Trying to decide what to get a highly sensitive child for the holidays? This gift guide gives you 24 gifts that are fun, but also functional. After getting feedback from my readers and FB group, I compiled an extensive guide with gift ideas for the highly sensitive child in your life. Some of these items are calming while others help with sensory challenges. There are also gifts to encourage creativity and a few to help your child with big emotions and fears.

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Calming Gifts for the Highly Sensitive Child

Privacy Pop Bed Tent

Does your child get nervous at bedtime? Is he or she scared to sleep in their own bed? Are they constantly putting the covers over their head when they sleep because they feel safer? If so, then this Privacy Pop Bed Tent may be a great gift for your child too!

We purchased the Privacy Pop Tent this past year for both of our boys and I have to say it was money well spent. We had tried a lot of other bed tents before, but this one surpasses them all!

I wanted to research this product really well before I purchased it because of the price. I read a lot of reviews on various sites and so many had raved about it for children with sensory challenges and for those who are scared to sleep in their own room. I absolutely agree and actually wrote a complete post on it if you are interested- Privacy Pop Bed Tent Review for Sleep and Sensory Challenges.

It comes in lots of different bed sizes and colors including, blue, lavender, pink, teal, black and camo! You can find them on Amazon or click here to get 20% off your first order on Privacy Pop’s site.

Weighted Blanket

Weighted blankets have been shown to increase relaxation, while decreasing stress and anxiety due to deep touch pressure. It is supposed to activate a sensory response that has a similar calming effect of a big hug. These blankets vary in price, you can compare some of them here.

When it comes to a weighted blanket, it is important to choose one that is a safe size and weight for the intended child.

Harkla weighted blankets come in different weights and kid-friendly colors

A weighted lap pad may also be a good option for seated activities during the day.

Nee doh

My sons and I got to play with Nee doh at a toy store and we all fell in love with it! The texture is super neat! It’s very squishy and no matter how you pull, smush or squeeze it, it always goes back to it’s original round shape.

Buddha Board

Kids will love writing words or painting pictures on this simple board that uses water as paint. As the water evaporates, the canvas becomes a blank slate to start fresh again.

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Bubbler/Mini Lava Lamp Timer

This bubbler timer is great relaxation toy when emotions are high. The slow progress of the oil droplets can be very soothing and calming for a child after a sensory meltdown or any time they need to unwind.

Cloud b Twilight Turtle Plush Nightlight Projector

A comforting and calming turtle that projects stars onto the walls and ceiling of your child’s bedroom. It can change between 3 colors. There is also a timer that shuts off the lights after 45 minutes.

Aquaglow Light-Up Jellyfish Hideaway

This jellyfish hideaway was in a calming room at a play place we went to recently. It was such a hit with my youngest son. In a low lit room, it provides a very calming visual and tactile experience.

Sensory Gift Ideas

Crash Pad

If your child craves sensory input and you are tired of them jumping all over your couches, a crash pad is an incredible gift! It literally provides a soft landing zone for your child to jump, tumble or crash into. Wonderful for those children who need proprioceptive input!

Trampoline

This is a great gift for getting your child’s energy out, while providing vestibular input at the same time! My youngest got this Little Tikes trampoline for Christmas two years ago and he still continues to jump on it for long periods of time! For ages 3-6.

Kinetic Sand

This stuff is so cool, but hard to describe. It feels like sand, but is easily molded without water. It sticks together, but is not sticky or wet. Kinetic sand is a really versatile toy that can provide a lot of benefits. If your sensitive kids don’t like messy play or have tactile defensiveness, they will likely still be interested in trying this out.

My youngest was cautious with this sand at first. I let him observe his older brother and I playing with it but once he touched it, he really enjoyed the soft, non-sticky texture. You can build with it, draw in it, squeeze it and mold it. The sand comes in all different colors and sets like construction, volcano, fairytale princess and so on. Kinetic Sand has been a great sensory activity that I highly recommend.

Yogibo Bean Bags

The grandparents bought these for my sons last year and they have been the most used Christmas gift by far! Much different than a typical bean bag chair, they are soft and pliable. Yogibo bean bags are not cheap, but are well worth the price. They are so versatile and durable! Plus the cover is washable. The boys use them as chairs, tables and for building forts. They are also a great therapy tool for providing deep pressure and heavy lifting.

Hugibo

If you have ever tried a Yogibo bean bag chair, you know how incredibly soft and comfortable they are. Hugibo comes from the same company. With his velcro hands, he is a bean bag that hugs you back!!

