Top 10 Sensory Toys For Your Autistic Littles

As a parent to an autistic toddler, I always find myself exploring the latest gizmos or the most unique toys I can that will meet my autistic child’s needs. I previously wrote about my Top 15 Toys To Practice Fine Motor Skills, but this time I want to focus on something more unique to autism — sensory toys. Kids on the spectrum can often be oversensitive to some things while simultaneously being undersensitive to others. In my daughter’s case, she is oversensitive to sound yet undersensitive to pressure and sensation.

If you would like to get to know what your child’s sensitivities are, take some time to observe them and see what they find themselves attracted to or enjoy and what things startle them or seem to cause discomfort. For example, my daughter hates loud sudden noises so I know I should avoid all toys that make sudden noises. Although the following toys may not all be appropriate for your child given their particular sensitivities, these are some toys that specifically helped my child focus on sensory feedback and self-regulate during a meltdown.

1. Sensory Moon 3.9 ft Bubble Tube Floor Lamp (paid link)— This lamp has been a lifesaver for us during meltdowns. This thing has 20 color changes available and is ideal for creating a serene and gentle sensory room. My daughter loves to sit at the base of this lamp and count the fish as they swim by. We tend to use it as a ‘calm down’ tool whenever she seems to be getting overstimulated. My recommendation — keep it in a small dark room that’s away from the noise to truly create that ultimate sensory getaway experience.

2. Fiber Optic Mood Lamp (paid link) — What I really like about the Fiber Optic lamp is that it provides both visual feedback for those kiddos like mine who love to stare at lights, but it also provides tactile feedback with soft bristles that your child can run their hand across. I also like the portability of this lamp. Since it’s battery-powered, you can bring it with you on vacations and hotel trips so that your child will always be able to create a small sensory space wherever they go.

3. Dinosaur Play Sand Kit (paid link) — If your child has a special interest in dinosaurs or simply loves to get their hands dirty, this play sand kit is the perfect sensory item. Similar to kinetic sand, this sand is moldable and has a gritty yet soft texture. Not only is this great for sensory play, but also for fine motor skills! My daughter used this sand kit to bury toys and then practiced using the tools to dig them out. This helps work on her hand muscles and improve her grip with utensils during her feeding therapy.

4. Li’l Gen Water Beads with Fine Motor Skills (paid link) — Yet another multipurpose toy, this kit offers both great sensory feedback with squishy water filled beads as well as fine motor practice with the bonus of tweezers and scoopers. Just pour these beads into a container, add water and watch them grow. Once they are full size, your child will have fun burying their hands inside and getting all that great sensory feedback. For extra fun, you can bury small toys inside for your child to dig into and find!

5. Fat Brain Toys Spin Again Kids Stacking Toy (paid link) — For the kid who loves to watch things spin, this little toy is probably on my child’s top three favorite toys of all time. This toy turns a simple ring stacking game into a dizzying fun time! Each time a ring is stacked, rather than drop to the bottom like most toys do, this toy spins the gear-shaped ring all the way down the pole. It is so mesmerizing that my husband and I often found ourselves playing with it too! If your child loves to spin wheels, do yourself a favor and get this toy!

6. Sensory Water Beads Fidget (paid link) — My daughter always struggled with oversensitivity of her hands, because of this she often avoided using them. It was a constant struggle getting her to use any tool like a spoon or paintbrush or to even touch surfaces and textures. Our occupational therapist recommended that we practice desensitizing her by exposing her to textures prior to starting a task like eating with utensils. These water beads were just the trick! We let her hold these and practiced rubbing her palms against them until she felt comfortable exploring. This gave her a perfect transition to prep her for any task involving a tool like during dinner time. If your child has hand sensitivity or simply enjoys getting the extra sensory input in their palms or fingers, definitely give these a try!

7. Yoya Toyz Beadeez Squishy Stress Ball (paid link) — Let’s be honest, who isn’t a fan of squishy stress balls? My child absolutely LOVES playing with this, she has even lovingly named her ball “Squishy”. The sensory feedback from the beaded texture and the jelly water inside is extremely satisfying — I won’t lie, sometimes I steal this ball and play with it myself because it is just so addictive. This is also great to help kiddos with low muscle tone exercise the muscles in their hands. Although it’s not technically an exercise tool, my daughter was advised by her occupational therapist to use this toy on her open palm and practice a squeezing grasp and release cycle to work her muscles. You can also take it anywhere! Highly recommend for a quick sensory fix on the go!

8. Happy Time Slime 6 Pack Scented Butterslime Kit (paid link) — Butterslime is a fantastic sensory experience. Unlike regular slime, it has a thicker consistency to it that makes it fluffier and bouncier in texture. This particular slime kit takes that sensory experience to a whole other level with the addition of a variety of scents to include Coffee, Peach, Watermelon, Mint, Pineapple, and Oreo. This is particularly great for those autistic kids who really enjoy exploring the scent of different items. If your child is like mine and likes to sniff your arm, furniture, and other random home items, this slime kit would be a great way to redirect that behavior.

9. Toobaloo Auditory Feedback Phone (paid link) — While oftentimes sensory toys are directed at the sense of touch, some autistic children really prefer auditory feedback. My child is often stimming vocally by making random loud noises throughout the day to stimulate her auditory system. Although generally harmless, this can be very disruptive behavior. I decided to try the Toobaloo to see if I could get her to listen to her own voice and hopefully result in her lowering her volume. Much to my surprise, it worked! The Toobaloo essentially funnels the sound from your mouth to your ear much and is used as a phone. Because of its design, you can even hear yourself whisper clearly through the Toobaloo. For my daughter, this meant she automatically started lowering her volume when she realized she didn’t need to yell in order to hear herself clearly through the Toobaloo. If your child stims vocally and it has become disruptive, give the Toobaloo a try!

10. Fat Brain Toys Rainbow Desk Bells (paid link) — This toy has the bonus of functioning not just as great auditory feedback for the sound-seeking child, but it also provides some tactile feedback as well as assists with fine motor skills. My kids have always been very musically inclined, these bells each have a different note and allow your child to play songs or tunes by pressing the button on top. My daughter could easily sit in front of these bells and play with them for hours if you let her! This has also been a great way to distract her from vocally stimming because the sound of the bells is a fantastic distraction that also provides auditory feedback.

So that’s it, my top ten recommendations for you! There are many more options out there, I encourage you to explore and be creative with the resources you find. As always, listen to your child and observe their behavior to make sure they are enjoying themselves and not overly stressed by the toy. Let the child lead you during play and avoid forcing them to try anything. If your child refuses to engage with the toys, simply leave it out where they can easily access it and give them space and time to approach it on their own when they are comfortable. Just remember, play should be fun — not work!

Note: As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.