Top Toy & Gift Guide
2020
Introduction
One in fifty-four children in the U.S. has an Autism Spectrum diagnosis. Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. These are children who need great toys that are not only fun to play with but can also help them grow and develop important skills.

Each year Autism Live curates a list of top toys and gifts in a wide range of categories and developmental levels to help you find the perfect gift to delight the children, teens and adults in your life who are on the Autism Spectrum.

This year things are a little different, families are facing extraordinary challenges. We have expanded the toy guide to meet these challenging times, with an eye toward maximizing play at home as an educational vehicle and opportunity to grow. We have provided a wider range of toys in various price ranges to help you make the perfect holiday selection. Don’t miss our caregiver gift section! We hope there is something to delight everyone!

Autism Live is a unique daily web show that provides news, resources and hope to the autism community. This free show is available online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is regularly viewed in more than 102 countries. Viewers have the ability to interact by asking questions of experts, participating in contests or by sharing hope with others.

Watch Monday – Friday 10:00 - 11:00 AM PST & 1:00 - 2:00 PM EST Nov. 9 – Dec. 22 to see toys featured from the guide during the 8th Annual Festival of Toys! (www.Autism-Live.com)
Baby & Toddler

EDUCATIONAL TOY WINNER

Dimpl Digits, Fat Brain Toys®

Touch, push, pop, and learn! Squishy, silicone bubbles captivate the fingers in a way that’s impossible to put down while simultaneously opening a unique new avenue for learning. On one side, the bubbles are embossed with the numerals 1 through 10, each accompanied by its matching word in English. Flip it over and you’ll find the words written in Spanish, plus dots to feel and count! Colorful, unique and wonderfully tactile. Little fingers can’t resist the number-learning delight of Dimpl Digits.Autism Live says: The super fun disc is ideal to teach. Each color-coded slice of silicone has a number that can be popped! Think how fun it is to pop the bubbles on bubble wrap and you’ll know why this toy is an award winner. One side features numbers and their English spelling, the other side features numerical dots with the Spanish spelling of each number. This toy feels good to the touch and will help your child work on fine and gross motor skills while working on numbers, colors and reading!

SENSORY TOY WINNER

Yoee Baby®

Yoee Baby is designed for playing together from day one! Babies love the touch of the super soft tail and you’ll love the smiles and coos. Use the feather-like tail to tickle, caress, calm and soothe. The “Pick Up & Play Handle” makes it easy for moms, dads, grandparents and siblings to play gently with even the tiniest of newborns. Unlike other toys meant for babies who can sit up, grab for things, or move around, Yoee Baby is a toy you can start using right away.Autism Live says: It’s all about connecting with your baby and Yoee Baby is perfect for that. Does your baby like the rattle noise Yoee Baby makes? Or do they prefer to be tickled with the soft “feather-tail” on the end? Maybe they like to teeth on the teether, or crinkle the animal’s ears? This tiny tool has it all. It is the perfect item to tuck in the diaper bag before heading out the door. Yoee Baby comes in many different animal styles and is great for working on eye contact, eye tracking, grasping and more!

CARD/BOARD GAME WINNER

Seek-a-Boo™, Mindware®

“Can you find the dog?”, How about the banana?”, “The apple is red, can you find something else that is red?” Seek-a-Boo is an engaging way to build your child’s vocabulary and improve memory skills with matching and repetition. Your active child will love moving from card to card, peeking under each “SEEK ME” circle, looking for a match to your “FIND ME” square. The Seek-a-Boo color-coded card categories highlight foods, toys, clothing, colors, shapes, things found outdoors and animals. The interactive parent guide provides instruction for more ways to play; giving flexibility to increase or decrease difficulty for younger, older, or for playing with multiple children. Switch roles, create your own combinations, practice taking turns. The learning and play is endless!Autism Live says: Seek-a-Boo is like a giant twist on the old matching game. The super colorful, giant-sized cards add fun to this super game. Your child will get in lots of gross motor activity while working on building language skills, memory and cooperative play.

BEST PUZZLE AWARD

Carrot Harvest Puzzle, Yofun

Your child will have a fun time harvesting carrots and developing fine motor skills using this quality wood preschool Montessori toy for toddlers. The size of the carrots are different and somehow similar which challenges your child to find where the carrots fit.Autism Live says: Little hands will love this quality puzzle. The carrots are perfectly sized to work on fine motor skills and the different sizes present just enough of a challenge to keep your child’s mind active and engaged!

BEST BOOK WINNER

The Wonderful World of Peek-a-Boo, Melissa & Doug®

Playing peekaboo is more fun than ever with this crinkling, squeaking, lift-the-flap cloth book filled with jungle animals, flying friends and more. Take a peek to see what you can find! Melissa & Doug K’s Kids cloth books are packed with low-tech, high-impact novelties and durably constructed to last through story time, playtime, and the washing machine, too!Autism Live says: We love all the interactive learning opportunities presented by The Wonderful World of Peek-a-Boo. This is a perfect “first book” for any child. Textured flaps and surprises help your child to work on fine motor, language, joint attention and more!

THERAPIST RECOMMENDATION WINNER

Froggy Ball, Discovery Toys

This irresistible squishable multi-sensory activity toy will keep your toddler engaged for hours, building motor strength and coordination. Features include a body that can be easily squeezed, a mega bead ball inside for a rattle-like sound, easy to grasp handles and sliding beads.Autism Live says: Therapists love this ball for its open ball construction, this makes it ideal for working on fine motor ball skills, which develop hand-eye coordination skills. These are critical skills for later development!

PARENTS RECOMMENDATION WINNER

Linkimals™ Smooth Moves Sloth, Fisher-Price®

The Linkimals™ Smooth Moves Sloth™ gets your baby moving and learning with exciting lights, music, songs and groovy dance moves. Press the buttons on the sloth’s feet to hear all about numbers, colors and more as the sloth claps its hands and bobs its head. Plus, when Smooth Moves Sloth™ recognizes other Linkimals™ friends, they create a synchronize music and light show. (Additional Linkimals are sold separately).Autism Live says: Parents love this adorable and interactive sloth! On its own, its a wonderful cause and effect toy that will encourage your child to sing, dance and learn. But this toy’s super power is its ability to link with other toys and create something truly spectacular! This is a wow factor toy, sure to please all!

OLDIE BUT GOODIE WINNER

Pound and Tap Bench, Hape

The Hape award winning musical Pound and Tap Bench functions as a xylophone that can be played in variety of ways. The kids can fetch balls as pounding sends the balls tinkling over or they can pull-out the keyboard and xylophone and play a solo. This toy promotes dexterity, hand-eye coordination, manipulation, arm movement and teaches cause and effect.Autism Live says: We dare you not to play with this toy! Children love the banging and the playing, the fact there is music just adds another layer of excitement. This toy builds fine and gross motor skills, as well as working on colors and cause and effect.

