Any ideas for DS who has ASD

[riffleraffle]

Am hoping for some inspiration and know I’ll get great ideas here.

DS (8) has ASD and loves getting toys and presents but doesn’t always enjoy playing with the toys for very long once he’s figured them out. What he does tend to love are fiddly real life objects such as locks and mechanical things that he can take apart. Basically he likes to see how things work.

So far for his stocking I’ve thought of a padlock (key and combo). We have things like snap circuits, Lego (coming out of our ears) and a microscope.

Any other ideas? Thanks in advance.

If you look on Amazon they have different lock picking sets. Years ago one came up on the bargain website. Basically it’s a practice lock and some picks. I’m always surprised they sell them but it’s definitely a good life skill

Not a ‘real life’ object but perhaps he would enjoy this logic challenge game...it gets (much!) more difficult as you progress
www.thinkfun.com/products/rush-hour/
And maybe those metal puzzles that lock together? Or a Chinese puzzle box?
Or ugears.online/products/treasure-box-build-your-own-working-model-by-ugears?variant=53369191815&currency=GBP&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIh9iIr83h5AIVBsjeCh3D9A9OEAQYByABEgIcdfD_BwE

You can also buy build your own engine kits by Haynes. Sorry can’t link - Amazon app keeps taking over. There is also an advent calendar by them - think it’s a radio building kit. Don’t know how much help your son would need and if you’d have someone to help him. Also Raspberry Pi - he could build his own computer. Plus mecanno have a robot you build - that took up one Christmas. I think the next generation is out now which should be better.

Ds got this www.brightminds.co.uk/products/12-in-1-hydraulic-construction-kit last year and really liked it. Currently out of stock on that site but I've seen it elsewhere, possibly Wicked Uncle.

Does he have k'nex?

These suggestions are great, thank you so much.

I laughed at the lock picking set, I was thinking recently he could be a locksmith 😂

He has some k’nex junior but never particularly played with it, but those bigger sets look great and it is a while since he got the k’nex junior.

Will have another closer look at the other suggestions. The logic games and building something that’s something functional at the end of it are really good ideas.

Perhaps a voucher to go his favourite tool shop would be an option.

Thanks again everyone, it’s been very helpful

These are the Best Thing Ever!

What about Marble Run?

Not sure of he's too young or if it's a rubbish idea, but what about a cheap alarm clock or other similar gadgets and let him take it apart and put it back together (granted this might be a truly shit idea but it might be entertaining enough....)

You can get a transparent padlock set for learning to lock pick.

My ASD son loved it.

Rubik's cube ? If you put 'Puzzle toys for adults' into Amazon some ideas should appear.

The Amazing Clock Kit www.happypuzzle.co.uk/products/THE-AMAZING-CLOCK-KIT.aspx

A voucher to an age appropriate escape room?

What a great thread- thank you OP. My son is very similar- ASD and loves making things. We too have so much Lego!

I was looking at a mini house building set on amazon which has cement and everything. I'll try and find it. Also thinking about Raspberry Pi...

Here you go- I'm def getting on of these at Christmas for DS2 (9).

Third time lucky posting this...

These ideas have been inspiring and also reminding me of games/things I saw for him ages ago and thought would be good for him once he’s this age.

www.thinkfun.com/products/gravity-maze/

The rush hour game reminded me of this which seems to be a good mix of marble run/building/logic etc.

A major problem we have is that he’s not good at looking after his belongings so things easily get spread about and then the game is useless if a key part goes missing.

I’ll have a look at the building sets and advent calendar, might treat myself to one!

The clock game and alarm clock idea are great - totally reminded me that he loves things with cogs and being able to see how things work rather than more digital objects. He has an old style alarm clock that he loves to fiddle about with but I hid it after it went off in the middle of the night once too often!

I have a lock picking set in my amazon basket

@Peachypips78 we had one of those sets, or very similar. He really enjoyed it and didn’t even need to use the cement, was quite happy to make a realistic building rather than a Lego type one.

Am glad that this thread might be useful for others, it can just be a bit tricky to step away from traditional toys and think outside the box. Might be easier when he doesn’t believe in Santa although I’m not looking forward to that.

I have a dd with ASD who is also not v good at looking after things. She also doesn’t really play with what she has, I guess that’s the nature of ASD for a lot of children. I think I will also start buying her less and what she needs. For instance, she loves scented stuff, so I buy about 10 bottles of shower gel. She actually loves this and while she tries to hoard it, I’m reasonably successful in actually getting it used. Also clothes, back pack, things like that that are more practical and is buy anyway. She usually plays with things a couple of times and then hoards it, so I don’t think she feels like she is missing out.

I'm glad your son liked it OP- further incentive to get it.

I think my son likes things with a point to them. He'd happily build an Ikea flatpack aged 8!

Science sets are usually pretty good. Ds had this and enjoyed it www.amazon.co.uk/Jhua-Experiment-Electronic-Educational-Discovery/dp/B074DWTCM3/ref=asc_df_B074DWTCM3/?hvlocphy=9045871&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=310876852693&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos=1o7&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-475600743007&hvrand=16570858577469137582

Lock picking set it is a good idea. My Ds is 12 now and has one of these.

This year I'm getting Ds a virtual reality set. Expensive but I know he'll get a lot of use out of it!

A metal detector

"How it works" books

The school Lego inventors range are great.