Present idea for ASN 5 year old DN

[Kitkit18]

Looking for gift ideas for my almost 5 year old DN. He is autistic and DSIL doesnt want typical toys for him as they just get destroyed and he had little interest in them (true) Last year I got him a teepee which he loved but it didn't last very long. I want to get something he will like that is suitable for him. DSIL gets very anxious about people buying him things as she feels guilty when he breaks it so she normally asks people to buy him clothes. He's has very limited speech so is unable to tell us what he would like. Any ideas would be very welcome as I'd love to buy him something fun not just clothes.

Bubble machine
Lava lamp
Glitter wand
Rain maker

Here are some of the things we have used with our DS.
Indoor trampoline
Wobble board
Medicine ball
Exercise ball
Wobble cushion
Lava lamp
Fibre optic lamp
Bubble machine
Fidget toys - spinners, cubes, stretchy bands etc..
Sensory Massage kit
Textures - Slime, putty, kinetic sand
He absolutely loves cuddly toys, they always go down well!
How about a voucher for a day out or activity that you know he enjoys?

I have an ASD son, I understand the problem! Lovely that you care and want to get it right.

Have a look at a teeter popper - try amazon or google. They’re especially good on hard floors rather than carpet as the suckers ‘stick’. They give good sensory feedback and are fairly Indestructible.

Otherwise my DS has always liked things that light up. Simple things like spiky balls that light up when you bounce them (possibly from Flying Tiger?) .

Ooh, this is also interesting and not easily destroyed, both my kids like this (one ASD, 8, one NT, 3): try looking up silishapes sensory circle set
(Sorry, if I try to link to amazon it shoes the name on my account)

Mind also just likes hiding under blankets. So a heavyish blanket is always played with a lot.

I’ll pop back if anything else strikes me, I hope you find something he enjoys x

I think some kind of sensory toy (slime, sand etc) might work well. I used to look after a little boy with autism and he had this special chair - it was round so you were sort of enclosed in it and had a cover you could pull down. He loved sitting and whizzing round and round in it to relax. I don’t know if something like that would work.

Woukd he like a name sign for his door? Or something like colour changing bubble bath is quite nice. A music cd perhaps?

Lava floor tiles are really cool but expensive. A fidget board with all sorts of latches and hooks attached to it to open and close can be good- but these are often home made.

A gym ball for bouncing on? A body sock? A black out tent? an infinity mirror?

Glove puppets are popular here. And flashy lights. Bubble wrap to stamp on. Lengths of stretchy fabric to wrap in and squish. A feely box; sturdy box with a fluffy cushion, a slinky silky piece of cloth, a rubbery bouncy pan scrubber, a pair of hand clappers or castanets, feathers, corrugated cardboard, a foil space blanket.

If the tepee was loved but not sturdy enough, how about a dark den or pop up tent? Or the ikea egg chair with a shutter thing which folds down over it, or a tent thingy to go over the bed?

Seconding the teeterpopper, or DS loved his bilibo.

Squidgz were also a hit here, they are different shaped pieces with suction pads which all stick together, or to a smooth surface. Probably not going to last he he chews things. There are quite a few cheaper brands but of the ones I've seen, the folkmannis ones are a lot more sturdy.

The magnetic building tiles seem popular in DSs classroom, especially the slightly translucent colours.

Light projector? Ours is an Amazon cheepy rather than an indestructible SN one, but since its turned on with the remote we can keep it well out of reach.

My DD has add and doesn't really play, she has a gonge top, she really likes it and it's very sturdy. She's very heavy handed and if something is in any way breakable she will break it. She will lay down and spin it round and also hide underneath it.

A weighted blanket? I recently bought my son one for his birthday and it really seems to help calm him

Thank you everyone there are some excellent suggestions here 😊