AUTISM LIVE TOP TOY WINNER

Music Explorer Toy, Baby Einstein

The Baby Einstein Music Explorer Toy is a whole band that fits right in baby’s hand. It magically Lights up to baby’s touch. They will love playing the touch-activated drum, guitar and piano sounds.Autism Live says: This is our top toy in the category because it features a wide variety of interactive lessons sure to delight any baby, but it’s lightweight, portable and affordable too. Opportunities are there for fine motor, vocalization, pretend play and more!

BEST ART/CRAFT WINNER

Magic Doodle Mat, Fubu

This magical water painting pad allows your child to paint with friends on the table or floor, exercise hand-eye coordination and color perception, develop painting and creative skills. Fill the water doodle pen with pure water; then draw on the mat and watch your lines and patterns appear in multicolored designs. As the water dries, the drawings will fade away, and you can draw new pictures again and again.Autism Live says: We love this mess-free opportunity for endless art projects! Work on colors, fine motor skills and so much more. Stencils and shapes are provided so the play grows with the child.

MOTOR PLAY WINNER

Sit to Stand Learning Walker, VTech®

VTech’s Sit to Stand Learning Walker features over 70 sing-along songs, music, sound effects and fun phrases for interactive learning fun. The early learning center has a 5-keys piano that play music and encourage creativity; and its wheels work on carpeted and hard floors when it’s time to cruise. Also on board are 2 colorful spinning rollers, 3 shape sorters, and 3 light-up buttons that develop motor skills. The pretend telephone handset and mechanical elements enhance role-play fun.Autism Live says: The VTech® Sit to Stand Learning Walker will keep your child busy whether sitting, standing, cruising or walking. It has developmental play opportunities for all stages of learning to walk. We love how much this one toy has to offer a growing child. Great for fine motor, gross motor, cause and effect, pretend play and so much more!

SPEECH BUILDER WINNER

Little People World Animals See ‘n Say, Fisher-Price®

Point the arrow to the music note to hear fun songs about the animals. Point the arrow at animal picture and pull lever to find out its name and hear its sound. With two pages of animals, kids will discover a variety of new friends in the animal kingdom while learning the animal names and sounds.Autism Live says: Generations of children have learned animal names and sounds with Fisher Price See ‘n Say toys, because they give the child endless opportunities to choose an animal, hear the name and the sound. We love this toy for its fine motor interaction and its speech building prowess!

SOCIAL SKILLS BUILDER WINNER

Busy Poppin’ Pals, Playskool

The Busy Poppin’ Pals Pop-Up Activity Toy is happy hands-on fun! Get little hands busy practicing motor skills as little fingers slide, pull, push, twist, and press to make the animals pop. Snap the lids shut to play again and again. Pop goes the panda, giraffe, monkey, elephant, and lion, too! This colorful baby and toddler toy for kids 9 months and up makes it fun to figure out how to make the cute little critters pop up.Autism Live says: Playskool’s Busy Poppin Pals is great toy for working on fine motor skills, but it also is a great stepping stone to all important social skills. Play with this cause and effect toy can help develop joint attention and social interaction!

STEM TOY WINNER

Wooden Blocks, Melissa & Doug®

The Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden ABC/123 Blocks Set features 50 traditionally-styled one-inch wooden alphabet blocks that include a collection of pictures, letters, and numbers. These well-crafted ABC blocks are excellent for toddlers and preschoolers to develop strong skills including matching, stacking, sorting, and word recognition.Autism Live says: Block play is pivotal to help build fine motor skills and block imitation. Melissa & Doug always hit it out of the park with their exceptional wooden toys. These blocks will help your child play in myriads of ways and will be handed down for many generations.

Preschool

EDUCATIONAL TOY WINNER

ABC Builder™, Leap Frog®

Let the fun and learning begin! Little hands insert the 20 double-sided learning blocks into the interactive Smart Star to hear sounds and phrases that introduce letters and numbers. Press the question button to hear requests to find a specific block in the set. Press the music button for melodies and learning songs. There are so many ways to play and so many ways to learn.Autism Live says: : In typical Leap Frog® fashion this toy is a power house. Work on colors, numbers, letters, language, building and more. The learning opportunities are endless and the fun is epic. We love how this toy grows with a child’s emerging skills.

SENSORY TOY WINNER

Sandisfying Set™, Kinetic Sand™

Feel the difference with Kinetic Sand, the original magical, moldable, and mesmerizing sand. Its unique formula makes it stick together so it easily shapes and molds. Once you pick Kinetic Sand up, you won’t be able to put it down! The Kinetic Sand Sandisfying Set is perfect for creative and imaginative play and includes 10 tools and 2 pounds of sand to let you transform Kinetic Sand like never before! Kinetic Sand is made from natural sand and is wheat, gluten and casein free, making it safe for play. Mix the two sand colors together, then mold it, shift its shape, scoop it and grate it – the possibilities are endless! Create your own videos to share with friends! The contained play space, video backdrop and phone holder make it so easy to do.Autism Live says: Kinetic Sand is always a big winner with kids and this kit takes sand play to the next level. We love the tools included, especially the video backdrop so you can create videos to share with friends.

CARD/BOARD GAME WINNER

Feed the Woozle, Peaceable Games®

This award winning game is fun for the whole family. The Woozle loves to eat hairy pickles and fuzzy donuts. Game play encourages your child to help feed him 12 crazy treats before all the snacks are gone! It’s a monstrous game of mixed up fun designed to grow with your child through 3 separate levels of game play.Autism Live says: This amazing game is easy to play even with your non-readers! It’s fun and silly but works on fine motor, body awareness, counting, cooperation and social skills! We love Peaceable Games® and their commitment to create games that teach cooperation skills and empower children with positive self-esteem lessons.

BEST PUZZLE AWARD

Expression Puzzle Building Cubes, Big Boom Idea

Build puzzle faces to match cards with fun colors and facial expressions. Inspire your child’s imagination while working on important skills, learning shapes, colors, facial expressions and focus.Autism Live says: This is a super fun puzzle that’s educational and interactive. Develop social skills and social language while having a great time!

BEST BOOK WINNER

Bedtime Classics Jack in the Beanstalk, Penguin

When Jack is sent to market to sell his family’s cow, he makes a trade for some magical beans, much to his mother’s chagrin. To Jack’s surprise, the beans grow into a giant beanstalk. Jack climbs all the way up and encounters a frightening giant. But when the giant is fast asleep, Jack climbs up and steals his treasures. Bedtime Classics are charmingly illustrated board book editions of perennial favorites, simplified for the youngest readers! These classic works of fiction ignite the imagination of little literary scholars through character-driven narratives and colorful illustrations. Designed to be the perfect one-minute bedtime story (or five minutes--if you’re begged to read it over and over), parents can feel good about exposing their children to some of the most iconic pieces of literature while building their child’s bookshelf with these trendy editions!Autism Live says: We love these short classics with beautiful illustrations. Parents will enjoy reading these wonderful tales with their little ones while helping them develop their ability to listen and maintain focus for short periods of time. Start with Jack in the Beanstalk and build your library with these wonderful editions.

