With Christmas quickly approaching, those of us with autistic, special needs, or developmentally delayed kids tend to panic with just what to buy our children. Because the usual gift list ideas just often don’t cut it. Well, here is a list of Christmas gifts for autistic preschoolers, written by the mom of an autistic preschooler.
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Christmas Gifts for Autistic Preschoolers
Special Supplies Buzz Buddy Oral Stimulation Kit
This is the most incredible item I have ever purchased for E. This is a vibrating stick with different attachments. If you have a kid that chews, you know that finding good quality things they can chew on can be hard. And this is the best oral stimulation tool we have ever found. There are other popular options, such as the ARK Therapeutic Z-Vibe, but we personally love the Buzz Buddy. Compared to other options it is more cost effective and it comes with this great case.
Magnatiles
Magnatiles are the vast majority of my three-year-old’s Christmas list. I think my husband and I bought him three sets ourselves, and then there are more listed for family to potentially buy. These are incredibly popular with kids right now – especially neurodivergent kids. They’re such an amazing product to encourage creativity and for kids to learn how to put the pieces together to build things. And I know there are a lot of knock-off brands out there – we own some already – the best truly are the brand-name Magnatiles. I think that they are the most consistent in quality and hold up the best to rough and frequent play.
hand2mind MathLinks Cubes Numberblocks 1-10 Activity Set
Another thing that is really popular with neurodivergent kids is Numberblocks. E loves Numberblocks. And so we bought him this activity set of MathLinks cubes. It’s a great way for kids to learn to count while also connecting with some of their favorite characters! If you’ve got a kid that likes numbers – check out the Numberblocks. You won’t regret it.
Amazon Fire Kids 8 Tablet
E’s tablet is our lifeline. I know a lot of parents don’t like tablet time, but a lot of autistic kids need that input to help self-regulate at times. E is one of those kids. He really does need screen time everyday to help self-regulate. And we’ve had his Amazon Fire Kids 8 Tablet for about two years now and it’s still going strong. We plan on replacing it for his fourth birthday in July with the newest version. The case is amazing, the battery life is great, and it’s overall held up really well to being used by a toddler – well, now a preschooler.
Little Tikes 3′ Trampoline
If you’ve got a kid that needs a lot of sensory input, you’ve probably considered putting a trampoline in your living room. Or you already have one and may need a new one! We have the Little Tikes brand trampoline and E does like it quite a bit.
Noise Canceling Headphones
It’s not uncommon for autistic kids to need noise canceling headphones when out in public. These don’t play music or anything, they just help dim the noise. I think that a new pair of noise canceling headphones can be the perfect Christmas gift for an autistic preschooler – it never hurts to have extra pairs of headphones on hand!
Delta Children MySize Kid’s Wood Table and Chair Set
We’ve had this table and chair set since E was about 1.5. And it’s held up amazingly! It’s still going strong two years later – and survived an international move! I love having a little table and chair set that is the perfect size for him. He can sit at it and build with his Magnatiles, flip through books, eat a snack, and do other fun activities! It’s a really sturdy set and it’s also really cute. It looks great in my living room and comes in a variety of colors!
Pillowfort Tent from Target
E sleeps in his tent every single night. It is his safe space. It’s his place full of his favorite pillows, blankets, and toys where he can feel at home and at peace. He hasn’t slept in his actual bed in probably six months. I highly recommend the Pillowfort tents from Target. They’re sturdy, come in a ton of fun patterns and designs, and they’re pretty easy to assemble.
Toddler Fleece Pajama Rompers from Cat & Jack
With it being cold out, we’re constantly looking for ways to keep E warm without setting off any of his sensory sensitivities. He will not wear footie pajamas, but two piece sets tend to ride up or move during the night and he wakes up cold. And then we found these fleece rompers from Cat & Jack and our family just fell in love. These are by far one of these best Christmas gifts for autistic preschoolers because they’re warm, they’re cute, and they’re so comfortable! They also hold up super well (E chews on the necks of his and they’re fine!) and are guaranteed for one year by Target.
Those are my recommendations for Christmas gifts for autistic preschoolers. I suggest these things based on my own experiences with my autistic three-yearold and also the conversations I’ve had with other parents of neurodivergent kids. Happy Holidays!