My step daughter is 12 and has autism. I am the one who does most of the Christmas shopping and my husband and I are really struggling this year with gift ideas for her. She is very high functioning. Her only interest seems to be playing the Wii, which we limit each day. The things she is asking for are Wii game character figurines which do jot give her anything to actually do. Any suggestions for items she can actively play with?? Things that do not involve a screen and that encourage some imagination?? Thank you in advance!!
Yeah... it is very easy for kids to be "sucked into" the game world....... you are wise to limit her time and access to the Wii...
How about craft sets that give her directions on how to make things? Something that you could sit down with her to make?
Does she have any sensory interests or issues? My son is high on the spectrum, and he has sensory seeking tendencies. I'm thinking of getting a mini-trampoline for him this year.
What are the games on the wii that she likes? Are there crossovers into other activities that involve the characters that you could get - like Mario Brothers has knex building toys figures?
Good luck!
I don't have any input into the autism piece, but you do say that she is high functioning. Most 12 year old girls don't play with toys. Electronics are high on their lists. When my daughter was 12, at Christmas she got an Ipod. I realize that now, most kids get that when they're in elementary school. At 12, she also enjoyed earrings, gift cards for Itunes and Dunkin Donuts, origami papers, books, art items like pastels and artist quality colored pencils, jigsaw puzzles, sudoku book. I realize that your stepdaughter may not embrace typical interests of girls that age. I don't think that the figurines are a bad idea - many kids that age collect something.
My son sounds similar to your daughter. Some suggestions:
Board games are great for interacting... do a little research on popular or more unusual board games that are available, choose a good one (or two) and make it a family activity once in a while.
He loves Legos and they are really timeless. They have a new line for girls. They also have Lego games now, some better than others. (Check reviews on Amazon)
If she has any favorite subject at school, --science, history, spanish, art, whichever, find books or activity sets to go with that.
Hope that gives you some ideas!
I am a Discovery Toys consultant and we actually have an autism guide that can help parents of autistic children choose the right toys, based on their child's learning styles and needs.
Mosaic Mysteries is one of my favorite products. She can actively create different mosaics using a set of tiles, and it will allow her to be very creative. It comes with a large book of suggested ideas, but she can also create her own designs. Here is a direct link to the product: http://www.discoverytoys.com/PUBLICSTORE/stores/karenchao...
Another favorite, and a popular one among autistic children, is Tricky Fingers. It comes with 14 puzzle cards, and she will move marbles around in a box to try to re-create the puzzle on the card. The boxes don't open, so there's no risk of losing the marbles. This is a great one to take on the go, as it is very small and can easily fit into your purse. All of the puzzle cards are blank on the back, so she (or you) can create additional designs. Some people laminate the cards and use dry erase markers on the back so you can have unlimited pattern cards. http://www.discoverytoys.com/PUBLICSTORE/stores/karenchao...
You can view all of my products at http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/karenchao We have a lot of board games that kids her age tend to like (my favorites are Wiz Kidz and Number Rings).
I see no issue with the Wii figures, if they are the ones that sit on a shelf. Those can be her stocking stuffers if they are not too pricey.
My son is Autistic, very high functioning(though he's currently seven). He's into books and art, so for someone like him, it's easy to figure out.
Is there a certain game that she likes? These days, they make books on most games. Perhaps browse Scholastic's website and find books on her fave gameset.
Personally(for a near teenager):
I'd give her her own day to be pampered like a princess--make her fave foods all day for that day, take her out to a spa and have a mani/pedi(I don't normally advocate these, but for a twelve year old, making a day to make herself confident is priceless), and a shampoo/style. I know this is not a cheap thing, but she's twelve, nearly thirteen, so grooming for confidence is the name of the game...plus it's bonding time for you Mama!
Without knowing any of her likes/dislikes/hobbies, it's hard to give you other advice. She's 12, and at that awkward stage of not yet teenager. Imaginative gifts(on the spectrum or not), are going to be difficult without additional data.
Hope this helps.