THERAPIST RECOMMENDATION WINNER

Coding Critters Ranger & Zip™, Learning Resources®

Meet the Coding Critters: your first coding friends! These playful puppy pets bring early STEM concepts to preschool learning through 100% screen-free coding. Kids code along with their new pets’ storybook adventure, and help the brave Ranger and mischievous Zip have a playtime they’ll never forget! Each storybook coding challenge unfolds in the Coding Critters’ fun pet playset - can you code Ranger to play hide and seek, fetch a ball from the tennis ball launcher, or catch Zip after a ride down the slide? In addition to following along with the storybook’s coding challenges, you can also use the pet playset to design your own code games and more! The Coding Critters also double as cute interactive pets - press Ranger’s nose to activate Play Mode, where you can feed, pet, and take care of your new puppy robot pal! You can even make him dance and sing a silly song!Autism Live says: These super cute critters are a learning power house! Your kids will love them as soft furry interactive pets, but wait until they start being able to “train” them using beginning coding skills. Skills developed through play: problem solving, cause and effect, cognition, critical thinking, social interaction, language and more!

PARENTS RECOMMENDATION WINNER

Noah’s Ark, Playmobil®

Prepare for the Flood with Noah’s Ark! Guide the animals up the ramp two by two and onto the floating vessel, where they’ll find plenty of room to roam. The larger animals, such as zebras and lions, can stretch out on the lower level. Here, the Giraffes can also comfortably stand thanks to the open layout, perfect for accommodating their long necks. Smaller animals, such as the Chimpanzee, Orangutan, and meerkats, can wander around the upper walkway, while the birds can perch on the rooftop lookout.Autism Live says: Because there are two of each animal there are myriads of language skills that can be developed using this toy. Work on matching, features, preferences, perspective taking and more!

OLDIE BUT GOODIE WINNER

Make-A-Fort

Make-A-Fort is the 21st century spin on an old classic. Created by two fathers wanting to make the world a better place by challenging kids to be creative in the real world while minimizing the negative impact on the environment. Make-A-Fort is a fun way for kids and parents to play together without staring at a phone or tablet.Autism Live says: We love the creativity that can happen with Make-AFort! This is a great boredom buster that will get your child’s imaginative juices flowing! The building possibilities are endless and epic!

AUTISM LIVE TOP TOY WINNER

Wonder Makers™, Fisher-Price®

Kids can go from the classroom to the playground with the Wonder Makers™ Slide & Ride Schoolyard play set from Fisher-Price. With this mix-and-match building set, kids can design the school building and yard, complete with a swing, tree house, merry-go-round, and more! Using the 75+ reconfigurable play pieces, preschoolers can design different layouts, using the same pieces to create buildings or tracks. With so many combinations to explore, kids can create a different school yard every day. Collect additional Wonder Makers™ building sets, track packs, and vehicles for more designing fun! (Each sold separately and subject to availability.)Autism Live says: We love these Fisher-Price Wonder Makers for flexibility of play. They develop all phases of play while building fine motor skills, planning, socio-dramatic play, language skills and social skills. We particularly love Wonder Makers™ for their ability to deliver as a stand-alone toy or to interact as you add to your collection.

BEST ART/CRAFT WINNER

Water Wow Books, Melissa & Doug®

No-mess painting for kids! This exciting paint-with-water coloring book includes four reusable pages and a refillable water pen. Simply use the pen to color in each scene details and vibrant color appear with every stroke! Then let the page dry to erase the pictures and color it in again and again. This farm-themed book includes four scenes to color, and a search-and-find activity for each scene. The chunky-sized water pen is easy for kids to hold and stores neatly right in the front cover, making this Water WOW! an ideal travel activity book and travel toy for kids!Autism Live says: We love the exciting pictures your child can create with this book while never making a mess!!! These are perfect for car rides and breaks from distance learning. Quick and easy, these projects guarantee an art success for your child. They will love painting and not realize they are working on the same skills which will help them develop good hand writing habits.

MOTOR PLAY WINNER

Step-a-Logs, Edx Education

Use these moveable balance beams to teach better balance and proper movement while building the child’s sense of coordination in a supportive environment. Teach children confidence as their balance improves. The Step-a-Logs work well indoors and outdoors especially when matched with other challenges in an obstacle course! Kids love creating their own obstacle courses! Incorporate Step-a-Logs into a household mix of cushions chair tunnels and pillow cases for sack races to keep them entertained and having fun. Step-a-Logs can easily support the weight of an adult. The learning toy has a modular design that can scale up or down for children’s learning experience plus they can stack for efficient storage.Autism Live says: Now more than ever it is important to keep our children moving and learning. Step-a-logs are a great addition to your home environment. They stack and store easily but when they come out to play they add tons of fun and help your child to work on gross motor planning, balance and self-regulation.

SPEECH BUILDER WINNER

My Little House, Smart Felt Toys™

Designed by a speech therapist, My Little House has won numerous childhood development awards. It takes kids on a creative adventure and promotes developmental language concepts and skills while having fun along the way. My Little House has 8 colorful rooms and is fully reversible. Kids can play with the outside of the house, or flip it around and match pieces on the inside. With 36 matching felt pieces, specifically designed to teach concepts such as quantity, colors, shapes, and sizes, this toy is designed to build speech. An included pamphlet explains key early language concepts and suggests reinforcing activities.Autism Live says: We can’t say enough great things about Smart Felt Toys™ and their mission to create quality toys that make building language fun. We love the way the house collapses for easy clean up, but pops back up to create a house any child would want to play with. We also love My Little Farm! Work on all elements of speech using these unique and fabulous toys!

SOCIAL SKILLS BUILDER WINNER

Neonate Babies, Distroller®

A Neonate Baby is a newborn baby that arrives to earth in a space capsule from the planet Neonatopia in search of love and care from human children. Just like babies on earth, Neonate Babies arrive in various sizes, personalities, and species with different age stages of development. Since Neonatopia’s atmosphere is different than ours, they are kept in their incubators until they can acclimate to the earth’s climate. Distroller World takes great pride in finding children who want to adopt and care for one (or all) of the many delicate Neonate Babies that have arrived on earth.Autism Live says: These adorable babies are super fun to play with while teaching great social skills and perspective taking. The baby has to be fed and taken care of. Each unique baby has its own characteristics. We especially love the feel of these babies, they are weighted, making them a sensory delight to hold. We also love the accessories available to make your Neonate baby even more unique.

STEM TOY WINNER

Math Monster Scale, Hape

Hape’s cute monster family-themed weighing scale with weights includes 9 larger weights and 11 small soft weights. It’s great for learning about simple addition and subtraction and introduces children to weight measurements and balance. It also helps promoting fine motor skills and concentration.Autism Live says: Math concepts can be hard for some of kiddos. Teaching math in an experiential way can sometimes be the answer. This monster scale teaches math concepts by giving the child the ability to see and experience what equals what.

BOREDOM BUSTER AWARD

PopOhVer Ice Cream Set and Builder Set, Salus Brands

Playtime just got sweeter with PopOhVers New Ice Cream Shop and Builder Sets! Kids will love running their own ice cream stand and pretending to serve ice cream sandwiches, sundaes and popsicles or building on their very own toy work bench!Autism Live says: We love PopOhver’s well-crafted fabric and wood toys! These functional pretend play sets are great for preschoolers. They get to believe they are entrepreneurs and builders! This is an essential form of play to foster. We especially love these easy to use sets as you can simply slip over a chair you already have and when playtime is over they fold away nicely with virtually no footprint! These sets are perfect for taking a break during distance learning!

