The 10 Best Toys and Games for Children with Special Needs

Sometimes children with special needs and sensory difficulties need extra-special toys to keep them engaged, help them learn, and encourage sensory play. These ten games and toys will do just that, but also teach math and vocabulary skills, teamwork, and basic life skills to toddlers, kids, and teens with special needs while helping them identify and respond to their feelings. Some of our favorites? Giant Jenga (which the whole family can enjoy), the Basic Skills Busy Board, and the Tumbling Monkeys game. Read on for the full list of fun!

Fidget Toys Sensory Bundle Set

Fidget Toys has a variety of sensory-friendly toys such as textured snakes, a motion liquid timer that looks like a lava lamp, squeeze beans, a rainbow magic ball, and more that will keep little ones entertained. Toys that engage the senses are one of the most-recommended types of toys for kids with autism, ADHD, and sensory processing challenges.

Tumbling Monkeys

This game is best played by two or four siblings. Kids will insert colorful plastic sticks into the hollow, see-through palm tree base, then pour in the little plastic monkeys, and take turns pulling out colorful sticks and try not to let the monkeys fall through! Tumbling Monkeys encourages strategy and coordination and is easy to get the hang of. The colors and cuteness factor of the monkeys don’t hurt either!

Bilibo Child Seat

When you child sits in this circular blue plastic toy, he can be rolled, spun, and rocked for as long as he wants. Curling up in Bilibo encourages awareness of one’s body, helps to stimulate all the senses, and might relax your child as well. 

Feelings in a Flash

This “emotional intelligence flash card game” encourages feelings identification, which can be very important for kids with special needs. Feelings in a Flash doesn’t just help with identification, either—it also provides appropriate responses and coping mechanisms and helps kids build empathy.

Vtech Tote & Go Laptop

This little laptop teaches words, numbers, and more on-the-go while encouraging verbal replies, which is great for kids who might be hesitant to use their words. The laptop also hosts a variety of fun games and characters to keep kids engaged. This is a great toy for long car rides or unstructured stretches during the day.

Teachable Touchable Texture Squares