Holiday Gift Guide 2022
Holiday Gift Guide for Children with Autism, Sensory Differences, or Other Exceptionalities
It is that time of year again when parents struggle and stress about what to buy their children with Autism or other exceptionalities. So we at Inclusive Milestones decided to give Santa and his elves some help this year to come up with some of the best gifts!
It can be challenging to find the “perfect” gift for children on the spectrum who are often not into the year’s latest toys and trends. If you need some help, you finally found your answers! We have listed some local shops in our area (Barrie, ON) as well as some direct shopping links to help you out this holiday season.
But before we get to the good stuff, we did want to give you some reminders when shopping this year.
1. You don’t need to spend a fortune:
a. Rather than flooding your child(ren) with gifts, consider one larger gift and fun stocking stuffers.
2. You don’t need to buy brand new:
a. With technology at our fingertips (literally) use it to your advantage! Facebook Marketplace, Value Village, Talize or Once Upon a Child are just some of the many great places to find some sweet deals!
3. It’s ok if their Christmas looks different
a. It is ok if your child is not playing with something “age appropriate” that their peers are interested in. Choosing something intended for younger kids but something your child(ren) will LOVE is ok! The most important part is that they are happy and can enjoy what they unwrap this Holiday season.
4. Include their Interests:
a. Try and include their interests where you can. If they love Cocomelon, anything Cocomelon will be a hit!
And don’t forget, you know your child(ren) the BEST so listen to your gut if you think they will enjoy something! Even if they don’t show interest immediately, a week from now it could turn into their favourite item. So please be kind to yourself as you do your best to create a magical holiday for your little one(s).
And now to the good stuff!! We made sure to hyperlink all the shopping links so simply click the blue text to bring you straight to the item to purchase!
To start things off, let’s look at some local (Barrie, ON) shops that offer some incredible gift ideas:
First up is, “Grassroots Sensory Play”. https://grassrootssensoryplay.com. They have everything sensory from sensory bin bases, play-doh and sensory tables for all your natural, hand-crafted sensory needs!
Next is, “Cam & Wren” https://camandwren.com a local mom who is dedicated to bringing sustainable items to you and your family. From toys, décor, organization, blankets and more, they are sure to have something for your little ones or even yourself!
And last but not least is “Serenity Birthing Studio” https://serenitybirthstudio.com. Not only do they offer some great pre- and post-natal supports, they also have a great toy selection! Bath toys, art supplies and educational toys you can find something here that will spark your little one’s interest!
Once you have checked out our local shops and find yourself still looking for a few last items to complete your holiday shopping for either your own child(ren) or maybe some others in your family the next part of this holiday gift guide is for you.
The Gift Guide:
1. Mini Indoor Trampoline: (Mini Trampoline)
- This is a great one especially for those kids that like to move!
- Your child will have a blast jumping up and down and burn tons of energy in doing so!
2. Marble Run: (Marble Run)
- This is always a favourite among our kids, especially those who might like to watch things move!
- Just be mindful marbles can be a choking hazard so if your child(ren) tends to put things in their mouth, this is not the toy for them! Or to ONLY use under direct parent supervision.
3. Magnet Tiles: (Magnet Tiles)
- These fun magnetic tiles can spark lots of creativity in your child(ren).
- They can create any design they can think of or simply stack of the different colours
4. Noise Canceling Headphones: (Noise Canceling Headphones)
- We have these at the Centre and moments when it gets loud (because with kids it happens!) they come in super handy.
- They also come in handy for your other child(ren) if you have one child that is typically more vocal!
5. Play Farm Set: (Play Farm Set)
- This Fisher Price Farm play set is great for imaginative play. Toys with open ended ways to play are great to spark a variety of language
- And they are made of plastic so SUPER easy to clean (which we always love)
6. Shark Bite: (Shark Bite)
- This is another favourite toy at the Centre
- It is great to work on turn taking skills with your child(ren). Terms such as my turn, your turn and even learning to wait and take a turn is great!
7. Fidget Toys: (Fidget Toys (Variety Pack))
- This variety pack is great and our go to for our kids! It offers a lot of choice to your child while also letting them explore different fidgets to see exactly which ones they like if you are unsure before buying their favourites!
8. Weighted Blanket and/or Weighted Lap Lizard: (Weighted Blanket (Kids)) and (Weighted Lap Lizard)
- Whether it is for sleeping or to simply have something on your lap while doing an activity. Both of these options are great
- The weighted blanket is great for sleeping and helps create a deep pressure to help put your Autonomic Nervous System into “rest” mode
- The Lap lizard is a great mobile option that can be trekked around with you.
o One important thing to remember is that children should NOT be wearing it for more than 30 minutes at any one given time.
We hope this helps provide some comfort during a stressful shopping season. To make this season even more special be sure to check out and follow our Instagram page @inclusive.milestones for more Autism friendly tips and tricks!