School-Aged

EDUCATIONAL TOY WINNER

Mochi Coding Robot, Mochi

Mochi teaches children the basics of computer programming in a playful, hands-on way as they explore the universe and learn colors, numbers, letters, basic words and more! Montessori approved, LEGO Compatible.Autism Live says: If you are looking to ditch screen time and focus on hands on learning Mochi is great choice. With tons of activities and learning opportunities Mochi is sure to delight and ignite your child’s imagination. Great for learning letters, numbers, colors, building language and math concepts, plus building, fine motor and so much more!

SENSORY TOY WINNER

Club Squishy Surprise™

Kids will squish, squeeze and smile while playing with their Club Squishy Surprise box each month, and every month they get something different! Each box contains 4 - 6 medium to jumbo squishies. With Club Squishy Surprise you are guaranteed a $35 value in every box!Autism Live says: These squishies are addictive! They are fun and reactive, each is a sensory dream. This is a great subscription to have. Each month a box arrives and it is filled with individually packaged squishies around a specific theme. Parents can use the squishies throughout the month as rewards! Each squishy has a super-secret. Squish them and they start to smell – each has their own heavenly odor. These squishies are great for working on fine motor, self-regulation, and for reducing anxiety. We love them! When purchasing, use the discount code ACTTODAY. You will receive 50% off and Club Squishy will donate $5 to Autism Care Today!

CARD/BOARD GAME WINNER

Korner’d Challenge, Endless Games®

The Korner’d Challenge is a puzzle that’s also a game! The rules are simple; just match the colors or animals on the tiles to the pattern on the board. Play all your tiles first to win! Like a puzzle, each tile has only one unique location on the board where it can be played. Simple in design, but deceptive in execution. That’s The Korner’d Challenge! Includes double-sided game board and tiles for two times the fun!Autism Live says: We loved the original Korner’d Game and are so excited about the new challenge version! This is a game that involves spatial relationships and matching. For many on the Autism Spectrum this is an area of strength. We love watching young kids on the spectrum beat college graduates at this game! We also love that it is a game that can potentially be played quickly or you can play a longer version. This game works on fine motor, cognition, memory and executive functions!

BEST PUZZLE AWARD

101 Things to Spot in Hersheyville, MasterPieces®

This MasterPieces® puzzle offers 2 puzzles in one. Do the top quality jigsaw puzzle, then have fun finding all of the items on your “spot list” in the historic Hersheyville theme park!Autism Live says: We love the high quality of MasterPieces® puzzles and love the 2 for 1 puzzle aspect of this puzzle! Working on puzzles helps fine motor, problem solving, critical thinking, flexibility and when done correctly, it creates an ideal environment to work on language and social skills!

BEST BOOK WINNER

Charlotte’s Web, Harper Collins

This beloved book by E. B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children’s literature that is “just about perfect.” This paper-over-board edition includes a foreword by two-time Newbery winning author Kate DiCamillo.Autism Live says: Charlotte’s Web is a classic, ideal for your young reader who is reading chapter books or to read with your child. Charlotte’s Web teaches concepts about being different, dealing with bullies, loss and triumph. The illustrations help to engage early readers and keep them guessing as to what is about to happen.

THERAPIST RECOMMENDATION WINNER

Marbleworks Grand Prix, Discovery Toys®

Design your own super-sized marble raceway! With different exciting marble actions, each new race is just as exciting! Split your track into 2 paths, experiment with the various marble action ramps, and then rejoin onto a single track to determine the winner at the finish line. An infinite number of raceway configurations.Autism Live says: Our therapists tell us there is nothing better than a marble run and this one is the cream of the crop. A great marble run helps to work on construction, problem solving and cause and effect. This Marbleworks Grand Prix allow the child to grow their STEM skills while working on fine motor and cognition. The therapists love that a marble run has a natural beginning, middle and end. It is the perfect toy for short breaks!

PARENTS RECOMMENDATION WINNER

My Little Orchestra, Schoenhut®

This variety of instruments is a great introduction to music for first-timers and future performers. The diverse collection encourages rhythm and social interaction while providing entertainment for individuals and groups. A great gift for any occasion, this assortment of instruments will have children striking up their first bands!Autism Live says: We love the high quality instruments Schoenhut has packed into this orchestra box. There is something for everyone. Parents love these non-electric musical toys for cooperative play, flexibility and cognition. It’s fun for the whole family!

OLDIE BUT GOODIE WINNER

Delta Easy Fly Kite, Stuff Kids Love

The Delta Easy Fly Kite is designed to make every kite flying excursion a success. Made of top quality, hi-tech materials, this kite is tough, strong, light, flexible, rust-proof, and mold-proof. Fully tested “By Kids For Kids”, it is easy to fly, and perfectly balanced, it virtually flies itself in almost any conditions. Hand-made by the World’s Best kite factory, it will last forever... crash, bang, or crunch, kids just can’t break it!Autism Live says: Flying a kite is a great activity, but only if the kite will fly! This kite makes it super rewarding for kids of all ages and abilities. It’s a great way to get kids away from the screens. Kite flying works on fine and gross motor skills as well as problem solving, flexibility and advanced math concepts.

AUTISM LIVE TOP TOY WINNER

Lego® Make a Movie

Does your child love the Lego® movies? Now they can make their own movies with this handy kit and a phone or tablet. With simple projects, this kit makes an easy introduction to animation. Mini movies can be made in as little as an hour.Autism Live says: There’s nothing like empowering a child to tell their own stories. This kit helps budding animators and film makers access their creativity. It works on fine motor, building and language skills, perspective taking and more.

BEST ART/CRAFT WINNER

Hey Clay, Fat Brain Toys®

Become a professional clay artist! The 18 cans of quality clay included in this vibrant set are soft, lightweight, non-sticky, nontoxic, and stain-free. Perfect for young artists taking their first step into the magical world of clay creativity. The clay is also nontoxic, wheat and gluten-free, nut-free, latex-free and won’t stick to hands. Artists can create their own creatures or follow along with the interactive 3D step-by-step instructions to masterfully mold creatures, one simple shape at a time.Autism Live says: We love this gluten-free dough and the easy to use app that helps build clay techniques. This is a great gift for any child. This kit helps to develop fine motor skills, learning through imitation, problem solving and much more!

MOTOR PLAY WINNER

Dinosaur Mini Trampoline, Wamkos®

Wamkos® Dinosaur Mini trampoline is sturdy and very bouncy, perfect for kids to have after-school fun and do exercise in a way that develops their strength, balance, stamina and coordination while burning off pent-up energy. Construction can support weight up to 220 pounds.Autism Live says: With distance learning and social distancing, it’s more important than ever for our kids to have a way to get their “ya-yas out”. They need to jump, expend energy and get their bodies moving. This trampoline has the potential to help with self-regulation, focus, gross motor and more!

