21 Best Special Needs Toys for Children

One of the best sensory toys ever! This bright and vibrant ball pit playhouse obstacle course playset will keep your children entertained for hours. Kids can customize the many different combination maze options, keeping this playset fun and exciting! Easy assembly and storage… but why would you ever want to store this, unless you’re taking it to Grandma’s?

Therapeutic benefits: helps develop arm and leg muscles and gross motor skills. Best ball pen for sensory processing disorders, ADHD and other developmental issues.

You’re also gonna want 2 or 3 bags of these.

Your child can have the ocean in the palm of their hand! Plastic beads are held in the transparent head and create the sound of the ocean. Fish graphics bring this drum to life. Includes a mallet for playing like a drum, but it can be removed.

TELL ME THIS ISN’T THE BEST TOY EVER. I DARE YOU. Over 1,500 five-star reviews tell you a lot about this toy! Indoor or outdoor for kids ages 2-5.

Way cooler than a bike. This trike allows your child to sit and pedal rather than maintaining balance.

For those who are unable to balance on a regular bike: this one helps you ride, balance, and glide on concrete, dirt, and grass. It’s the answer to your bike problems. Also available in pink or red. Includes stationary pedals.

Blow up a balloon with a banana and other cool stuff. With your help, your child will have a blast creating these wacky science feats.

If your child needs a little help with balance but still loves jumping on the trampoline: boy, do I have the best gift for you!  For ages 3-6.

Anyone else have one of these as a kid? Sit and spin. It’s as simple as that, and your child will LOVE it. They control the speed of the spinning.

Young astronauts will be over the moon about this gift! He or she will feel safe and protected in their very own hanging spaceship as they make their way through space! Printed controls and play buttons are accented by interior hanging planet lights. Comfy pillow, quality materials. This is one of the best toys for autistic children because it allows them a safe space (see what I did there?) of their own. Max weight 225 lbs.

Sensory-seeking kids love the enclosed feeling this swing gives. Not only is this hammock fun, but it’s also great for sensory integration. Compression is comforting to most people, not just kids with special needs.

Pets bring comfort to people. Let your child have a soft and cuddly pet of their own with fur inspired by real cats. Features FibraPurr technology for purrs that sound and feel like real purring. That means real comfort. These beautiful cats respond to petting, hugging, and motion much like cats you know and love and make a great sensory toy. Choose from four different colors, or why not the cutest golden pup ever?

Add water to 10,000 beads and let them explore the ocean they just created! This toy is fun while improving fine motor skills. Want to add some more sea animals to make this even better?

In a world of technology, playing kitchen is still lots of fun. Inspire imagination and encourage play. This is one of the best special needs toys because the possibilities for additional gifts are endless. Teach them how to cook in their own play kitchen. Here’s a set of cutlery and cookware. Here’s the same in a different color.

You may even want one of these for yourself. This 3.9-foot bubble tube floor lamp with 10 fish changes to 20 different colors by pressing the color on the remote.  Coolest nightlight ever? I think so.

Bounce them, toss them, or use them to help express emotions.

Encourage active exploration with this vet set. Key-operated and private “hospital rooms” encourage spatial orientation, directionality, and finger dexterity. Kids use problem-solving skills to manage the child-friendly medical equipment and adorable stuffed animal “patients”. Let their imagination run wild! BPA and lead-free.

Gardening is just about as multi-sensory as it gets. Fine and gross motor, tactile, proprioceptive, auditory, olfactory — even taste if you plant vegetables (also available through this link). Working with our hands is empowering and therapeutic for anyone.

Plant your garden, then paint and personalize the planter and garden stakes. Your young green thumb will love this!

P.S. Oh Say Can You Seed?: All About Flowering Plants (Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library)

Stainless steel is supported by leather straps in this aromatherapy bracelet, which makes a great special needs toy for older kids. Comes with 8 interchangeable felt pads in stylish colors. Psst … want some more kid-safe essential oils?

For the rockstar in your life! This piano play mat comes with 8 Musical Instrument sounds – Piano, Violin, Saxophone, Trumpet, Clarinet, Banjo, Xylophone, and Guitar. Also allows record, playback, and adjustable volume.

This stuff personally entertained me for hours on end as a kid. Hands down one of my favorite toys. Promotes creativity and fine motor skills through sculpting masterpieces. It’s also a tactile paradise. Non-toxic.

Star Wars fan or not, your kids will have a blast playing with these LED lightsaber toys. I doubt they’ll put them down for weeks. Connect the two to make one MEGA lightsaber, or wield one in each hand (or, yanno, share).

No judgment if the other one is for you.