Easter Basket and Spring Gift Ideas for Autistic Kids and Teens

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Shopping for autistic students can be very challenging. Here's a list of ideas they'll love for Spring birthdays, Easter baskets or just when you need something new. They're all available on Amazon for convenient and quick access.

Spring Wind-up Toys

I put these same toys in Tosh's Easter basket a few years ago, and they held up well. The bunnies that spring up randomly were a big hit, and he'll engage with wind-up toys as long as I'm willing to wind them up.

12 pack of Spring wind-up toys, $8.99 at Amazon

Spinning Stacking Toy

This is one of those stacking block sets that has a threaded column so the blocks spin as they go down. Plus the blocks are in rainbow order, which is very important for our students. 

Is this a baby toy? Yes. Did my teen grab my phone when he saw it so he could put it in my Amazon cart? Also yes. 

Spinning Stacking Rainbow Bunny, $15.99 (w/ coupon) at Amazon

DK Anthology

DK is one of my favorite publishers. Their books include a lot of information without being text-heavy, and feature vivid photos and artwork. The 10-book children's anthology collection is filled with beautiful, affordable books that provide a lesson in just one page, like this one about Earth. If your student doesn't sit and look at books yet, be patient! Most of our kids eventually warm up to books, and they enjoy nonfiction before they are ready for fiction.

An Anthology of Our Extraordinary Earth, $24.99 on Amazon

Air Toobz

If you've got money to spend (*cough* Grandma) the original Air Toobz from Fat Brain Toys are a guaranteed pleaser. Imagine a marble run with foam balls that fly through clear tubes powered by a small fan base unit. At the end of the run, the balls chaotically fly out of the tube. Perfect! You'll want the Air Toobz original set, plus an expander set and an accessory to REALLY have some fun. Amazon is the same price as the Fat Brain website, but if you shop around you can find the different components on sale.

Click here to watch Air Toobz work.

 Air Toobz basic kit, $159 on Amazon

 Air Toobs Expansion pack, $66.95 on Amazon

I know these are pricey, but according to the reviews, they work much better than the dupes.

Spinning chair

Last week, Jen and I saw this video on TikTok and immediately agreed it's a great art project that meets our students' sensory needs. The video shows students laying on a spinning chair that's been placed on cardboard, butcher paper or a tarp. The students are given a marker or paint brush and shown how to spin to make spiral artwork like this:

The final product looks so good, you could frame it. If Tosh didn't already exceed the 220 lb weight limit 😭 I'd get one for us.

Spinning chair, $69.99 on Amazon

176-ft roll of 18-in wide white butcher paper,  $17.99 on Amazon

24 Tempera paint sticks, $19.99 on Amazon

Magic Mini Bus

The video of this toy seems promising. You can draw the path and it will follow along, use the remote to control movement, set it for 'avoid' and the sensor will try to escape as you and your student try to catch it, and it will follow an object (like a rolling ball). 

Magic Mini Bus, $21.99 Amazon

Learning Resources Rainbow Sorting Crayons

If your student love sorting colors, this learning tool makes a great gift. (It's featured in a ton of YouTube videos that my daughter loves to cycle through. - Jen)  A little higher in price than some other items, but if you're looking for something you can use to teach with as well, this is a great item.

Sorting Crayons, $46.39 Amazon

Magic Gel Water Pets

This is a great "give direction/make choices" style activity. You do the work but your student can choose the animal, colors, and even help count to 15 - for how long you wiggle the tray in the solution. (I've done this activity with my daughter and she loved it. A handful of the little creatures are still floating in their jar (provided) and it was months ago we created them.  - Jen)

Magic Gel Water Pets, $24.99 Amazon

 Mini Magnetic Blocks

This is a great little toy that travels well! Colorful, farm themed (there is also a video game style), great to keep fingers busy while waiting somewhere new or traveling around. 

Mini Magnetic Blocks, $18.04 Amazon