15 Best Toys for Kids of All Ages With Autism (2024)

These tubes come in a pack of four and keep kids entertained for hours — watching the glitter flow from one end to the other keeps users focused and soothed at the same time. They're great for children and adults of all ages — even teens can join in on the fun! Included is one glitter tube, a reverse hourglass, one gravity spinner and one fidget tube. With four different options, kids have the opportunity to pick which tube is best to self-soothe and mix it up depending on their mood. The colors and glitter in these tubes help provide tactile and visual stimulation that serves as distractions as well as helps create a calm environment. Ages 3+

The Sit 'n Spin brings the fun from the park to your home (without the stress). Easy to play with and requiring no set up, both you and your little one will love this fun way of getting out their energy in a safe and exciting way. Kids have full control of how fast or slow they want to go, either by pushing or pulling. It's a great way to relieve frustration while building balance and motor skills and having fun. Plus, it helps with coordination and lets kids move around as much as they want in a controlled setting. Ages 18 months+

This toy takes pop it fidgets to the next level with all the colors of the rainbow. Kids can push, pop and learn with this multi-function toy. The silicone, squishy bubbles help kids identity numbers and colors while building fine motor skills. With number words, embossed numerals and braille, your little one will be able to learn in a variety of ways. It even includes Spanish words on the other side of each bubble to promote early bilingual learning. The repetitive, tactile motion of using the pop it can help improve self-regulation, helping a child pay attention and stay calm. Ages 2+

If your little ones tend to chew on their clothes, fingernails or other toys, try out these chewy tubes made specifically for little mouths. These t-shaped oral tubes provide a strong surface for kids to practice their biting and chewing skills when not eating. With a hollow center and a special design to prevent it from going too far back in their throat and causing gagging, these tubes are safe and can withstand a pretty strong bite. The safe, hard surface is a great alternative for kids who may be chewing on other less-safe items or who need to practice their bite. Ages 7 months+

Basic building blocks are a favorite of many children, and this set from KidCraft is a great option. Let your children tap into their vast imagination when they turn these solid wood blocks into a masterpiece. Each set comes with 60 pieces, including columns, arches and triangles, to help introduce your kids to different shapes, support gross and fine motor skills and social and emotional development. Playing with blocks helps improve visual and spatial awareness as well as creativity and coordination. Ages 18 months+

Kinetic Sand is a favorite among all children, but it can be especially great for sensory exploration and social play. Whether they're building a multi-room sand castle of epic proportions with this sand that easily sticks to itself or just squeezing and squishing for a satisfying feeling between their fingers, this toy is as fun to touch as it is easy to clean up. It's also good for hand strengthening and for children who don't like sticky, messy activities. Playing with kinetic sand can be a calming experience to help kids stimulate their tactile senses while gaining fine motor skills. Ages 3+

Perfect for all kids, these mirrors help develop a better understanding of mental health at a young age via four mirrors that help kids recognize and identify various emotions. The mirrors are made from shatterproof glass and come with several social emotional learning activities. Each mirror also comes with a set of switchable feelings to help further identify which facial expressions mean each emotion on a variety of kids. It helps your little ones understand what they themselves are feeling depending on the expressions that feel right for them. Looking at mirrors and emotion cards can help improve self-awareness, empathy and body awareness. Ages 3+

Similar to other sensory products, these textured balls are great for tactile exploration and can help build gross motor skills for physical development. They also bounce nicely and can be used to play a gentle game of basketball. Great for grasping, bouncing, rolling, understanding different textures and more, this toy is the perfect size for tiny fingers. Aside from building motor skills, these sensory balls can help give kids an outlet to relax or focus on a task at hand. Ages 6 months+

Build a colorful masterpiece with this starter set of squigz. Each starter comes with 24 pieces of colorful mini suction cups that easily attach to one another to create fun shapes and buildings. Easy to use and store in the included plastic container, squigz connect to almost any solid surface, according to the brand, and make a fun popping noise when you separate them. These little toys help provide relaxing sensory stimulation while encouraging creativity. Ages 3+

This toy supports the development of visual perceptual skills like scanning, discriminating and problem solving. Children can also practice collaborating and connecting with others, or telling stories with the pieces. Plus, it's available in a variety of styles from "around the house" to "wheels on the bus" so there's something for everyone. Combining classic puzzle game with animal sounds means that every time your little one places a piece in the right spot, they'll be immersed in the farm. If you'd rather play sans noise, simply turn it off. This toy uses visual and auditory sensory stimulation to help kids develop their problem solving skills and creativity. Ages 2+

These soft cloth books can be thrown about because they don't have sharp edges or corners. Each book contains cloth pages of brightly-colored images and words, which is a stress-free way to introduce toddlers to reading. Pick from eight different options ranging from puppy tails to dino tails depending on your kiddo's favorite animals. The pages and tails are made up of fun colors and textures to keep kids engaged and the pages crinkle while you turn them. Use the fabric loop at the top of the book to attach it to your stroller or car seat. Unlike a regular book, this soft book provides tactile stimulation as well, letting kids feel different fabrics and encouraging interaction with both you and the book. Ages 3 months+

Similar to the Kinetic Sand, this toy provides sensory exploration to expand a child's ability to tolerate and manipulate different tactile experiences while learning how to develop fine motor skills. Not only will Playfoam never dry out, but this set comes in a bunch of fun colors to create the perfect visual experience. It's easy to build new shapes and take them apart for endless play. Parents can even hide objects inside for further fun and interaction. Plus, it uses tactile sensory stimulation to encourage little ones to be creative, artistic and curious in a mess-free way. Ages 3+

This cute turtle is great at helping children increase attention span and engagement by providing them a useful toy for fidgeting. It's also good for kids of different sensory profiles and arousal levels. The weighted element feels like a comforting blanket to help calm nerves while the plush fabrics are soft to touch. This toy will help your little one with everything from concentration to stability. Plus, it's a great friend for cuddle time. Weighted plush toys can help provide calming stimulation and encourage focus, especially when kids are experiencing sensory overload. Ages 3+

This portable set's various pieces — from plush animals to a stethoscope — provides more structure and visual props to expand early imaginary play and promotes themes around nurturing and care-taking. Children can learn what it takes to be a vet from the safety of their own home while developing empathy from the rounds of pretend play. This toy helps develop your little one’s social skills and encourages them to learn more about their own (and other’s) emotions. Ages 3+

Channel the 70s with this groovy lava lamp in green and blue. The soothing motion and lights of lava lamps may provide a calming experience for kids, teens and adults who are sensitive to certain sensations like sound, light and touch. The cool tones of this lamp create just the right lighting for those in need of a bit lower stimulation while the constant soothing movement helps create a soothing environment. The calming visual stimulation can improve focus and encourage relaxation. For all ages, with parental supervision

The Good Housekeeping Institute reviews parenting products (and toys) of all kinds, from the best new toys of 2022 to the best baby strollers. Our experts have tested a variety of toys, spoke with real parents and scoured the data and reviews to ensure we only suggest the safest and best options to our readers and their little ones. We consider safety, ease of cleaning, texture, price and more when choosing our favorite picks. We also spoke with expert Jennifer Rothman, LCSW, who has worked in the childhood special needs field for over a decade. These picks are made up of our pros' favorites and popular brands with rave reviews from real parents and experts.