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The Struggle
Whether you are a parent, loved one, therapist, or teacher of a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, you may have found yourself wondering what type of gift to get? As a mother, this has been a common struggle for me too. And sometimes still is!
My third was diagnosed with Autism at 34 months. By the time he started OT (Occupational therapy) at 30 months, he started making a little progress in playing with toys. He would somewhat crawl in play tunnels, get into ball pits, put cars down a track, and throw a ball. Most of the times, he would get a hold of his siblings' toys, have one in each hand while bouncing up and down and babbling.
But his favorite toy was a plastic hanger. And by playing with a hanger, I mean holding it close to his face and staring at it like he was trying to analyze it. Outside of that he sometimes went down a slide or enjoyed being pushed on a swing. Mostly he did repetitive playing, such as going down a slide, running around the bottom, and repeating several times.
I passed down a lot of baby and toddler toys to my youngest from his older siblings. But he wasn't interested in them the same way his siblings were. Or even at the same age. Since then his father and I decided to start from scratch and buy only toys he has played with during therapy or school. This was a good starting point for us to find out what toys he seemed interested in the beginning years rather than buying toys based soley on age.
My List
But it would have been helpful to have a list of different sensory toys to try. And even some feedback on which toys were successful. This is why I am creating a list of my top successful sensory toys and where to buy them.
As a disclaimer, I am not affiliated with any links or being compensated for sharing my opinion. The availability, cost, and quantity of items are dependent on what area you are located in.
Most of these outdoor toys have been liked by all my children, neurotypical and autistic and their friends of similar ages. But remember not every child diagnosed with Autism will like the same thing.
1. Bounce Pro 7 Ft. - My First Trampoline (Walmart)
2. Little Tikes Climb and Slide 7' Trampoline (Target)
3. Eezy Peezy Monkey Bar Climbing Tower (Amazon)
4. JumpTastic Kids Swing Set 40 in Saucer Swing (Amazon)
5. Millard Ball Pit (Amazon)
Edited: January 2, 2023
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