Gonge Top

This red top is inviting to sit in. It allows you move all around and upside down, which encourages balance reactions, vestibular stimulation and spatial orientation. My boys love playing with this at the one of the play places we like to go. It can also be used in a pool with adult supervision.

Gifts to Help with Feelings and Emotions

Worry Eater

A range of stuffed animal characters who like nothing more than feasting on children’s worries or nightmares…. um yes please! My first thought when I saw this product was ‘Genius! Why didn’t I think of that!’ My second thought, ‘How perfect would this be for helping my sensitive boys deal with their anxiety.

The worry eater‘s zipper mouth provides children with a safe place to share worries. Have your child write down their worry and stick it in the stuffed animal’s mouth to eat that worry all up! This is a great snuggly tool for helping children share their worries and build confidence.

My boys share their worries with me and we make a big deal of the worry eater chomping it away! One year, my oldest took this into show-n-tell and it was HUGE hit with all the children. Worry Eaters come in all different styles and have two sizes- small and large. We have the large Enno.

Book of Brave

Okay, so I may be a bit biased about this one, because I created it; however I made this journal based on my experience with highly sensitive, anxious children. This journal is meant for helping anxious children identify their fears and take control of them.

Each page of this book provides space to write down a situation from the child’s day and record it in a way that feel most comfortable, whether that be through coloring, writing, drawing or all three. There are 145 pages in My Book of Brave, each one consisting of a feelings chart that can be colored to identify how scary a situation felt, a lined section for writing and a blank box for drawing. Use this book as a journal or diary and track progress over time to see where anxiety has decreased and self-confidence has increased. For more information and a video about the product, you can visit My Book of Brave Homepage

Feelings & Emotions Printable Pack

A quick and effective way to stop behavior problems before they start! You can use this printable pack to help your child work through their big emotions. Each sheet allows your child to identify how they are feeling and gives you the opportunity to validate their feelings. Also included are journal sheets to help your child identify their feelings and fears.

Angry Octopus Coloring Book

This interactive coloring book is great for a child who needs help managing their big emotions. It is filled with simple strategies to self-soothe and manage anger. It is designed to guide 4-11 year olds and their parents, teachers, or counselors through simple everyday techniques that can be used to control anger, reduce stress, and increase happiness.

Creative gifts for great imaginations

I love toys where creativity is key! HSCs have great imaginations and these gifts allow them to express their creative side.

Legos

There is a reason these little blocks continue to be incredibly popular! I have become a huge proponent of Legos over the past couple of years for both boys and girls after seeing the benefits. They have been an amazing tool in helping my children with their fine motor, patience, and problem solving skills.

I LOVE these Classic Lego boxes, where your imagination is the limit. There is an idea guide inside, if you want some step by step instructions, but there is a tremendous opportunity for creative play. My favorite works of art are the ones my kids come up with on their own. They have a great sense of pride for their creations and can’t wait to show me them and describe the how, what and why of it. An amazing toy that also provides a sense of accomplishment and builds confidence.

Wooden Blocks

Sometimes the simplest toys are the ones that kids love the most. This is definitely one of them! This set of 60 wooden building blocks inspires hands on, imaginative play. These are a staple in our playroom. My children have used their wooden blocks to make houses, towers, farms, castles, garages, mazes, obstacle courses, and so much more!

Melissa & Doug Cardboard Blocks

These oversized cardboard blocks have been a favorite in our house for a long time. We got them when my son was 2 and now at 8, he still finds new ways to play with them. Very strong. You can crash into them, walk on them and build really tall towers. They fit great in a large plastic bin for easy storage.

Picasso Tiles

These magnetic building tiles let you craft 2D and 3D art in a unique way. Great for encouraging creativity!

Drawing Pads and Scented Markers

This is a simple gift, but such a good one! Highly sensitive children often enjoy creating, so providing the tools for your children to express themselves through drawing, writing and coloring is a great idea.

I keep these spiral notepads easily accessible to my children. I like that they are spiral bound so they are easy to flip over. Be aware that highly sensitive kids can set some pretty high standards for themselves. My boys sometimes hit road blocks because their perfectionist side gets them frustrated. Keep encouraging them to try their best and focus on effort not the end result. I keep these notepads accessible in their craft area and playroom for anytime art.

Another favorite of my kids is the Crayola Silly Scents Washable Markers I understand that children who are sensitive to smells may not enjoy these, but my youngest HSC loves smelling things. He could spend hours in Yankee Candle Shop and Bath and Body Works! These markers and crayons have been really fun for him and have lasted over a year!