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ASD table time crafts…toy suggestions for Easter baskets.

Posted by ourlittleredhouseblog on

It can be really hard buying toys for children on the Autism spectrum. Depending on the level of the child, you really don’t know what they will like or want to play with. If you are buying a gift for a child on the Autism spectrum and you don’t know the child personally I would probably stick with what I call therapy type toys.

Here are a few toys I came across while out shopping a few days ago that would be good toys to fill a basket for a child with ASD. Just being a friend is actually the best gift you can give them, or volunteering your time with helping anyone with ASD. Happy shopping adventures everyone.

The magic ink books are great because they don’t create messes. Also great when children are just learning how to hold a pen or pencil, which can be a difficult skill to get used to. You don’t have to worry about the frustration of not being able to draw, you just use your pens to go over the pages and colors and images pop up.
Little versions of the things we eat can be great tools to match up with cards. Great toys for teaching language and working on speech therapy.
Anything that involves visual steps to building items are great table time activities to work on in between therapy session or these types of toys can be used in the therapy lessons to work on receptive and verbal instructions. One and two step direction activities can be a challenge, best to find toys and activities that hold a child’s attention…building toys are great for that.
Magnetic sets are perfect toys to use for reinforcement incentives. This would be for ABA therapy. I was never a big fan of edible treats but in the beginning sometimes cookies and tiny M&M’s are the only things to use. I used sticker books and toys like this in photo above.
Another fun toy to use as a positive reinforcement for table time activities. This I believe would get a lot of giggles too. That’s the best part when working with a child with special needs…their sweet little giggles when you are doing something fun that they enjoy.
This was a fun toy because it combines action with sensory play.
Squishy toys can be very calming.
Sensory type toys are always hits, very fun and very popular.

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This would not be such a fun toy for the parents to hear but it is a great tool to exercise those muscles we use to form words and sounds later. Perfect toy for speech therapy.
A fun little toy to practice writing skills working on fine motor skills. It’s also fun watching the imagine disappear. Very easy to hold and operate so less frustrations.
Another fun toy to help with fine motor skills. There are small coins too which can be used as reinforcement toys. After collecting the coins during lessons, the child can use them to play this game after a table time lesson.
Great speech therapy type game to play.
You can never have enough of these in a sensory play basket.
Another great game for fine motor skills and one and two step directions.
Just fun. You can turn this into a teaching moment too, instruct your child to get different colors of fish when working on color lessons.

There are also bubbles, chalk, and two player games like paddle ball and anything that teaches children how to take turns and share with each other. Happy basket making everyone.