fun!

Larger toys like this at-home bowling set give your child a chance to learn how things move.  This toy encourages children to learn how throwing the ball differently will cause the bowling ball to curve differently.  Additionally, larger toys can help children gain motor skills. 

Smaller sensory toys like the Dimpl Pop can be taken with you on care trips or in waiting rooms to provide a sensory-friendly play option for your child in new and stressful situations.  Additionally, smaller toys like these can help develop fine motor skills.

5. Find Toys that will build speech and language skills

Consider gifts that encourage plays that focus on verbal and creative play. Weather they're encouraging verbal skills such as vocabulary expansion or pre-verbal skills such as turn-taking gifts such as puzzles or a dollhouse, help your child develop verbal skills during playtime!

Toys like this horse set can facilitate play that encourages verbal development.  As you play with it with your child, encourage them to explain what is going on in the horse set.  Toys that encourage imaginative play like this can help your child understand cause and effect.

Picture books are a fantastic choice.  They facilitate time spent between you and your child.  Reading these picture books out loud to your children can help them learn new words and associate those words to what they represent in the pictures.

6. Gifts Dont's Have to Break the bank

While searching for toys that meet your children's needs and interests can seem financially daunting, remember that you don't have to spend a lot of money on your child's holiday gifts. Buying your child a few gifts that you have put a lot of thought into is often better than buying many gifts they are less interested in.

We recognize that every child's needs are unique when it comes to play. As Speech-Language Pathologists, we work with individuals and their families to assess their child's unique needs and develop plans to ensure they meet milestones and excel developmentally. Learn more about Alluvion Health's Speech-Language Pathology Services. https://www.alluvionhealth.org/services/speech-therapy/

Diondra Denton is a Speech-Language Pathologist at Alluvion Health.  She enjoys getting to know families and seeing her patients meet their goals and gain confidence using their voices. 

Regan Albertini-Green is a Speech-Language Pathologist at Alluvion Health.  She loves building relationships and getting to know her patients.