Top Ten Gift Ideas for Children with Developmental Challenges

Raising a child with any type of developmental deficiency is extremely challenging. Here are a few gifts that you might consider this Holiday when shopping for a child that falls into this category. Though primarily educational-based activities, games and toys, these gifts will not enhance learning and socialization, but will also provide tons of giggles and fun.

1) Bee Smart Baby™ 10-Volume Set, Plus a FREE DVD & CD - This set is educationally appropriate for non-verbal kids or with kids with limited speech, who are diagnosed with a variety of developmental disorders including Autism, PDD, CP, Down Syndrome, Complications of Prematurity and other developmental delays. Speech and language development are the best indicators of intellectual development in infants and toddlers. The Bee Smart Baby™ Vocabulary Builder Series uses this as it's foundation by helping to boost a child's speech and language development . This Super Pack is perfect for setting your child on the road to learning and discovery!

2) Spectrum Connections - Connecting Emotions (2005) and Connecting Body Movement (2005) - Spectrum Connections is all about "connections" - connecting autistic children to their own thoughts, words, and actions, as well as connecting autistic children with their parents. For the parents of kids on the Spectrum, there is extremely limited, if any, appropriate products to entertain their children. These DVD's and music CD's, are designed to provide parents with some much needed relief and joy at seeing their children engaged and entertained. and even includes added features and information for Parents.

3) DreamKuddle Huggable Buddy Body Pillows - This innovative combination body pillow and huggable buddy helps children with sensory integration issues as is often the case with Autism. Dream Kuddle is the perfect comfort companion for children and a real problem solver for parents. The pillow is designed to provide children from 2 ½ years and up comforting body support, emotional security and companionship for stressful situations, it enhances quality of sleep and relaxation and provides smoother crib-to-bed transitions. Use it for bedtime, travel, and relaxing on the floor or sofa while reading or watching TV, sleepovers, camping or daycare!

4) Tangle Junior Puzzle - This reminds me of a Rubix Cube! Tangle® a great stress reliever and an effective tool for Autism, ADD and ADHD - the instant calming and soothing effects help with concentration! It is appropriate for children over 3 years of age. This puzzle is a series of 90 degree curves, connected and able to pivot at each joint. It has no beginning and no end - just continuous a motion, but can be taken apart and joined together again.

5) The Go! Board - This learning tool is for children with ADHD and Autism. The Go! Board is designed for lower functioning children who would benefit from a picture schedule. Pictures or symbols representing a desired activity or task are inserted into colored icon holders and held in place with a protective cover. Once the particular activity is completed, the icon holder is removed and placed into the box at the base of the Go! Board. The System helps children who have difficulty transitioning from one activity to the next and enhances the learning of receptive and expressive vocabulary.

6) Lang-O-Learn Sea Life Cards by Stages Learning Materials - These cards are great for teaching basic language skills to children and adults with autism, developmental delay, or speech and language delay. This 20 Photo Sea Life Card set features bright and colorful, photos for teaching basic language skills. The cards are labeled on the reverse in 17 languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese simplified, Chinese traditional, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Polish, Filipino, Portuguese, Greek, Thai, Arabic). They also come in Lang-O-Learn Occupation Cards, Lang-O-Learn Insects & Bugs Cards, Lang-O-Learn Fruits & Vegetables Cards, Lang-O-Learn Body Parts Cards, Lang-O-Learn Shapes & Colors and Lang-O-Learn Pets Cards.

7) Ableware Educational Aids - Pockets™ Basic Skills - Colors, Numbers and Shapes by Sally Miller, Autism Specialist. - This item is effective for children with learning disabilities such as Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder or language delays. It encourages children of all ages to explore, understand and communicate the concepts of colors, numbers, shapes and feelings and assists in developing skills in matching, labeling, classifying, grouping and generalizing information. It provides visual, repetitive, hands-on learning experiences which help build prerequisite skills needed for reading, writing, and general communication. It's available in 2 different versions.

8) The Language Builder Picture Noun Card set - This a great tool for teaching key language concepts to children and adults with autism, developmental delay, or speech/language delay. The set includes 350 cards with bright, child-pleasing photos from nine basic categories (animals, foods, vehicles, furniture, clothing, toys, everyday objects, shapes, and colors).

9) Community Jingo - This is an exciting educational bingo-style game, perfect for children with communications disorders or autism spectrum disorder. Jingo is played just like bingo, but pictures replace numbers on the player's card. Jingo games are an exciting, educational, fun-filled alternative to bingo. The game is recommended for 3rd grade and up. Also available are RHYMING WORDS Jingo, Summer Jingo, PRESIDENTS and FIRST LADY Jingo and AMERICA'S GREAT CITIES Jingo.

10) Opposites Flip-Flash Cards - Phonics - 78 Words & Opposites by Ideal School Supply - These flashcards are for general education, Autism - ASD, ADD, ADHD and special needs children. Opposites is a great way to increase vocabulary and reading comprehension! Look at the word on one side, then flip the page to find its opposite. Provides great practice for standardized tests.

These items really range in price - some as stocking stuffers and some might be considered as a serious investment. I view education as priceless. If you have or know a special needs, Autistic, speech delayed or other developmentally challenged child, why give him or her every opportunity to advance and achieve. Browse through the links under "Resources," as many of these items can be found at multiple sites.