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Autism Therapy
Back to Manipulative Lists

Autism Therapy Manipulatives

Games, objects, and manipulatives to assist children on the autism spectrum.

Autism Therapy
child playing with clay

Purchasable Options

Title
Description
Link
Boundaries Baseball Board Game
Online game that helps children understand and respect boundaries (for ages 6+)
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Chew Necklaces for Sensory Kids
Silicone chewy necklaces for autism, ADHD, anxiety, or special needs
Purchase on Amazon
Craftstory 86 Pcs Social Emotional Learning Activity Face Boards
Flannel Face board to help children recognize their emotions & describe their feelings by revealing emotions on a flannel Face
Purchase on Amazon
da Vinci's Room Don't Go Bananas game
CBT game to help kids identify what triggers their emotions, analyze the beliefs held about those situations, explore reactions and look for ways to change their thought patterns (ages 6-12)
Purchase on Amazon
Desktop Zen Sand Tray
Therapy sand tray for all ages complete with rakes and stamp spheres
Purchase on Amazon
DoodleJamz JellyPics
Sensory Drawing Pads Filled with Non-Toxic Squishy Beads and Gel for children aged 3+
Purchase on Amazon
Emoji Balls
30 Piece set of Face Balls made of foam to squeeze for stress relief (all ages)
Purchase on Amazon
Emotional Roller Coaster Board Game
An anger management game for kids age 4-12 that helps children learn to cope and calm down when angry
Purchase on Amazon
Emotion Stones
Stones engraved with faces showing 12 common emotions for ages 3+
Purchase on Amazon
hand2mind Colors and Shapes Sensory Pad
Sensory and occupational therapy toy to calm anxieties and provide basic skills (ages 3-5)
Purchase on Amazon
hand2mind Express Your Feelings Sensory Bottles
Sensory toy to help children express their feelings and calm anxieties (ages 3-5)
Purchase on Amazon
hand2mind Mindful Maze Boards
Therapy toy to help children enhance mindfulness, focus attention, and calm anxieties (ages 4-6)
Purchase on Amazon
hand2mind See My Feelings Mirror
Play therapy toy that helps children to identify their emotions, manage feelings, and recognize emotions in others (age 3+)
Purchase on Amazon
hand2mind Sensory Fidget Tubes
Calming toy that can be used for occupational therapy, play therapy, and stress relief (all ages)
Purchase on Amazon
IMPRESA Spiky Sensory Rings
Fidget bracelet toys for kids with unique needs--age 3+
Purchase on Amazon
In Control: A Book of Games To Teach Children Self-Control Skills
A book of six games helps children control emotions, impulsivity, organize and plan, and use positive 'self talk' (ages 5-7)
Purchase on Amazon
Interlocking Gear Toys
100 textured interlocking gears to promote STEM building and build motor skills
Purchase on Amazon
Jumbo Spiral Glitter Wand
Hard plastic wands that provide visual and tactile stimulation to help children calm down, relax, and improve their concentration and focus (ages 3+)
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Junior Learning Social Skills Board Games
Games that target the development of essential social skills for kids like empathy, friendship, manners, and emotional understanding (ages 5-8)
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Kinetic Sand
Natural sand that magically sticks together to develop creative and sensory skills (age 3+)
Purchase on Amazon
Kneadable Erasers
Malleable erasers to use for correcting mistakes or molding into shapes
Purchase on Amazon
Large Pop-It with Numbers
A fidget that relieves stress and exercises childrens' mathematical thinking and motor skills (age 3+)
Purchase on Amazon
Learning Resources Big Feelings Pineapple Set
Mr. Potato-type toy to build social-emotional skills and practice building and recognizing a variety of expressions (age 3+)
Purchase on Amazon
Liquid Motion Bubbler
Liquid motion timer that provides a calming visual tool for kids and adults with sensory issues (all ages)
Purchase on Amazon
