Christmas is just around the corner and it can be hard for many parents of children with special needs to think of what to buy for them. 

Lots of children love sensory toys, which is great because there are many benefits to them. They often help children with special needs to relax and reduce anxiety. They can also help them to develop social learning skills.

In this blog, Special Kids Company will share with you 10 great sensory toys for Christmas.

Sensory presents for children this Christmas 2021

1. Trampoline

Starting with a ‘big one’ - trampolines are excellent sensory toys. The rhythmic jumping is particularly beneficial for children with autism and ADHD as it provides vestibular and proprioceptive input helping children to be more aware of their body. Jumping on a trampoline is also great exercise and can help to
develop coordination, gross motor skills and of course, core strength.

Play Doh is a great stocking filler but you can of course buy lots of toys to go with it too. Squeezing and moulding Play Doh can be very therapeutic and calming. 

Who doesn’t love bubbles? They are another fantastic stocking filler and if your child is unable to blow bubbles there are lots of great bubble machines that can create a ton of bubble action. Bubbles can be extremely fun to watch and pop but they are also very relaxing.

Fidget spinners are very popular and can be fantastic toys for children with ADHD. Fidgeting and spinning the device can be calming and help them to improve their attention.

Pop It fidget toys have been a great hit in 2021 and there are lots available to buy in stores like The Works or online. They come in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes. 

Occupational Therapy Peanut Balls are great fun. They are inflatable, peanut-shaped balls that your child can sit and bounce on, helping to improve core strength, balance and coordination. Peanut balls are more stable than a round traditional ball and therefore more dynamic and easier to use. 

There are lots of light up windmill spinner toys on the market, which vary greatly in price, but you can buy a reasonably priced one online on sites such as Amazon. The lights are great for children who have high sensory needs or who have some visual impairment.

Another great stocking filler are bath noodles and bath bombs. Both completely different textures that are fun to explore, touch and smell. 

Lava Lamps stimulate the visual sensory system and can be amazing to watch. When the light bulb is switched on, the wax in the water gradually heats up and melts creating floating bubbles of wax that go up and down - very relaxing. 

There are a variety of spinning toy seats on the market, such as the Playskool Sit N Spin and MOLUK Bilibo’s. Lots of children with special needs such as autism love the sensation of spinning as it makes them feel good and activates their vestibular system.

We hope that you found these suggestions helpful and wish you a very merry Christmas and 2022!