SPEECH BUILDER WINNER

Deluxe Magic Kit, Melissa & Doug®

This fantastic set includes 10 professional caliber, yet easy-to-master, tricks for beginners! Young magicians will improve their confidence and fine motor skills as they amaze family and friends with exciting tricks and illusions! “Secret Silks,” “Magic Number Prediction,” Egyptian Prediction are among the ten classic tricks included.Autism Live says: Learning and performing magic is a great way to develop language skills. We love this Melissa & Doug kit, with quality tricks that promise to delight. Make sure to add lots of praise and applause for your beginner magician!

SOCIAL SKILLS BUILDER WINNER

Grandparent Talk, Discovery Toys®

Uncover family stories that haven’t been shared in years or generations with this set of portable conversation questions. Simply pick a card, ask the question and watch your family history unfold. The game keeps family history alive with diverse topics that allow grandkids and grandparents to discover more about each other through fun conversation. Grandchildren will discover that their grandparents were young once too!Autism Live says: The holidays are a great time to work on social skills when grandparents are around and spending time with the kids. Sometimes, a little help is needed to get the ball rolling. Practice suggested topics with your kids before the grandparents come and then watch the growing interaction!

STEM TOY WINNER

LUX™ Blox Starter Set

Unleash your imagination with Lux Blox! Their patent-pending snap and lock hinge means this block curves, bends and moves! One block makes multiple shapes, so the possibilities for creation are endless!Autism Live says: We love what happens when you give Lux Blox to kids. They want to build! This set of great blox develops fine motor skills while working on cognition, cause and effect, problem solving and more!

BOREDOM BUSTER AWARD

KidiZoom Creator Cam, Vtech®

Your kids can create their own awesome videos on this HD video camera with a builtin microphone and special effects like time-lapse video. Then they can swap in 20+ animated backgrounds to get chased by a T-Rex, go to outer space or become invisible with the included green screen fabric. This set comes with easy on-camera editing, creativity tools and a tabletop tripod and selfie stick. Videos can only be uploaded to a computer via the included USB cable at parent’s discretion.Autism Live says: This cool little camera is a great way for your child to express their creativity and point of view. You get to decide if they can share their work with friends and family. We love the green screen possibilities and the simplicity of the editing tools.

Teen & Tween

EDUCATIONAL TOY WINNER

Squishy Human Body, Mindware®

What keeps your stomach from digesting itself? What do brains and pudding have in common? Explore the complex inner workings of the human body and see how the bones, muscles and squishy vital organs fit together with this 12 inches handson model. It includes 9 organs, 12 plastic bones and muscles, tweezers, forceps, full-color guidebook and an exclusive free trivia card set with 160 challenges for on-the-go learning.Autism Live says: This hands on human body will make learning anatomy fun and interactive for your tween or teen. The soft, squishy organs are a pleasant sensory experience while being packed with great biology lessons.

SENSORY TOY WINNER

Jellyfish Aquarium Mood Light, Touch of Nature

The mesmerizing dancing jellyfish sway and drift in a soothing relaxing dance making this light a perfect nightlight for your teen’s bedroom. The colors will gradually change from red, green and blue. These colors will reflect off the pink and blue jelly fish for a nice mood lighting.Autism Live says: This sensory-friendly nightlight is perfect match for teens wanting to create their own sanctuary space. Super-soothing this light promises to reduce stress and help with self-regulation.

CARD/BOARD GAME WINNER

Chicken War, A Strategic Guessing Game - Think Fun®

All’s fair–or fowl–in Chicken War! Compete against your opponents to complete your Chicken Army. It’s a race, but be careful not to give away the identity of your Leader. If you think you know someone else’s, launch an Egg and eliminate the opposition!Autism Live says: This super fun game will have your teen laughing while amassing a Chicken Army! Build language skills, social skills and planning and problem-solving skills all while having a blast!

BEST PUZZLE AWARD

Amaze, Think Fun®

A maze that changes every time you play! Players must navigate this maze game using the attached stylus, pushing open movable gateways while avoiding traps and dead ends! An innovative twist on a classic maze game, Amaze’s diabolical shifting pathways change the solution path during play! With 16 unique challenges and no pieces to lose, Amaze is the ideal travel game!Autism Live says: We love the fact this game travels and presents endless challenges. This is a great alternative for screen time while in the car, waiting at a restaurant or in a doctor’s office. Mazes are great for working on problem-solving skills and flexible thinking.

BEST BOOK WINNER

The Princess Bride, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

William Goldman’s Classic Tale of true love and high adventure features pirates, princesses, giants, miracles, fencing, and a frightening assortment of wild beasts. The Princess Bride is a modern storytelling classic.Autism Live says: This is a great novel for your teen to read on their own or with you. Then watch the classic movie with them for a full educational experience they will never forget!

THERAPIST RECOMMENDATION WINNER

Action and Reaction Starter Set, Fat Brain Toys®

Roll into a fascinating physics adventure! Towers, tracks, and unique accessories combine to create a ball-run experience that teaches young engineers all about the basics of physics. Start by opening up the illustrated manual for a step-by-step guide through simple configurations that quickly get the ball rolling. Then, once you’ve got the hang of things, get creative and try building ball-run contraptions of your own design. The accelerator lets you launch the balls into high-speed action while the loop-de-loop provides thrilling insight into the principles of force and momentum.Autism Live says: The Action and Reaction Starter set is perfect for your teen who has outgrown their marble run and wants to take their engineering skills to the next level! They will have hours of fun designing, planning and then seeing, first hand, what physics has to say about what they created. This set works on cognition, executive function, fine motor and so much more!

PARENTS RECOMMENDATION WINNER

Alarm Clock, Homcasito

This Wake Up Light with Bluetooth Speaker make this a perfect Table Lamp Alarm Clock for teens and tweens. With a Night Light, Bluetooth Speakers, color changing dimmable lamp it is the perfect all in one alarm. They can listen to music, set the mood with that lamp and best of all, they can set their own alarm!Autism Live says: This alarm is something your teen will get excited about! It gives them the control to set the light to their favorite color, listen to the tune they choose and best of all they can start waking themselves up in the morning. We especially like the quiet mode feature on this clock that turns off all sound function from 10pm to 7am.

OLDIE BUT GOODIE WINNER

Guess Who? - Fat Brain Toys®

The classic game of Guess Who is back, just the way you remember! Guess Who? Designed exactly like the original game from your childhood with 24 wacky characters to guess from, all with striking characteristics! Try to guess your opponents character by asking yes or no questions.Autism Live says: This classic game of guessing characters through the process of elimination is one of our all-time favorites. It’s a home-run because it encourages critical thinking, logic, memory and facial recognition skills all while encouraging conversation in a social setting!

AUTISM LIVE TOP TOY WINNER

Sphero® Mini

Build your own mazes, obstacles, towers and other courses to navigate through the living room or kitchen! Equipped with a gyroscope, accelerometer, and colorful LED lights, this educational robot is more than a mini robot toy. Sphero Mini is the perfect entry into robotics for beginners! Sphero Mini is ideal for individualized learning and can be easily facilitated and guided by parents, making it the perfect robot for kids. Beginner learners can drive and play STEM-inspired games with the Sphero Play App, and more experienced learners can advance to programming the Mini with Block Based Coding or JavaScript in the Sphero Edu App.Autism Live says: Sphero Mini gets your kids off the screen and helps them to work on state of the art STEM skills, while having fun. It is easy to use for beginners but the sky is the limit if you have a child interested in programing!

