By Jennifer Bullock

Jen here again with another holiday gift giving idea list! Last year I shared some of the gifts I’ve gotten for my tween daughter. I’m back again with another list, although this is not limited to age nor gender or stereotype preferences. These are simply items my daughter has enjoyed over the years and your child may too:

Galaxy Lamp - $59.99

We have had this lamp for three years and my daughter has not tired of it. It is definitely a sensory preference of hers - she will ask us to plug it in and turn it on (initially we had to teach her not to try to pull it too far away from the plug) and tell us what color stars she wants - usually saying “blue stars” or “red stars” etc. She will turn it off herself or ask us to put it away when she is done. It is quiet and relaxing and quite mesmerizing if I say so myself.

(Photo from product website)

Inflatable Brachiosaurus - $18.95 - Amazon

(and Giraffe)

 We were able to attend a local gymnastics program this year and every now and then they would theme the session - Dinosaurs was one of those themes. My daughter was fixated on the inflatable brachiosaurus during the session. So immediately after that, I put this guy (and his giraffe buddy, because she is equally enamored with giraffes) onto her Amazon birthday wish list. 

Light Table -  $32.99 - Amazon

 After taking my daughter to a hands-on museum (shoutout- CuriOdyssey), I wanted her to have a light table of her own. Large versions can have a hefty cost, but thankfully this one is just the right size for her.

(Photo is my daughter using CuriOdyssey’s table)

Learning Resources Color Paddles - $9.99 (set of 18) - Amazon

 I have purchased this set four times according to my Amazon history. It was so long ago I don’t remember what sparked the purchase other than maybe a light-table experience when she was little. However, these things have kept her attention for so many years now. She loves looking at her books with them, hovering them over her tablet, or simply up to her eye so she can look at the world with different colors. Easy sensory toy! Also a bulk purchase, hide the others so you can replace them when they break.

Instant Print Camera - $39.99* - Amazon

(Extra paper rolls)

 As a former photographer, this one warmed my heart. My daughter loves to take photos with her instant-print camera. I’d say 85% of her photos are of her tablet and scenes from her favorite show - but watching her process is fun. She lines it up, steadies herself and takes the photo. She rips it from the camera and studies it. Is it to her liking? Nope, re-takes the shot. Repeat this action however many times until she has her approved shot. Sometimes she takes photos of other items, or even us. We go through a lot of the paper - sorry, environment - but we will recycle as much as we can! Also while this is a pink-unicorn design, there are many other similar products with different themes or just simple color choices. (*Check for sales, I got ours for $31.99!)

Silicone Tea Party Set - $20.99 - Amazon

 In last year’s holiday gift list I noted we got my daughter a beautiful tin tea set. Well, she likes to use it with water. And she’ll let water sit in the cups too long. It was difficult to keep that set clean and free of any rust. So I bought her a replacement set, which could have been a major issue but I showed her a photo on the way home one day. It was of the set sitting on the counter where her previous set was before. I did this so she knew exactly what to expect. We got home and she made a beeline to the sink and immediately began to play with the new set. Never once asked for the old version. *Thank goodness*

Want to know some alternative ideas to physical gifts? I’m also a big advocate for giving experiences as gifts. Keep checking our blog for an upcoming post on that subject! I have so many ideas you can apply to your lifestyle and personal situations. 

Jennifer Bullock, Contributing Author

Homeschooling-experienced mom to a tween, non-speaking daughter, Jennifer is also Marketing Outreach Coordinator for The Autism Oasis. With 20+ years experience in marketing, advertising, and social media communications, you will see her occasionally supporting the blog and social media channels with various content related to Autism Oasis.