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Teacher Tuesday: Our Top 10 Toys and Tools for Kids with Autism
- Gabrielle Fischer Posted On Apr 18, 2017
Kids with autism can love getting gifts as much as any other kids! Whether for a birthday or holiday, the presents you give can do double-duty by bringing a smile to your child’s face while boosting skills in areas where a little extra help might be needed.
Here are our top 10 toys, games and other products for kids with special needs.
Tumble Trax™ Magnetic Marble Runcaptures visual attention with motion. Start with any magnetic surface—like the door of your fridge—and let your child arrange the magnetic pieces on it. Then, using fine motor skills, your child will place the small marbles on the tracks to watch the action! It’s excellent sensory stimulation and enhances your child’s problem solving skills as they create different paths for the marbles.
Gears! Gear! Gears!® Sets let your child engage in open-ended building projects that encourage problem solving, sequential thought, and manual dexterity. Once a project is built, your child turns a crank and can enjoy watching all the gears spin, a repetitive action that kids with autism can use for self–soothing.
Where is Howie's Owie?™ features a friendly cartoon boy and a supply of colorful magnetic bandages your child can place on different parts of their body, learning their names through play and repetition. For kids with autism, this simple toy can also help them feel comfortable communicating their physical needs and understanding their own bodies.
Basic Vocabulary Photo Cards are great to use as an alternate way of communicating for kids who have little or no speech. The cards can lessen the frustration kids may feel in expressing everyday wants and needs.
Primary Science Sensory Tubes let children explore different tactile objects without having to physically touch them. These tubes offer kids with autism sensory stimulation without leading to sensory overload.
Ruff's House Teaching Tactile Set offers different textures for kids who crave a lot of stimulation. The small rubber and cloth bones feature smooth, silky, scratchy, bumpy, and ridged textures and help kids learn the abstract language of adjectives by describing what they feel. Used separately, the bones are perfect fidget toys for self-soothing.
Color Cubed Strategy Gamerequires little language but encourages appropriate social interaction with taking turns. It incorporates strong visual skills in game play and helps strengthen spatial and strategic thinking skills.
All About Me 2-In-1 Mirrorsare easy to hold, unbreakable mirrors kids can use to explore the different expressions they can make, from frowns to big smiles. The back of each mirror features a silly “fun house” reflection that can help lighten the mood as you discuss emotions. The regular side of the mirror can also allow kids to watch their mouths as they talk, to promote speech development
Time Tracker®helps children who have trouble transitioning from one activity to another by giving clear notice when time is winding down. It features lights that change from green (plenty of time) to yellow (start wrapping up) to red (stop). Alarm volume can be adjusted or turned off if your child prefers visual cues only.
Daily Schedule Pocket Chartprovides a visual of the day broken down by time and activity so kids know what to expect. This strategy provides more predictability and helps kids feel in control of their day!
Top 5 Toys for Special Needs Hi! I’m Chris Truby and I’m an autism dad. Learning Resources' products have been a part of my family ever since my boys were young because of the seamless way they connect learning with fun. It then became a more important part of my life as “play therapy” when my youngest was diagnosed with autism at age 2. Special needs toys can be hard to find, but Learning Resources has many options for play as well as developmental aspects.My son is now 12 and we still use Learning Resources products to have fun while learning. I want to share some of the items that have been beneficial and enjoyable over the years in case others in the special education community may find them useful. Enjoy!