BEST ART/CRAFT WINNER

Just Add, Griddley Games®

Griddley Games’ JUST ADD series of kits provides a fast track to experiential fun and learning. Kits come with all the ingredients to make fun crafts and complete fascinating science projects. You just need to add one thing! That one thing is something you probably already have in your home. Try Just Add Eggs, Just Add Milk, Just Add Sugar, Just Add Sun, or any of these clever kits and let the learning fun begin.Autism Live says: We love these kits! This is the busy parent’s solution to a boring afternoon. You don’t have to plan lessons or shop for endless craft items, it’s all in the box, including a teaching guide to help you to talk with your child about the craft or experiment.

MOTOR PLAY WINNER

Dropsy, Endless Games®

Dropsy is the fumbling bumbling balancing card game! Players take turns drawing cards until someone gets three of the same color. But there’s a twist…instead of discarding the cards you don’t want, you must hold all your cards, and you must hold them in the manner directed on the card! Under your chin, on your hand, on your head, under your arm, inside your elbow, or between your fingers. But don’t commit a Dropsy and drop your cards, or you’ll have to start over!Autism Live says: This game gets hilarious fast! It’s easy to play and gets reluctant teens moving their bodies in interesting ways, just to be able to hold their cards.

SPEECH BUILDER WINNER

Conversation Cubes, Learning Resources®

Spark discussions and personal responses. 6 Cubes feature 36 engaging questions to build speaking and listening skills. Conversation Cubes also support fluency in ELLs and students in speech programs. Activity guide included.Autism Live says: These cubes are great for getting conversation started. Roll the dice and get endless possibilities to talk with friends and family. They are great for hanging out with grandparents who want to connect and don’t know how to spark conversation.

SOCIAL SKILLS BUILDER WINNER

Headbandz Act Up, Spinmaster®

The Act Up version of the Spin Master Hedbanz Board Game is fast paced and full of fun and laughter. It is based on the original game, but the twist is that players are required to act up as the person, place or thing that appears on the other player’s headband card. This family board game comes complete with six headbands in different colors, 180 Act Up cards, six player cards, 72 player tokens, one die to roll, a timer to keep the action fast and a handy set of instructions. The first player to get rid of all their tokens wins the match.Autism Live says: We love the classic game but we are in love with this new version. This is great for perspective taking, gross motor, building language and social skills. Equally important, it’s great family fun!

STEM TOY WINNER

Eureka Crate, KiwiCo®

Eureka Crate provides a hands-on lesson in the creative and purposeful application of science and engineering principles in order to solve a real-world problem. By connecting their project to the design history behind it, kids can see themselves as part of an ongoing story of invention — and build the creative confidence to write the next chapter. Eureka crates are designed to inspire kids (and kids at heart) to think about the design and engineering behind the objects around them. With that lens, they can understand and question why things are the way they are and how they might be made better.Autism Live says: We love these monthly crates. They arrive and bring a new hands-on lesson that will inspire your child and create a lasting legacy of learning. Each crate will develop different skills but they all hone the important STEM skills and spark imagination!

Adult

EDUCATIONAL TOY WINNER

Gearjits™ Pendulum Clock, Mindware®

Challenge yourself and build an intricate, working clock from beautiful, laser-cut wood pieces. This 3D vintage clock is exciting to build, and the final product brings the principles of mechanics to life. Just set the system of gears, rods and wheels in motion, and enjoy artistic mechanics that keep time. What will happen when the clock strikes midnight?Autism Live says: This is a great gift for puzzle-loving adults who love to build. It’s beautiful, elegant and satisfying. Best of all it is a working clock that will bring hours of joy upon completion. This unique kit will hone fine motor, cognitive, memory and building skills.

SENSORY TOY WINNER

Dynamic Liquid Sand Picture, Luv America

This 10” Moving Blue Sand Picture is a work of art that will bring endless hours of calming, relaxing sensory enjoyment. Rotate the glass to start a new creation as the sand tumbles downward, cascading into myriads of almost hypnotic, moving pictures.Autism Live says: This is a great gift for those that enjoy visual sensory input. Small enough to be on an end table, this “endless art” gift will quiet and focus anxious minds, helping them to relax and sleep!

CARD/BOARD GAME WINNER

Mexican Train Dominoes, Endless Games®

This classic game comes with 91 color-dot double 12 dominoes packed in a tin plus trains and hub to play Mexican Train. Bonus Chickenfoot game rules included!Autism Live says: Mexican Train Dominoes is a great game for everyone in the family regardless of age or ability. The game skills include, colors, number values, matching, strategy and more!

BEST PUZZLE AWARD

Wrebbit® 3D Harry Potter™ Diagon Alley

This 450-piece 3D puzzle gives muggles full access to a hidden side of London. Discover a unique range of mythical shops where young wizards find their school supplies and more. Whether it’s for a wand at Ollivander’s, books at Flourish & Blott’s or simply for fun at Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for!Autism Live says: This 3D puzzle is for hard core Harry Potter fans! The 3D element will rock their mythical world. We love the conversations and communication that takes place around a puzzle table.

BEST BOOK WINNER

The Call of the Wild, Puffin Classics

Jack London’s classic novel centers on the life of Buck, enjoying a idyllic life in Santa Clara Valley, where he spends his days eating and sleeping in the golden sunshine. But one day a treacherous act of betrayal leads to his kidnap, and he is forced into a life of toil and danger. Dragged away to be a sled dog in the harsh and freezing cold Yukon, Buck must fight for his survival. Can he rise above his enemies and become the master of his realm once again?Autism Live says: This classic novel is a page turner. The themes of overcoming adversity and discovering who you are and where you fit in are great for any age.

THERAPIST RECOMMENDATION WINNER

Fearless Meditation Adult Coloring Book, Papeterie Bleu

The perfect marriage of an adult coloring book and meditative workbook? Enter Papeterie Bleu’s world of inspiration and motivational self-expression through creativity with this stress-relieving coloring book for grown-ups. Inside you will find 35 whimsical pages that will take you to your happy place for coloring, relaxation, and introspection. Unleash your inner artist as you color this therapeutic anti-stress coloring book, perfect for decorating with markers, colored pencils, gel pens or watercolors.Autism Live says: We love the therapeutic nature of this delightful coloring book. This is the perfect gift for anyone in your life who could use a reduction in stress.

PARENTS RECOMMENDATION WINNER

Sensory Projector, Noa

This Calming Autism Sensory LED Light Projector reproduces the sparkling sea and allows you to feel as immersed in the deep sea calm. Relaxing water waves lap gently on the ceiling for a soothing bedtime effect. The built-in speaker can be plugged into an iPod/MP3/Smartphone to enjoy relaxing music.Autism Live says: We love the ambiance created by this unique projector. The calming lights and soothing sounds are perfect for creating a stress free bedtime routine.

