Are you wondering what gift you need to get for your child, a relative, or your neighbor’s friend who lives with autism? Are you finding a gift that promotes ABA Therapy for the child? We have numerous gifts for the holiday season, but getting an ideal gift for a child living with autism can be hectic.
You can categorize the child you are buying the gift for by considering their age, development level, and recommended items from their ABA Therapy guidelines. Most gifts are categorized according to age-appropriateness, but for children with autism age might not be a significant factor. Children living with autism may find it hard to open up about what they need, and some do not adapt to the joys of unwrapping gifts during the holiday seasons. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when purchasing a gift for children living with autism.
1. Engage the child
It can get hard for the child to describe or respond directly to your questions, so try and engage them by phasing the questions differently to help them understand. Instead of asking ‘what do you want?’, you can ask them ‘what their favorite toy is’ or ask them ‘what toys they like to play have’.
2. Identify Favorites
Communication with a child living with autism is both verbal and non-verbal. You have to identify their favorite toys, and you can try to supplement them. If a child prefers handcrafting, probably a handcrafted gift is right for them, and you can create these gifts with them by using DIY videos to come up with some sensory gifts that support their development.
3. Seek Advice
You can engage experts who can advise you well, including the primary caregiver or professional experts. Feel free to approach the teachers and therapists where the child attends their ABA Therapy, and you may be surprised to learn activities or items the child loves that you knew not.
4. Seasonal Themes
Some children living with autism may find pleasure in well-defined programs or games. Be sure to know what the child loves so that you can expand the theme for the holiday season. Sometimes it means sacrificing your comfort for their happiness by watching the same movie or reading their favorite book again. You can advance the gifts and add a few new features to meet your goal.
5. Consistency
A child living with autism may gradually develop an attachment to a particular toy, which is crucial since losing such a gift may devastate them. Some caregivers and parents make copies of these exceptional gifts to ensure consistency. You can alternatively check with the local stores to ensure that the toys you are buying will be available and the supply is not temporary.
6. Comfortable Clothes
Children living with autism ought to be as comfortable as possible. A child’s comfort can be advanced depending on the clothes they wear. These children may also be very picky, and it is essential to identify what the child loves to wear. You can get the same clothes to what they have because these kids adapt well to items familiar to them.
7. Creativity and Uniqueness
What is important is the child’s happiness and if this is your ultimate goal, be open to embracing uncommon gifts under the condition that the child loves them. Some kids will want to unpack well-stacked clothes, diapers, or books. If they enjoy doing so, add more of what they want to unpack. It may be out of the ordinary, but it will be a worthy gift.
8. Consider Therapeutic toys
Therapy toys may be slightly costly than regular toys but very useful and beneficial for the child. Investing in fidget toys, therapy swings, or weighted blankets is the right approach. These gifts spice up the child’s environment, giving them more growth like what they experience at the ABA Therapy sessions and school. Challenge yourself to outdo the expectations and fulfill the child’s happiness and needs.
The toys you buy for a child living with autism over the holiday ought to make them feel special and loved. These toys may complement the ABA Therapy sessions your child attends. Some of the most recommended gifts for children living with autism are therapeutic and may fall under the following;
Sensory toys
Get the colorful, handy gifts for children and ensure it is made with a child-friendly design, which helps in skills development and stimulates brain development. Get toys that the child is sensitive and reactive to upon seeing them thus improving their response to sound or light. Such toys may resemble the ones used during their ABA Therapy sessions.
Books and gift cards
Buy board books with well-designed and illustrated pictures. These can be the same books used at school, or ABA Therapy and they quickly catch most children’s attention. Choose books that also offer you and any other primary caregiver the opportunity to learn more about taking care of the child living with autism. Books improve the child’s creativity by immersing them in the story. Gift cards such as credit cards are an excellent option to improve a child’s flexibility and confidence.
Educational games/ video games
Visual gifts teach the child cause and effect as they play with different toys. The child will learn motor development while engaging with a toy that has a motion with it. It can be water toys that are floating in a crafted ocean bowl. Toys with matching shapes may be ideal for assisting the child in hand and eye coordination. Video games provoke the brain development of the child while boosting their confidence.
Colorful puzzles
Any toys that motivate the child to solve a pattern or a color puzzle are ideal for strengthening their reasoning skills while improving their imaginations. It will help the child improve their speech and color recognition skills. It also supports a child’s satisfaction due to their tactile sensations.
13. Quality time/ play dates
Children living with autism may find it very enjoyable when you spend time with them. They get the reassurance they need, and this supports the development of their emotional stability. They will be happy to see you go out of your way to make them comfortable and happy. You can engage the child in her favorite games or read books together. Spending time doing activities the child loves will contribute significantly to the ABA Therapy sessions the child takes.
