Toys to buy for kids with autism
by Beth Finke
Our son Gus doesn’t talk. He shows a keen interest in very few things, but he sure knows what he likes — handheld tape recorders, for example. He takes the recorder in one hand, places it near his ear, transfers it to the other hand, places it near that ear, transfers it to the other hand, places it near that ear … you get the picture.
While Gus was growing up, we tried our best to find new toys for him to explore — we knew it was good for him to be stimulated by different things. We gave him mobiles, wind chimes, tambourines — anything we could find that was colorful and made noise.
He’d usually touch his new gift, cast it aside, and search for … you guessed it — his handheld tape recorder.
I remember thinking back then that maybe, just maybe, if there was somewhere I could go for a list of toys especially good for kids with autism and other disabilities, I’d find the magic item, the one thing Gus might like as much as he likes his tape recorder. And now, I found that list!
A post at The Autism News touts The Toys “R” Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, a free toy-selection guide for parents and friends of children with disabilities. From a press release:
The easy-to-use resource, released annually, features specially selected toys that promote the development of children with physical and cognitive disabilities. Items featured in the Guide promote the development of specific skills, such as auditory, language, visual, fine motor, thinking and social skills. Symbols are assigned to each toy so parents can easily identify items that are best suited for their child’s needs.
This year, the Guide also introduces a new, easy-to-use toy-finder index that lists toys in separate skill-building categories. This added feature allows users to quickly find and select toys that are appropriate for a child’s specific needs and interests.
Happy shopping!