December 2005 - Holiday Gift Ideas for Children With Special Needs

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Last Updated: Sep 02, 2026, 04:42 PM

Family Resources: December 2005

One of the aims of the TRIS project is to raise awareness of rare trisomy conditions and the variety of situations and concerns families encounter. This page is intended to share resources that families can use in their daily lives.

We are now archiving previous months' Family Resources pages.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Children with Special Needs

Here are some links to great holiday gift shopping for that child with special needs on your list.

 

 Try this site to find a variety of toys that fit the child’s special needs that are on your list. Toys "R" Us has put together a nice site that directs you to toys designed to help your child's individual needs. In the “Browse Differently Abled” box in the top left corner, you can click on the different skills that your child may need to work on.

A couple of my favorites were:

Discovery Ball by Leap Frog The Discovery Ball by Leap Frog is only $19.99.
Aquadoodle by Spin Master The Aquadoodle by Spin Master for only $19.95.

 

Come Play With Me has some neat ideas.

Click on the “enter” link, then search for the toy that will help the child you have in mind. I thought searching by “category” and then “therapy tools” was a nice way to find toys that are beneficial to each unique need.

The Lekotek website is a great website that brings learning and fun together for children with special needs. It also has a lending library or toy lending program and a resource helpline.

"Let's Play" at the University of Buffalo may not have a list of toys but it can help you to decide what toys are best for your child, and how to use the toys to meet your child’s needs and desires. It also has valuable information on how to adapt the toys you have or toys they want to your child’s motor needs. This website is full of information to help you make the most of the toys your child wants.

The Therapy Toy Shop has wonderful toys that meet special needs. It has links to many items and is a must-see website. Music, toys, assistive technology, parent guides information books, and much more can be found at this site. There is something for all ages.

Achievement Products for Children is another nice website. It has a variety of products from motor skill development toys, to daily living skill devices, furniture, and more. Some great ideas for holiday gift-giving. My favorite was the music cloud chair. It is pricey but cool. The perfect vibroacoustic beanbag chair is used to help with positioning, calm hyperactivity, relaxation, and entertainment.

Happy Holidays from the Entire TRIS Family!