OLDIE BUT GOODIE WINNER

Chess Set, Armory®

This beautiful chess set features a walnut inlay chess board, with interior straps for holding in the pieces. The pieces also have felted bottoms to protect from scratching the surface area.Autism Live says: There is nothing quite so classic as chess! This game is a cognitive work out, helping the players to plan ahead, problem solve, read social cues and learn how to be a good winner and loser!

AUTISM LIVE TOP TOY WINNER

Speks®

Speks is an addictive sensory toy. Forged from 5”12’ (2.5mm) Magnetic nickel Balls. Speks is mashable, smashable, buildable. It is the ultimate fun stress relief desk toy for adults.Autism Live says: We haven’t met anyone who can keep their hands off of it. Speks® is the perfect gift for the hard to please folks on your list. It is guaranteed to be a hit!

BEST ART/CRAFT WINNER

Mini Terrariums, Craftastic®

Create a miniature garden world to fit the smallest spaces with the Craft Crush mini terrarium kit from Ann Williams Group. These charming geometric terrariums look great individually or hung in a pattern, adding a splash of color to any room. And they are easy to make. The Craft Crush Mini Terrarium kit includes everything you need to get started right out of the box. No additional materials or special tools to buy!Autism Live says: We love this craft kit from the Ann William Group. Everything you need is included so you can get right to the fun!

MOTOR PLAY WINNER

Giant Stress Ball Stretchy-Squishy, Ja-Ru®

Squish it, smack it, stretch it! This Giant Stretchy Ball is squeezable, bouncy and soft. Mold, pinch and squish this Stretchy Dough Ball in your hands at work for stress relief and to stimulate circulation in your hands, arms and fingers. It’s washable and designed to last.Autism Live says: These giant stress balls are great for any age, but we love them for adults! They are great for creating sensory input which can reduce stress and anxiety. We love them!

SPEECH BUILDER WINNER

Say Anything, NorthStar Games®

This award winning game is perfect for jump starting conversations with family and friends. Unleash the humor and creativity you never knew you had with family-friendly questions. It’s easy to play. Simply read a question. Everyone else writes an answer. Secretly choose your favorite answer. Then everyone else tries to guess which one you picked!Autism Live says: This is a great game for getting everyone talking. It’s fun, easy to play and helps build perspective taking!

SOCIAL SKILLS BUILDER WINNER

Pictionary Air, Mattel®

Pictionary Air is a hysterical new way to play the classic family drawing game! Draw in the air, see it on screen in this exciting twist on the quick-draw classic. Download the Pictionary Air app to your smart phone or tablet to get started. Point the in-app camera at the illustrator and they’ll appear, along with their sketch, on the screen of your smart device. The Pictionary Air App allows you to adjust the round timer and number of rounds to give beginners or younger players more time to draw. Selfie mode allows you to draw without any time limit for practice or solo fun! Record your performance in the app and play it back to relive the fun or to share it with friends!Autism Live says: We love this game and its social interaction capabilities. We especially love the time flexibilities and the ability to record the drawings, which makes it possible to play this game while in different locations!

STEM TOY WINNER

True Balance, Excite®

Neatly stack the disks. That might sound simple, but it takes concentration and coordination to get the rotating magnetic discs to line up just right. This engaging toy will builds attention skills and the ability to focus.Autism Live says: This game is deceptive. It looks easy, but mastering it takes skill, coordination, planning and balance. Everyone will want to play. Guaranteed to bring hours of enjoyment.

Caregiver

EDUCATIONAL TOY WINNER

Evidence-Based Treatment for Children with Autism:
The CARD Model, Academic Press

This manual is a user-friendly, comprehensive description of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) model of autism treatment-the latest scientific information on what truly works in treating autism in an integrated, organized, consumable format. The book details effective early behavioral intervention, covering topics such as challenging behavior, visual modification, parental involvement, improving language, cognition, social skills, and organizations. The CARD model is highly comprehensive and provides useful clinical information to form cutting-edge treatment programs.Autism Live says: This is the book that details the curriculum and teaching methods of The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) under the leadership of our own Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh of “Ask Dr. Doreen” fame. It is no secret that we are huge fans of hers and the evidenced-based treatment CARD provides.

SENSORY TOY WINNER

Tongue Drum, Flatstone

Ideal for personal meditation, yoga, Zen, sound therapy. Playing a Steel Tongue Drum is a good way to relax after a day’s work because no matter what your skill level the drum is tuned to sound delightful. This drum is tuned to Standard C key with 8 dulcet tones, allowing you to play a wide array of simple songs or to improvise to your heart’s content. No musical background is needed, just follow your instincts to explore.Autism Live says: We love this steel tongue drum set that comes with mallets and storage bag. Playing this drum is a great stress reliever. It can be done on your own or you can share the fun with your child. No matter how long or how hard you bang on this drum, the music is always sweet and melodious.

CARD/BOARD GAME WINNER

Scrabble™, Hasbro®

Put letters together, build words, add up your points and win! This classic game features the classic Scrabble equipment for a big-time word-on-word showdown. Do you see a word your opponent hasn’t seen? A double or triple letter or word space that will let you earn big points? Could the luck of the draw win you the game? Use your letters to score points and challenge your family and friends. It’s your word against theirs! Scrabble and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.Autism Live says: This classic game is back in style. It’s the perfect “home getaway” for adults who need a break. Put a movie on for the kids. Pour your favorite beverage and remember what it’s like to be an adult among adults. It’s a great conversation starter when you feel like you can’t remember how to start a conversation.

BEST PUZZLE AWARD

Constantin Puzzles, Uncommon Goods® INTO THE LABYRINTH

Each of these original Jean Claude Constantin mazes is beautifully laser cut making it a unique work of art. Your objective is to move the ball through tiers, corridors, gears, and more until it finally escapes. Whether they’re easier (Flower Maze), challenging (Double Trouble), or downright difficult (Hidden Corridor), Jean Claude’s designs always feature intricate mechanics that make them truly unique and a joy to own.Autism Live says: We love these intricate mazes, they are beautiful, unique and both challenging and relaxing. While your brain is occupied solving the puzzle it is a vacation from all your other worries.

BEST BOOK WINNER

A Parent’s Guide to Occupational Therapy
Jessica Kingsley Publishing

Cara Koscinski’s Award Winning Book answers the questions most commonly asked of pediatric occupational therapists. This helpful guide gives parents an array of activities to try at home. With the help of this handy guide, you can bring tried and tested occupational therapy activities into your home and encourage your child to succeed with everyday tasks while having fun in the process. This expanded edition of the award-winning book includes new advice on toilet training, coping with changes in routine, repetitive behaviors, self-regulation and much more. The simple explanations and easy exercises will soon make daily activities enjoyable and productive.Autism Live says: This little book remains one of our all-time favorites. We love the simple instructions that help you to make the most of everyday with your child. This is a great gift for any parent but especially those that have children with unique abilities.