Liquid Motion Bubbler Timer
The liquid motion bubbler helps kids calm down or focus. Perfect sensory toy for people with special needs, autism, and ADHD.
Purchase on Amazon
Mesh Tube with Marble Fidget Toy
Fidget toy for children and adults with ADHD, OCD, and Autism
Purchase on Amazon
Montessori Busy Board for Toddlers
Sensory busy board with 10 activities to learn and stimulate the development of fine motor skills (ages 3+)
Purchase on Amazon
Original Hoberman Sphere
Plastic expandable kinetic structure that resembles a geodesic dome to teach assorted concepts of geometry
Purchase on Amazon
Pop Tubes Robot Fidget Toys
Suction cup pop tube toy to develop fine motor skills or alleviate stress for kids aged 3-6
Purchase on Amazon
RETHINK Card Deck: Mindful Conversation
Conversation starters card game to encourage compassion and alternate perspectives (age 10+)
Purchase on Amazon
Sensory Chew Necklace for Boys and Girls
6 Pack Stretch Chewing Necklaces for Kids with Autism, ADHD, SPD, or as Oral Motor Aids to reduce fidgeting for kids
Purchase on Amazon
Sensory Fidget Toys Autism Figette Ball
Educational ball composed of 20 rainbow-colored balls--sensory toy for all ages
Purchase on Amazon
Sensory Sack Body Sock
Self-soothing sensory whole-body sock that relieves anxiety and sensory overload (ages 6-9)
Purchase on Amazon
Sensory Weighted Lap Pad
5lb weighted lap pad with sequins to provide calming pressure and tactile stimulation to lower anxiety
Purchase on Amazon
SPARK & WOW Wooden Magnets
Face magnets displaying 20 different emotions for kids age 2+
Purchase on Amazon
Special Supplies Sensory Brush
Classic Wilbarger therapy brush set to help calm and relax kids and adults struggling with touch or sensory processing challenges such as ADD, ADHD, or autism
Purchase on Amazon
Special Supplies Therapy Putty for Kids and Adults
Resistive hand exercise stress relief therapy putty kit (set of 4 strengths)
Purchase on Amazon
Spiky Sensory Finger Rings
Spiky sensory (acupressure) finger rings in different colors to reduce anxiety and relieve stress in kids and adults
Purchase on Amazon
Squishy Sensory Toy
A squeezable sensory toy that helps children decompress and release stress (age 3+)
Purchase on Amazon
Stop, Relax & Think Game
Game for active, impulsive children to learn motor control, relaxation skills, and how to express feelings (ages 6-12)
Purchase on Amazon
Stretchy Sensory Strings (BUNMO)
Sensory Toys for kids ages 3-6 (non-mouthable)
Purchase on Amazon
Superhero Strengths: A CBT Workbook for Kids' Anxiety
Kids' guide to building resilience, managing anxiety, and unlocking their inner superpowers (ages 7-12)
Purchase on Amazon
Tangle Jr Classic
Twisty fidget toy set for kids and adults
Purchase on Amazon
The Finger Labyrinth Workbook
Mindful tracing art for stress, anxiety and attention management (all ages)
Purchase on Amazon
3D Pin Art Toy
Sensory toy to stimulate creativity (ages 3-10+)
Purchase on Amazon
Thought Changing Card Kit for Social Intelligence
Kit intended to help kids and adults with Asperger Syndrome and other social skills challenges (contains 50 cards that show cognitive distortions on one side, and rational responses and behavioral activities on the other)--ages 12-adult
Purchase on Amazon
Toddler Peg Board
Montessori toy that enables young children to develop fine motor skills and serve as a tactile tool for older children with special needs (ages 3+)
Purchase on Amazon
Transformable Fidget Spinners
Stress relief sensory toys for kids (fingertip gyros for kids and adults)
Purchase on Amazon
Turtle Weighted Plush
Weighted stuffed animal to relieve stress in kids and adults
Purchase on Amazon
Wacky Tracks Snap and Click Fidget Toys
Finger sensory toys and snake puzzles for stress relief
Purchase on Amazon
Wooden Toy Twist Block Cubes
Puzzle sensory toys to relieve stress, distract attention, and relieve anxiety
Purchase on Amazon
YoYa Stretch Balls
Stretch and squeeze stress balls for stress and anxiety relief (all ages)
Purchase on Amazon

