Stocking fillers for our autistic kids

I find buying things for my autistic kids quite challenging.  Anthony often has limited interests and is often very shy about expressing an opinion (in case it's wrong) and David... well David's communication is very limited.   We have to guess what they'd like, for birthday's, Christmas and in their stockings.  Fortunately - I've come up with some great ideas this year that will appeal to their sensory sides, provide them with fun and even some sneaky education.

Totes Emosh Card Game

Little games are great additions to stockings, but there's not many that my kids really get or can cope with.  Totes Emosh is a fun game based on Emoji's. It's a bit like charades for three or more players, but instead of guessing movies, books etc you guess Emoji's from a Key Card. If you guess it right you win the card, and the player with the most cards at the end wins.  It isn't difficult to play and has the amazing bonus of helping my autistic kids think about emotions and facial expressions, something they would traditionally struggle with.

The kids can practice different faces and we can talk about what we think the different emoji's represent. What does the crying emoji mean?  How is it different from the other emoji's with tears on the Key Card?

It's a fab easy game that'll be great for travelling with and is definitely worth adding to a stocking this year. It's available for £6.99 but you can get a 10% discount if you enter my code R2B2019.

Chocolate Names

We always have some form of chocolate in the kids stockings.  Not really much of an educational opportunity - unless of course it's for phonics? Morse Toad create personalised chocolate gifts.  Chocolate photos, cards and chocolate messages.  It looks a bit like chocolate scrabble pieces put together to make names, words, sentences etc. It means our kids can have some reading practice and some delicious chocolate in one go.

The easiest stocking filler is what they call a 'place name' which is seven chocolate letters and/or symbols (like hearts or stars).  We've got them with the kids names on them.  David is nearly eight but is still practising how to spell and say his name.  He can also look at his siblings one (before they re devoured and see about sounding the out too.  But you could write anything with up to seven letters that worked for your kids like 'Santa', 'Brother', 'Sister' or even just 'present'. Place names are £2.95 each or get five for £14.75.

Socks

Good old Father Christmas likes to top up the kids wardrobe at this time of year.  We've recently found seamless socks which all the kids love.  SockShop's seamless socks are great for kids with sensory difficulties and we love the bamboo ones because they help the kids feel stay warm / cool when they need to and dry as it wicks away moisture. The socks are made with foot-kind, smooth hand linked toe seams so they aren't annoying for the kids. They do a full range of colours and a lovely Elmer Patchwork set for kiddies with smaller feet whilst our older kids can get a whole range of festive styles too. These socks are around £4.99 a pair.

Stationery

Christmas stockings are a great way of boosting the kids stationery.  Whether it's pens, pencils, easy to hold highlighters, erasers, sparkle glue sticks and fun shaped sticky notes (we particularly like the idea of thumbs up or hearts for highlighting good things that happen).  We use them all year and we can top them up with thanks to Father Christmas.

Whilst glitter glue is great for Jane, there's chance David might eat them!  A chewable pencil case and stationery are great for kids who chew on their rulers, etc.  Chewigem also do full length pencil toppers that go all the way down the pencil.  They can be chewed without the kids eating the pencil - no more bite marks!

Sensory Jewellery 

Chewigem design, adapt and create a range of chewing, fidget and sensory aids for children and adults. They have almost every type of chewer covered and one of their ranges includes 'Chewellry' or chewable jewellery. They have all sorts form lovely heart pendants and jewel necklaces to dog tags and bangles in a range of colours and toughness. Their necklaces are around £13.95 and bangles around start at £6.95.

We've also in the past had light up flashing crystal star necklaces. One squeeze turns on the necklace and another switches it off. It's spikey gel on the outside so it's lumpy but yet soft to touch.  If the kids prefer a squishy keyring or stress ball keychain works great too.

Have you got any ideas?

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This post contains a giveaway that has now closed via a Rafflecopter giveaway

Conditions: UK Residents only. Entrants must be aged over 18. Entry is via Rafflecopter. Entries can be made up until midnight on Friday 13th December as indicated.  One winner will be chosen from all valid entries at random the day after closing. The winner will be contacted within 48 hours of the closing date and have 48 hours to respond. The Prize is one Totes Emosh card game as shown above.  Prize is sent direct from manufacturer. The exact prize could change with an alternative product of similar or higher value sent. No cash alternative.

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We were sent some of the items included in this post for purpose of review with no conditions. 
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