What do you get your AS child for Christmas?

[Katerbug]

This similar question was posted over on the budget board. I don't know about you but I have a hard time buying gifts (Christmas or birthday) for my 9 yr old son who has autism. He is not real interested in opening gifts at all and if he does find something he likes in the first present he wants to take it and play with it and is not interested in the other gifts. It takes him two weeks to open Christmas presents. It really bugs his sister that he still has presents and she has opened all hers. I let her open his if I know they are clothes. He likes Blues Clues, Thomas and Disney movies and already has a lot of all of these items. I was trying to think of something that he would enjoy that was more mature.
Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

 

[Brightsy]

I have a similar issue w/ my ASD kiddo. HE's into Mickey. monorails/trains/rollercoasters, and leggos. We're getting him a small trampoline with a handle on it. We're also considering a hobby horse.

Sara

 

[Accentuate+]

I don't have any experience with autistic children so this suggestion may not work but....in case it will.

How about getting one big box and putting all this presents in it. (even if you have to use a refridgerator box) Either keep the gifts small in size so they'll fit in one big box that is still 'wrappable' or if you need the huge, huge box just put ribbons, bows, stickers on it.

Since he's not into unwrapping he'll only have to unwrap one thing and then he can go through his presents at his leisure. Hopefully doing that will entertain him while sis opens hers individually and even if he isn't finished checking out all his gifts they are at least unwrapped so not so annoying to his sister?

Or two boxes with half his presents in each...you get the idea. I don't know if a box full of all kinds of stuff would be overwhelming but maybe some variation on this would help.

Unless, of course he's like I was as a kid. Given a choice between toys and a giant box with ribbons on it I probably would have just played with the giant box.

 

[sadeeyore]

My DS is 9 and has autism.
We usually buy Toy Story, Pooh Bear, Lion King or Simpsons character figures. He has lots of these figures already, but always likes to get more.
He also likes gameboy games and play station games.

My son loves opening presents if he thinks it is something he would like. Although at Christmas he never opens all of his presents in one go. He always has some left for later or the next day or so.
With clothes I would either have them wrapped in one parcel, or not wrap them. My DS has no interest in opening clothes and if he realised clothes were wrapped they could be there until next year if no one else opened them.

Sorry I don't have any good suggestions on presents.
Maybe gameboy games or computer games. DS also likes to get outside toys like a toy golf set or toys for water or sand play. He also likes toys for playing with in the bath.

Something else we have recently bought is an exercise trampoline for DH and myself, but DS loves it. He outgrew his little trampoline which we used to have inside.

Helen

 

[Nik's Mom]

I ordered the Disney Interactive toy from QVC last night. The demo seemed like it would be perfect for my autistic 6 year old! Here is a link.
http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp...er=QVC&txtDesc=t22877&SearchClass=&Submit4=Go

I also saw them on KB toys.com, but they were more expensive.

 

[SueM in MN]

That sounds kind of cool. I'll be interested in hearing what you think of it.

 

[roseprincess]

Katerbug, does your son like to build things with legos or just build things in general? Maybe some lego sets would be good. My ds(ASD) is 8 now. When he was 3 and a half or 4 yrs. old, he liked using Brio blocks. My sister-in-law gave my ds an old box of Brio blocks when he was 2 or 3 yrs. old. He really wasn't interested in them until he was about 3 and a half or 4. He used to like building train tracks with the Brio blocks on the floor or carpeting. He actually still, once in a while, likes to build with the Brio blocks.
Another toy my ds likes is hotwheel cars. We have several sets of hotwheel tracks my dh and I bought over the yrs. And tons of hotwheel cars. He usually sets up the hotwheel tracks how he wants to, on the carpeting and then plays with the cars on the tracks. Sometimes, his dsister likes to destruct the track, which then makes him upset.
My ds also likes CDrom computer games. He esp. likes Rollercoaster Tycoon 1 and 2. He loves building the rollercoasters and amusement park stuff on the game. Also, my ds is hooked on Gamecube, esp. Mario Kart Double Dash. He plays the video game alone and with my dh, they race against each other.


Rosemarie

 

[Nik's Mom]

O.k., you guys are going to think I'm a QVC addict (well, maybe I am ), but here's something I bought for my ds last year (he was 5) and he went crazy over it. In fact, we all still play with it. Even my 3 year old loves it. Here it is. http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp...er=QVC&txtDesc=t20891&SearchClass=&Submit4=Go
It really helped my ds to learn his colors too!
Sue, as soon as I check out the Disney sketcher, I'll report back. It will be a Christmas present for ds, but I'll test it out. Just for the sake of reporting back here, of course.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sue, as soon as I check out the Disney sketcher, I'll report back. It will be a Christmas present for ds, but I'll test it out. Just for the sake of reporting back here, of course.