THERAPIST RECOMMENDATION WINNER

Organic Shower Steamers, Mineral Me®

Made with natural ingredients, these shower bombs can be enjoyed by the entire family. Kids love them, moms love them and dads too! Start or end your day on a positive note and bring excitement to your usual shower routine with these unique Aromatherapy Shower Bombs! These handmade shower melts produce a refreshing fragrance that enticingly uplifts the spirits, deeply cleanses the palate and quickly melts away stress. As soon as a bit of water hits the shower bomb, it will emit the aroma and fill your bathroom with the tantalizing scent. Drop one in your shower and get ready to let the fragrance slowly tease and envelop your senses. Each shower steamer encapsulates the soothing properties of a different essential oil.Autism Live says: Why miss out on all the pampering of the bath bomb craze? Try these shower melts for a quick and easy dose of pampering that will leave you recharged and ready to do what needs to get done!

PARENTS RECOMMENDATION WINNER

Mindfulness Adult Coloring Book, Emma Farrarons

A fun and unique pocket-size coloring book designed to channel stress into relaxing, creative accomplishments. In today’s busy world, finding a moment of peace and calm can be a challenge. Mindful coloring is a simple yet powerful practice that combines the proven, time-honored tradition of thoughtful meditation with the growing popularity of adult coloring books, and shows that any activity, done right, can be an exercise in mindfulness.Autism Live says: We love this unique, adult coloring book that focuses on the practice of mindfulness. Studies have shown that mindfulness can not only help parents who have children on the spectrum, it can also lead to better outcomes for the children. We love the fact that this book is designed to travel, keep it with you for those unexpected moments when mindfulness is available.

OLDIE BUT GOODIE WINNER

Classic Monopoly®, Mattel®

When’s the last time you passed GO to collect $200? This gorgeous cloth-bound book box will slide easily onto your bookshelf, so you’re always ready for family game night! And it’s so handsome, you’ll want to store it where everyone can see it. Some fun history from the box: “The game of Monopoly was first published by Parker Brothers in 1935.” It’s a popular game globally, giving people a chance to “Own it all”. Now it can be even more popular than ever, now that you don’t have to stash the classic game in a game cupboard. Just pull it off your bookshelf and you’re ready for a real estate battle!Autism Live says: Get a blast from the past and return to one of your favorite games from childhood! The lessons are still relevant and the fun is still up for grabs. Introduce this fun game to your family and create lasting memories.

AUTISM LIVE TOP TOY WINNER

Amazon® Gift Card

Leave the choices up to them. Give an Amazon Gift Card and they can get almost anything!Autism Live says: When in doubt, the best choice to give a caregiver is the gift of choice! An Amazon gift card is the perfect gift for the socially distanced caregiver in your life!

BEST ART/CRAFT WINNER

Sticker and Chill, Craftastic®

Take a break and tap into your creative side with the Sticker & Chill Succulents & Crystals activity book from Ann Williams Group. Choose one of the 10 stylish scenes and add as many (or as few) of the stickers as you like. The stickers feature trendy succulent and crystal images to help you relax, unwind, and decompress. Don’t like what you see? No worries, you can remove the cling stickers and start again. With more than 800 stickers included, the design possibilities are endless. A step above and beyond traditional adult coloring books, the Sticker & Chill Succulents & Crystals book provides an innovative hands-on and screen-free method to reduce stress. Designs can be propped up and displayed as a decorative piece at home or in the office.Autism Live says: We love the way this kit lets you hands-on craft within seconds with no set up and no clean up! And it’s forgiving, if you don’t like a choice there are endless do-overs! This is a great way to chill out and let the world’s troubles melt away.

MOTOR PLAY WINNER

Fitness Dice, Chronicle Books®

For fitness lovers of all levels, this handy kit includes 7 wooden dice and an instructional booklet with 36 different exercises offering a fun and effective way to get a full-body workout at home or on the go. Each die represents a different area of focus: lower body, upper body, chest and back, core, cardio, full body, and number of reps/time. Simply roll the dice to generate a workout sequence or to add variety to an existing routine. With thousands of possible combinations and options for making exercises easier or more challenging, Fitness Dice is guaranteed to keep workouts fresh and exciting. No props or equipment needed!Autism Live says: This is a great way to jump-start your new workout and keep it fresh on a daily basis. Do this workout on your own or get your kids involved. Encourage them to exercise with you!

SPEECH BUILDER WINNER

Talking With Your Toddler, Melissa & Doug®

A handy parent’s guide that turns professional language development into child’s play. Are you concerned that your child is not verbalizing? The solution may be as simple as a game. Talking with Your Toddler teaches you how to stimulate speech using everyday play. It makes learning to talk fun and engaging for your child. With proven therapies and easy-to-follow activities, Talking with Your Toddler makes an ideal home companion. Written by experienced speech professionals, this book’s straightforward approach is equally useful for parents at home, teachers in the classroom or therapists in a clinic.Autism Live says: For many, the greatest gift is the ability to communicate with their children. This handy little book gives great tips to encourage language and communication with children of all ages.

SOCIAL SKILLS BUILDER WINNER

Family Talk, Discovery Toys®

Portable conversation game designed to keep today’s busy families connected. Simply pick a card, ask the question and get a surprising and often hilarious glimpse into the hearts and minds of your family members. What makes you feel most welcomed when you get home? What is your favorite family tradition? What would you put inside a time capsule to be opened in 100 years? Play in the car, at the dinner table, on vacation or at a party. 100 conversation questions on 51 cards attached to a metal clip.Autism Live says: We love this great set of cards to spark conversation skills. Use it in the car, at the dinner table or when relatives visit. You might be surprised by what your family says when asked some of these questions. Most important it is a great way to connect with all of the members in the family.

STEM TOY WINNER

Calling All Minds, Future Horizonz

From world-renowned autism spokesperson, scientist, and inventor Temple Grandin, this book includes personal stories, inventions, and facts that will blow young inventors’ minds and make them soar. Have you ever wondered what makes a kite fly or a boat float? Have you ever thought about why snowflakes are symmetrical, or why golf balls have dimples? Have you ever tried to make a kaleidoscope or build a pair of stilts? In Calling All Minds, Temple Grandin explores the ideas behind all of those questions and more. She delves into the science behind inventions, the steps various people took to create and improve upon ideas as they evolved, and the ways in which young inventors can continue to think about and understand what it means to tinker, to fiddle, and to innovate. And laced throughout it all, Temple gives us glimpses into her own childhood tinkering, building, and inventing. She gives a call to imagination, and shows readers that there is truly no single way to approach any given problem, but that an open and inquisitive mind is always key.Autism Live says: We love all of Dr. Temple Grandin’s books, but this is our new favorite. If you are looking for a way to understand and appreciate your child’s mind, there is no more interesting way than reading about Temple’s mind. Additionally, the book is filled with projects and ideas to work on with your child. When you find the project that ignites your child’s imagination, you learn more about what makes them uniquely themselves.

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Autism Live is an interactive webshow providing support, resources, information, facts, entertainment and inspiration to parents, teachers and practitioners working with children on the Autism Spectrum.Viewers are encouraged to participate by asking question of experts, offering suggestions for topics to be discussed and sharing progress their children have made.
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