Daily Schedule Pocket Chart
Snap-n-Learn™ ABC Elephants
-Develops fine motor skills- Can be used to reinforce early speech by practicing vowels and consonant sounds-Thinking of words that start with each letter of the alphabet- Great for teaching about similar and different attribute. How are they the same? How are they different?- Sort by color or letters
Primary Science Sensory Tubes
-Versatile, can be used in a variety of ways depending on sensory needs (My son uses them with water, in the pool, in the bath tub, with the garden hose)- Great for making wave bottles (oil, water, food coloring and make sure the caps are tight)- Perfect for sand and water tables- Introduce non-preferred sensory items, like unique textures or strong smells, in a non-threatening way- These are known as "calm down bottles"- great for relieving sensory overload- Can be given as rewards or motivators to encourage finishing non-preferred tasks
Conversation Cubes
-Instant icebreaker, just throw the cubes and answer the questions-Easy game for peer groups, mentors, and buddies to play to get to get to know each other-Encourages social interaction and communication skills-Provides topics that promote personal interests, interaction, and discussion-Promotes social skills
Froggy Feeding Fun™
-Encourages turn taking-Develops fine motor skills in a fun way by squeezing the frog-Squeezing can be soothing and relaxing (like a stress ball)-Helps teach attributes-Quick, easy game to play, no long instructions-Introduces early math concepts
Children with special needs enjoy engaging and fun activities, and these toys have proven to encourage learning and conversation while having fun!
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6 Ways to Support Autism Awareness Month
April is Autism Awareness Month, a time to celebrate inclusion and acceptance of those with autism. One in 68 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control. On the site Autism Speaks, they define “spectrum” as the wide variation in challenges and strengths possessed by each person with autism.
Here are 6 easy, fun ways we (adults and kids) can help these kids and families feel understood and welcome in our lives.
1. Start with a story
An engaging storybook can help kids feel empathy with all kinds of characters, including those with autism. Some great titles include My Brother Charlie, written by actress Holly Robinson Peete and her daughter Ryan Elizabeth Peete. In the book, we learn about 10-year-old Charlie, and his autism, through the eyes of his loving sister. A Friend Like Simon, by Kate Gaynot, follows the story of kids in a mainstream school befriending a new student with autism. Different Like Me, by Jennifer Elder, is about an 8-year-old boy with Asperger’s, who introduces young readers to his heroes in math, science and history.
2. Show your support
You and your kids can join tens of thousands of people around the world wearing bright royal blue on World Autism Awareness Day next year. It’s a simple way to promote awareness of the millions of individuals and families affected by autism. Then show your support to all your friends on social media by sharing your photos with the hashtag #LightItUpBlue.
3. Crafty ideas
Did you know that the symbol of autism is a puzzle piece? It’s easy to explain to your children that just like each puzzle piece is different, each person is different, including kids with autism. And that’s a good thing!
Celebrate this message with crafts using an old jigsaw puzzle you no longer use. Your kids can paint pieces solid colors, then glue them to card stock in creative designs. Add a positive message inside each card, and give to someone you know affected by autism, including caregivers. Older kids can glue 4 or 5 painted puzzle pieces together and add a bar pin on back (available at craft stores) to make a wearable piece of art that shows support. It can also be a great conversation starter!
4. Make a play date
Would a child who might be sensitive to loud noises really want to have a play date? It’s easy to assume the answer is no, but that may not be the case. Why not approach the parent of an autistic child you know and ask them?
Kids with autism can have challenges, but also great gifts as well, like knowing lots about dinosaurs, insects, math, etc. Try to find a common interest with your child beforehand and plan an activity or two around it. It can be as simple as giving both children new sticker books featuring those beloved dinosaurs or insects. Or, it might mean providing a building set both kids can use together.
5. Remember sisters and brothers
The siblings of a child with autism can sometimes miss out on everyday outings we take for granted. Since many children with autism dislike bright lights, loud noises, and strange surrounds, families with an autistic child may stick close to home. If you’re planning a trip to an amusement park, circus, or even a big mall, invite one of these siblings to join you. Your outing could be just the break they need!
6. Just connect
Simply showing that you’re open and interested is a great step toward making a family affected by autism feel more accepted. You might discuss if they are planning to participate in any local Autism Month events and ask how you can get involved. It could be something as simple as baking puzzle-shaped cookies for a fundraiser or participating in a walk. When we practice empathy and appreciation for differences, everyone benefits!
What are you doing to celebrate Autism Awareness Month? Let us know at blog@learningresources.com!
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