Top 5 sensory toys for children with autism
It is essential for teachers to cater for all children’s needs by having toys and items to help them work. Every different learning disability or issues children face needs to be considered with a plan to assist them. This will make all pupils feel safe and secure whilst being included with everyone else.
Autism effects children in many ways but it can prevent pupils from being able to focus as well as struggling to socialise with others. Children with autism can often feel overwhelmed in certain settings and need help to calm down. We have created a list of top 5 sensory toys for children with autism for you to settle pupils down and make them feel comfortable whilst learning.
Push poppers
Push pops are perfect for helping children de-stress and calm down when feeling overwhelmed. Have a variety of push pops to hand for children with autism to play with. When a child is feeling overwhelmed, stressed or anxious they can access a push pop and start popping. The cool thing about these are once all the poppers are pushed in, pupils can flip them over and start popping all over again.
These will help to calm children with autism and give them something to fidget with if they are experiencing a sensory overload. Plus, having something to fidget with can increase their focus in lessons.
Dark den with projector
Have a portable dark den to offer children with autism as a space to get away. You can put it up anywhere in the classroom when needed and pupils can use it as a tranquil hideaway to relax. Our dark den has sealable openings and windows to let some light in if needed. When sealed it blacks out all the light which is perfect if a child is experiencing a sensory overload in the classroom.
Add a projector in to turn the den into a sensory room. Pupils can take a breather and play with projector if they want to. Let them have their space until they are ready to return to learning.
Fidget tubes
This is one of the most helpful top 5 sensory toys for children with autism. Fidget tubes create a soothing visual distraction to increase productivity and focus. Easy for small hands to grip, pupils will be able to have a distraction when they feel overwhelmed. They can also listen to their lessons while watching and playing with a tube. They are perfect for calming children down as they become mesmerised with the motions inside the tube.
Have these tubes in an accessible place when needed so pupils can easily reach them. But make sure they aren’t out on display, or everyone will be distracted by them.
Tangles
Tangles are perfect for helping children with autism focus in lessons and calm down when needed. They are great to fidget with when overstimulated or overwhelmed. Tangles can come in different textures making them a sensory experience for children. Allow pupils to twist and tangle to reduce stress and make them feel at ease during class.
Chewable necklaces
Offering a discreet way for children to chew during stressful situations, chewable necklaces are a great sensory toy to have in your classroom. Chewable necklaces can be used as an oral fidget or even a hand fidget. They help to calm children down and soothe them. They can also help to self-regulate during stressful times and can improve focus during class.
For further information on supporting children who have a learning disability, read our ‘supporting children with special educational needs’ blog.
