Welcome to this year’s ADHD Gift Guide; this is my third year creating gift guides during the holiday season. Gift-giving is my love language, and this guide is a personal labour of love. Each choice has been made after thoughtful research, testing, and consultation. To create this guide, I surveyed my Instagram community, gathered insights from my clients, and relied on the firsthand experiences of my own neurodiverse children. No product on this list is sponsored, and all recommendations have been chosen with the utmost care to meet the needs of children with ADHD. While some links, such as those from Amazon, may be affiliate links that provide a small commission, this guide is not about profit—it’s about offering you handpicked ideas that help support your child’s unique needs.
This gift guide is tailored for school-aged children between 5 and 11. Stay tuned for my tween/teen and adult gift guides, which will be launching later this week. Whether your child craves movement, thrives on sensory experiences, or enjoys solving puzzles, this guide offers something special to make their holiday season bright.
Key Considerations for ADHD-Friendly Gifts
- Encourages Movement: Many children with ADHD benefit from activities that allow them to release energy and stay engaged.
- Sensory Appeal: Sensory-seeking or sensory-avoidant traits are common in ADHD. Gifts that cater to these needs, whether providing stimulation or comfort, can be game-changers.
- Open-Ended Play: Toys that don’t restrict play to one method keep children engaged longer and reduce frustration.
- Special Interests: ADHD children often have specific passions. Gifts that cater to these interests can show that you value their unique likes.
Gift Recommendations
Sensory Gifts
- Manimo Weighted Stuffed Animals: These plush companions offer the benefits of deep pressure therapy, ideal for bedtime or travel. They provide the comfort of a weighted blanket without being restrictive and have been a favourite in our home for over a year.
- Hugging Peapod: A sensory chair that provides a calming “hug” for children. It helps manage anxiety, stress, and sensory processing while promoting focus and self-regulation. The peapod includes easy-grip handles for rocking and developing muscle coordination and balance. Recommended by therapists for ADHD, autism, and SPD.
- Calm Strips: These tactile stickers are perfect for sensory input or mindfulness cues, helping children self-regulate through touch.
- Soft Sensory Pajamas: Bambi and Birdie’s pajamas are top-tier for comfort. Their sensory-friendly design makes them perfect for children who are sensitive to textures. Their kids’ underwear is also a favourite in our house.
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- Cozy Earphones: Fleece headband headphones provide a comfortable alternative to traditional headphones. They are volume-limited for safety, making them ideal for listening to music or audiobooks. My daughter loves her unicorn ones!
Movement Gifts
- Mini Trampoline: A simple but effective way for kids to expend energy indoors while building core strength and balance.
- Teeter Popper: A balance tool that doubles as a sensory toy with its popping sound. It provides proprioceptive input that children find regulating and fun. My daughter was gifted one of these and it has been a hit for 6 months straight
- Wobble Boards: Durable boards that promote balance and active play. Great for kids of all ages, these boards have been a staple in our house for years.
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- Crash Pad: This is perfect for kids who have a tendency to crash into furniture. It provides a soft place to land, protecting both your home and your child.
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- Movement-Friendly Chairs: Specially designed chairs that allow gentle movement, supporting focus during activities like reading or homework. This company makes awesome movement friendly chairs for adults and their “Butt-On” chair is fun for kids and if you are handy they offer DIY plans to make your own.
Problem-Solving and Focus Gifts
- Kanoodle Gravity: A tactile 3D puzzle game that encourages problem-solving with various difficulty levels. It’s compact and ideal for travel or quiet time.
- Yoto Player: A screen-free device for playing audiobooks and meditations. This has been a beloved tool in our household, perfect for bedtime wind-downs.
- Flying Orb Ball: A fun, trending toy that offers movement-based play. While it may not be a long-term staple, it provides great holiday excitement.
- Trivial Pursuit Family Version: A game that combines fun and learning. It has separate question decks for kids and adults, making it enjoyable for the whole family.
- Bey Blades: These spinning toys are fidget-friendly and perfect for solo play or friendly battles. They resurface in popularity every few years and can even be found at Costco.
Fidgets and Calming Tools
- Tech Decks: Mini skateboards that act as subtle fidget tools. Older children appreciate that they don’t look like traditional toys.
- Collapsible Breathing Tool: A multifunctional fidget that can be expanded and collapsed, serving as a visual aid for practicing deep breathing. It has received glowing feedback for promoting mindfulness and calm.
- Noise-Filtering Earplugs: A must-have for children who are sensitive to noise. These earplugs reduce background sound without blocking it out entirely, allowing kids to stay engaged while feeling more comfortable.
Special Interest Gifts
- Gemstone Advent Calendar: Ideal for children who love collecting rocks and minerals, a common ADHD special interest. It’s an engaging way to enjoy a daily surprise throughout the holiday season.
- Special Interest Lessons: Lessons in areas like pottery, coding, or sewing can be the perfect gift for a child with a hyper-focused interest. These experiences are not only enjoyable but can foster long-term skills.
- Experience Gifts: Outings like tickets to a theatre show or a trip to a local museum can create lasting memories. One of the most cherished gifts in our family was a trip to see CATS in Vancouver, which included an overnight stay.
Practical and Fun Additions
- Kizik Shoes: Sensory-friendly step-in shoes that eliminate the need for sitting down or tying laces, making mornings smoother. They’re stylish and comfortable, perfect for kids who value ease.
- Flick Flack Watch: A child-friendly watch that makes telling time visual and fun, supporting time management skills.
Final Thoughts
For more ADHD-friendly options, check out my Amazon Storefront (Canada or USA) available year-round. Stay tuned for my upcoming gift guides for teens and adults!
If you are an ADHD parent looking for support, my brand new ADHD parenting community is launching Black Friday with a very special BETA price. Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to get notified!
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