Toys to consider for Christmas

I found it diffiuclt to find Christmas toys suitable for tweens with Autism.  Bonnie Sayers reviews products for Epinions and had these suggestions. I will tell you after the Holiday how well they were received.

Happy Holidays to you and your family.

Sharon

Fisher Price Go Fish - There is only one fishing pole for up to 4 players. This game promotes sharing, team-playing and works on eye-hand coordination. Age range is 3-7. Matthew was 5 when I picked this up. There are 2 levels to this game that requires no reading. Full review. Estimated price is $7.99, can be found at Target or Amazon.

Mr. Potato Head Silly Suitcase - We prefer the Silly Suitcase since it keeps all the items stored and is portable. This teaches body parts, colors and eye-hand coordination. It was first introduced to my kids through Speech Therapy. There are not many toys that are based on a food item that is both nutritious and delicious. Cheers to the potato! Nicholas enjoyed playing with this the most when he was six years of age. Age range is 2-6. Estimated price is about $16.00 for the potato and suitcase at Amazon. Full Review.

Fisher Price Games - Octopus Dominoes - this is a count and match game that offers two levels of play for two to four players. The beginning level is to match colors and the second level is to match numbers. The domino cards are two sided. Matthew was 6 and Nicholas 7 when they were interested in this game. A child can get some independent play with this and a therapist can use it for matching tasks. Full Review. Age range is about 3-7. Try Target or Kmart for Fisher Price Games, including the Oreo Matchin' Middles.

Milton Bradley Trouble - For 2-4 players. Nicholas started playing Trouble at 6 years of age. He still enjoys the game on occasion now that he is ten. This was a game that was played often with the Family Friends volunteer. Full review. The pegs cause a choking hazard in kids under three. The age range is about 5-8+. The estimated price is about $8.00 at Kmart or Target.

Lights Camera Interaction Magnetic Responsibility Chart by Melissa & Doug. The age range is 4-9; estimated price is $20. This is a great way for a child to share in the household chores while keeping track of their accomplishments daily. Full review. This board can be purchased at Target or Toys R Us. There is also the Lights Camera Interaction Magnetic Calendar that we have in our kitchen and use daily. The age range for the calendar is 4-12. This costs about $20 at Amazon. The Full review. It is also available at FAO Schwartz.

If the child is interested in animals, a one-year subscription to Zoobooks is a great deal at $21.00. Nicholas has been receiving this for several years now. He likes seeing older issues at the school library. As far back as the preschool class Zoobooks has been part of his daily reading. Now is the time to check out Zoobooks and purchase that gift subscription in time for the Holiday season! My review of the Zoobooks Magazine.

Another option is to create a list at Toys ‘R’Us in the store or do a wish list on Amazon and send this to relatives that live far away and might not be up on what is appropriate for the child on the Autism Spectrum. Just because a product is recommended for ages 2 and up does not mean it could not be useful for a six-year old. For example, one year I purchased Playskool Wonderfalls , a baby toy for 12-24 months of age. It delighted Matthew at 5 years of age and lasted two years before konking out. My review of this infant toy