There were no DIS Boards when my kids were little, but it's one of the mom's jobs to test out the toys. Didn't you get that information in your motherhood instruction manual?

 

[Nik's Mom]

I must have been too busy testing out the kids halloween candy from Grandma and Grandpa!

 

[JenJen]

I think every kid is differant but my Son enjoyed anything star wars at that age. He was really into action figures too. Now all he cares about is PSP vedio games. It really depends what his obcession is at the moment what I get him. My daughter on the other hand loves anything to do with Cats and wants nothing to do with toys and she is 10. She has over 200 cat stuffed animals and lots of books on cats.
JenJen

 

[Katerbug]

Thank you everyone for your input!!! Accentuate - I love your idea about putting everything in one box. Such a simple idea but I would have never thought of it. I am definately going to try it. We are going to Disney this year for Christmas so there won't be alot of individual presents.

 

[kdtwiss]

We finally talked people into giving our ds what he actually likes this past xmas. That meant he got a whole case of white paper from Office Depot. Tons of crayons and my mom even made him a special wooden box decorated with his loves (basketball, the alphabet etc.) We got him his favorite books and videos again, yes he may have them already but he was thrilled. Just give your ds what he likes (who cares what it is) one xmas I wrapped up some ice cream (very early in the am) If xmas is about making a child happy - just try to do that. If he does not like many things as some of our kids don't just buy gift cards or passes to museums/such that he enjoys. Then he will get a little bit of christmas a bunch of different times.

 

[lalapodip]

Nik's Mom - I am also curious about the Disney sketcher and looking forward to your testing it out. We have the same problem with DS (10) - he will just open the first present. I was thinking this year that one "big" gift would be best....whether it ends up being the Disney sketcher, or maybe the new Gameboy. Both of his sisters understand that their brother may have less gifts to open.....it's just another one of the quirks of autism.

Can I also add that I don't post much, but I frequently check out this board....you guys are all great and very helpful!

 

[mbb]

was always soooo stressed about "what kind of cake" to make for her middle son - who has SID, and cake just does not work for him...

And of course, she would always get the "in-law rant" over "WELL, he HAS to have a BIRTHDAY cake! EVERY kid wants a BIRTHDAY CAKE!" So out would come the beautiful cake, and her little guy would just about cry over having to interact with this concoction

This past year, he turned 10...she made him a "Rice Krispie Square Cake"..and he just about cried with joy..finally, a cake *he* likes..

(The in-laws harrumphed, and left early!! )

...and he still talks about his best cake ever..

Christmas presents...birthday cakes...whatever makes them happy

 

[roseprincess]

was always soooo stressed about "what kind of cake" to make for her middle son - who has SID, and cake just does not work for him...

And of course, she would always get the "in-law rant" over "WELL, he HAS to have a BIRTHDAY cake! EVERY kid wants a BIRTHDAY CAKE!" So out would come the beautiful cake, and her little guy would just about cry over having to interact with this concoction

This past year, he turned 10...she made him a "Rice Krispie Square Cake"..and he just about cried with joy..finally, a cake *he* likes..

(The in-laws harrumphed, and left early!! )

...and he still talks about his best cake ever..

Christmas presents...birthday cakes...whatever makes them happy

Good for them! Glad to hear their ds was able to eat a cake he wanted! I guess it takes some imagination to see what the right cake is for ds.
There is no need to impress or keep the in-laws happy.
If they want, the in-laws can bring their own little cake with them to eat amungst themselves while ds and family eat the rice krispie cake, best of both worlds.

Rosemarie

 

[Nik's Mom]

was always soooo stressed about "what kind of cake" to make for her middle son - who has SID, and cake just does not work for him...

And of course, she would always get the "in-law rant" over "WELL, he HAS to have a BIRTHDAY cake! EVERY kid wants a BIRTHDAY CAKE!" So out would come the beautiful cake, and her little guy would just about cry over having to interact with this concoction

Yup, way too often, in-laws/uncles/aunts don't get that our kids are special. My Mom and MIL both gave ds his favorite thing in the world for christmas last year...rope! Yes, he loves rope of any kind; shoe string, cut up fabric, etc. But they felt bad about just getting him rope, so they bought him other things too. Of course, he only played with the rope.

 

[MN Dis Fans]

My DS10 has AS. He likes getting the store gift cards and then picking out his own stuff. He especially liked a Target giftcard that had Darth Vader and made a sound like a light sabre.