Autism-Friendly Toys

One thing to remember is that autism might cause hyper- or hypo-sensitivities. Hypersensitivity means that the individual is likely to experience heightened responsivity to stimulation, while hypo-sensitivity means being much less responsive than average. Therefore, when buying tactile toys for autism, it’s important to consider that the toy will be suitable for its user’s needs – for hypo-sensitivity, weighted products for autism may be beneficial.

Sensory Toys for Autistic Children, Teens and Adults

The great thing about autism-friendly toys is that anyone can use them! For children or young people with autism, most child-oriented toys will be suitable – just be careful to avoid toys with potentially triggering elements, such as flashing lights or sudden loud noises. Tactile toys for autism, such as fidget toys, can be helpful for teens and adults, too, as they can help them cope in stressful situations and provide a pleasant mood boost throughout the day. 

Best Sensory Toys for Autism 

As with anything, the best sensory toys for autism will depend on the user, their preferences and how their autism affects their life. However, as a starting point, some commonly-used tactile toys for autism include:

• Chewable toys or jewellery 

Typically made of non-toxic silicone, these products are designed to be hardy and long-lasting. They allow users to bite and chew and are particularly useful for those with oral stims.

• Slime/dough/sand

Hold them, squish them, pull them, dig your hands in – these types of products are great tactile toys for autism and often come in bright colours to encourage visual stimulation as well.

• Fidget toys

These come in various styles, from spinners to cubes to pop-boards, and each one gives the user something to do with their hands. Fidget toys are also known as ‘stim toys’ because they provide a positive outlet for stimming energy!

• Cause and effect toys

These are particularly great sensory toys for autistic children because as well as being fun and stimulating, they also promote cause and effect skills. Our range of IRiS technology is a great example of this – talkers like the Lightwand or Balance Beam allow autistic children to learn through play and control their environment.

If you’re interested in autism-friendly toys, whether on their own or in the context of a sensory room, please get in touch with our friendly team today. For more information about our products, please request a copy of our free brochure.