Each year Autism Live curates a list of top toys and gifts in a wide range of categories and developmental levels to help you find the perfect gift to delight the children, teens and adults in your life who are on the Autism Spectrum. This year we have chosen toys in various price ranges to help you make the perfect holiday selection. We hope there is something to delight everyone on your list!
Top Toy Winner
Make Music Count
Make Music Count
Description
6+ Years
Make Music Count transforms learning into a fun, engaging experience by teaching math through piano playing. No prior piano experience is required to learn. Designed for students in 2nd to 12th grade, Make Music Count helps build confidence in addition and subtraction while playing real music. It’s the ultimate learning tool that connects math and creativity.
Autism Live Says:
This toy is genius! It teaches math and music in an innovative way that makes learning super charged and fun!
Therapist Recommendation Toy Winner
Gear8
Play Matters
Description
6+ years
Gear8 is a family of screen-free STEM puzzle mazes that take simple fun to a sophisticated new level, while helping children master physical and engineering concepts, and letting adults relieve stress and relax.
Autism Live Says:
We love the intense concentration skills these handy little games build, perfect for decompress time, they are great for travel.
STEM Toy Winner
STEAM Inventor
Lux Blox, LLC
Description
6+ Years
This STEAM Inventor Kit has so many options for your creative builder! Tons of wheels, gears, pulleys and more to create hours and hours of fun and learning.
Autism Live Says:
We love Lux Blox building systems. They are cleverly designed to allow builders tons of choices. This kit will help encourage STEM skills to flourish.
Speech Builder Toy Winner
Crocodile Stage Puppet
Folkmanis®
Description
3+ Years
Snap to attention with the playful Crocodile Stage Puppet. A movable and swallowing mouth will surely capture imaginations for spirited storytelling fun. 16″ tall.
Autism Live Says:
This fun puppet makes interaction a done deal. The articulating mouth makes sounds, words, and more communication fun and exciting. Power to the Puppet!
Social Skills Builder Toy Winner
Taco vs Burrito
Taco vs Burrito
Description
6 + Years
Quick to learn, exciting to play: Easy to learn with quick gameplay and unexpected Action Cards. This highly strategic, epic food fight game is awesome to play with the whole family.
Autism Live Says:
This card game packs a wallop of learning, problem solving, math skills, and YES, social skills too.
We love this fun game that was created by a 7-year-old!
Sensory Toy Winner
Mixed Emotions Thinking Putty
Crazy Aaron's
Description
3+ Years
Clear putty with six hidden emoji pieces for you to find! Play again and again – just squish it back together to start a new game. Stretch it, bounce it, pop it, tear it, and sculpt it! Never dries out!
Autism Live Says:
We love using this putty to work on fine motor skills, attention, focus, and identifying emotions.
Parents Recommendation Toy Winner
Motorized Marble Run
Blue Marble
Description
8+ years
This marble run features a motorized lift that can carry your marbles up 16″ and drop them onto the track! Create a perpetual motion machine that continuously takes your marbles back to the top to launch again! With 106 construction pieces, 30 marbles, and the 14-piece spiral lift, you get everything you need to create endless configurations of marble runs!
Autism Live Says:
We LOVE a good marble run, and this one is amazing. We love adding the mechanical motorization because it is whole new level of problem solving!
Oldie but Goodie Toy Winner
Slinky
Just Play
Description
5+ years
Generations of children and adults have loved playing with Slinky! This classic metal spring toy walks downstairs, alone or in pairs, while making its classic slink-ity sound.
Autism Live Says:
We love Slinky! What a great way to forge a bond between your child and some of their older relatives. Let them show your child how they played with it when they were younger. As the song used the say, “Slinky, Slinky, its such a wonderful toy!”
Motor Play Toy Winner
Aqua Swords
Splash Jam
Description
6+ Years
Aqua Sword is a soft foam sword that fills with water, letting kids duel while splashing their opponents. Swordplay leaves a fun water mark on clothing, adding a whole new level of excitement to any backyard barbecue or pool party.
Autism Live Says:
We love how this toy gets your child to ‘cross the midline” just for fun. Crossing the midline has been shown to boost cognition skills, these swords make it fun!
Kid's Choice Toy Winner
WOWmazing Winter Edition Bubble Kit
South Beach Bubbles
Description
6+ Years
Create unbelievable giant bubbles with this amazing kit! The giant two-handled wand and USA-made, non-toxic bubble solution will make it possible for you to create winter bubble magic!
Autism Live Says:
Giant Bubbles? Yes, please! This kit gives you the tools to make it happen! There are even stickers in the kit that change colors with cold weather!