DIY Options

Adaptive Game Pieces
Homemade game modification to assist children with motor needs
Link
Anti-Anxiety Kit for Children
DIY kit for children to help them manage anxiety at home or on the road
Link
Anti-stress balls
Anti-stress balls to help children calm themselves and develop fine motor skills
Link
Assorted DIY Fidget Toys
Instructions for several homemade fidget/sensory toys
Link
Calm Box
Ideas for materials to include in a 'Calm Box' to help children self-regulate under stress
Link
Calm Down Bin
Homemade box of materials to assist de-escalation after stressful events or meltdowns
Link
Calming No-Cook Play Dough
Homemade play dough recipe that does not involve cooking
Link
Desk Fidget Tool
Kids may place this on their desk top as a fidget tool to use while handwriting.
Link
DIY Autism Communication Cards
Create laminated cards to assist non-verbal children with communication (age 5+)
Link
DIY Begleri Fidget Toy
Simple old-fashioned, inexpensive fidget toy
Link
DIY Calm Down Sensory Travel Kit
Travel kit containing tools to help children self-regulate, fidget, and stim
Link
DIY Chair Fidgets
Homemade cloth fidget band for nervous feet
Link
DIY Chewable Necklace
Homemade chewable necklace for young children or children with special needs (Caution: does contain small parts)
Link
DIY Conversation Ball
Boost social skills with homemade teamwork activity
Link
DIY Fidget Stick
Homemade fidget how-to using beads and craft stick
Link
DIY Floam
Homemade material for molding similar to kinetic sand
Link
DIY Geoboard
Homemade geoboard to develop fine motor skills and practice abstract problem-solving
Link
DIY Infinity Cube
Inexpensive wooden fidget toy
Link
DIY Infinity Fidget Cube
Simple homemade fidget cube made from 8 dice and tape
Link
DIY Sensory Blocks
Multi-textured homemade wooden sensory blocks for kids
Link
DIY Sensory Bottles
Homemade sensory bottles made from common household items (age 5+)
Link
DIY Stress Creatures
Homemade squeezable figures for children age 5+
Link
DIY Watermelon Squishy Toy
Homemade squishy toy to relieve stress
Link
DIY Weighted Lap Buddy
Weighted snake toy for stress relief from basic household items
Link
DIY Zipper Bracelets
Bracelets made out of zippers that function as fidgets to alleviate stress
Link
Edible Sensory Play Balls
Sensory play balls made out of Jello for fun and therapy
Link
Emoji Squishy Stress Balls
DIY Emoji Squishy Stress Balls Filled With Slime
Link
Fidget Paper Clip Craft
Simple homemade fidgets made of beads and paper clips
Link
Flextangles
Create a homemade paper puzzle toy with a free template
Link
Homemade Fidget
Make necklaces and bracelets out of aquarium tubing, or cut into strips of sensible length for children who aren’t inclined to chew or swallow objects.
Homemade Fidget
Fill a balloon (double layer, if possible) with sand, marbles, play dough, flour, dry beans, rice, water beads, baking soda, pompoms, or other materials and knot them securely.
Homemade Fidget
Collect smooth palm-sized stones or seashells.
Homemade Fidget
Fill old socks with dry rice or beans and sew them shut.
Homemade Fidget
Pipe cleaners of various length and thickness
Homemade Fidget
Flexible straws cut short
Homemade Fidget
Different sized key rings linked together
Homemade Fidget
Fill an old glove with sand, rice, or beans to make a weighted fidget toy.
Homemade Fidget
Attach binder clips to pencils.
Homemade Fidget
Ziploc bags filled with finger paint or hair gel and taped shut
Homemade Fidget Spinners
How to build a fidget spinner with Lego bricks
Link
Homemade Flubber Recipe
DIY recipe for smooth elastic-like substance using household ingredients
Link
Homemade Putty
Homemade putty in a variety of colors for play and therapy
Link
Homemade Sensory Gel Pad
Create a homemade gel pad from common household items
Link
Ninja Fidget Spinner Toy
Fidget made out of paper with no template needed
Link
Ribbon Pull
DIY ribbon pull for enhancing fine motor skills
Link
Rings and Chain Fidget
Homemade fidget using common workshop materials
Link
Sensory Kit for School or Home
Homemade sensory kit to help children focus, stay calm, and process feelings, etc, more readily
Link
Soda Bottle Top Fidget Toy
Use two soda bottle tops to create homemade fidget cubes
Link
Therapy Putty Recipe
Helps lessen stress for children and adults
Link
Weighted Pencil How-To
DIY extra weight on the pencil to give proprioceptive input to a writer
Link
Wobbly Pencil Toppers
Pom-pom pencil topper that also functions as a fidget
Link
Microwave Heating Pad
Useful household object for providing warmth (and) stress relief
Veggie Brush
Inexpensive kitchen tool that doubles as a sensory brush for use on arms, legs, and back (Wilbarger Brushing Protocol)
Weighted Lap Pad
Useful homemade version for stress relief, helping children to sit still, or providing sensory input for calming
Link
Weighted Stuffed Animal Sensory Tool
Homemade weighted stuffed animal for children with sensory processing differences
Link