Empowering Employment Skills Toy Winner
Cash Register Toy
Vopoglne
Description
3+ Years
This cash register toy features a functional calculator, allowing kids to learn basic math, practice money counting skills, and enhance their communication abilities! This pretend playset has multiple modes for fun, including piano music and realistic shopping sound effects.
Autism Live Says:
This toy includes everything your child needs to pretend to shop or run a shop. They can scan items, process a credit card, and even make change! This toy is great for making job skills fun.
Educational Toy Winner
DINO MAZE Logic Game
Discovery Toys®
Description
6+ Years
Find your way through the maze with your mini dino figure to reach the castle inside the maze. The included booklet features 60 different challenges at 4 different levels of difficulty.
Autism Live Says:
This incredible game develops concentration and visualization skills, as well as working on problem solving skills!
Best Card/Board Game Winner
Flippin' Pickles
Pickle Everything Games
Description
7+ years
Get ready to flip, match, and crunch your way to victory in this fast-paced pickle-themed card game! Match the right pickles before your opponents and claim the title of Top Pickle! Players take turns flipping cards and racing to find the perfect match. But beware—some pickles have a sneaky twist! Stay sharp, or you’ll end up in a real pickle!
Autism Live Says:
We love this fast and fun card game and the zany pickle people pictured on the cards. This game helps build memory skills and so much more!
Boredom Buster Toy Winner
I Spy Build and Seek
University Games
Description
5+ Years
Inspired by the best-selling I SPY picture riddle series, kids ages 5 and up will build a 3D Tower structure and search for hidden objects. Players flip over Seek Cards, scan the 3D Tower for matching images, and race to be the first to find 5 hidden objects to win.
Autism Live Says:
We love everything about this game, the building, the focus it takes to find the objects, the perspective shift when you flip the structure, and the winning!
Best Video Game Winner
Bluey: The Video Game
Nintendo Switch
Description
4+ Years
Play with your family and friends in a variety of exciting games and challenges. Play as Bluey and her family including Chilli, Bingo and Bandit. Recreate iconic moments from the TV series and immerse yourself in Bluey’s world.
Autism Live Says:
This is a fun and easy game to play with your child. Game play revolves around finding and collecting items. It promotes cooperative play and builds focus.
Best Puzzle Winner
G'nuzzle
Pickle Everything Games
Description
7+ Years
G’Nuzzle is the riotously fun, fast-paced puzzle game where strategy meets speed! Race your friends to drop all your pieces first — it’s part game, part puzzle, all sizzle. Perfect for families, kids, and game night enthusiasts!
Autism Live Says:
We love that this game is a new competitive twist on putting together a puzzle. For the puzzle enthusiast in your family this game adds a fun new aspect: WINNING!
Best Book Winner
Different Thinkers
Boys Town Press
Description
6+ Years
This book is a child-centered guide that explains Autism and highlights the gifts of being neurodivergent!
Autism Live Says:
This lovely little book is a wonderful tool to introduce the concept of being different, but not less. We love the science-based answers to help understand how different brains work.
Best Art/Craft Winner
3D Tunnel Booke
Eye Connect Crafts
Description
3+ Years
Tell your story your way with open-ended design, creative coloring, and poseable mini characters. This hands-on activity sparks imagination, encourages creativity, supports STEAM learning, and helps kids build focus and fine motor skills.
Autism Live Says:
We love the creativity these clever craft products unleash. They are so much fun and come in so many different styles, you are sure to find one your child won’t be able to resist.
Dr. Doreen’s Favorite
Lego® Classic Creative Suitcase
Lego®
Description
4+ Years
This LEGO Classic creative tool set for kids encourages open-ended creativity and imagination, making it an ideal starter set for budding LEGO builders aged 4 years and older.
Autism Live Says:
Dr. Granpeesheh loves this Lego set as a perfect starter kit for young builders. Building develops skills, such as problem-solving skills, and fine motor skills.
Shannon's Favorite
Gesture RC Car
Luzhis
Description
6+ Years
This 4WD RC stunt car is capable of performing cool stunts and all-round drifts. It can drift in all directions, rotate 360 degrees, drive on both sides, and even switch between on-road and off-road modes. With its vibrant lights and catchy music, these RC cars are hours of fun.
Autism Live Says:
This super fun car will be a hit with everyone, but it also works on fine and gross motor planning! Shannon loves how much joy this car sparks.
Don’t forget to check out all the fabulous toy and gift winners in other categories.
You might find exactly what you are looking for there!
We at AUTISM Live
wish you the
Happiest of Holidays!
After all of your shopping is done, if you find that you have more to give, please join us in making a donation of any size to Autism Care Today (ACT). This wonderful organization gives grants to families for things like iPads, insurance co-pays, sensory equipment, GPS devices and more. Your donation could make another family’s holiday wishes come true.