The Un-Tech Gift Guide for Kids with ADHD
Our kids don’t need screens and devices to be happy — or stimulated — this holiday season. These 18 low-tech gift ideas will delight and entertain even the most busy, creative, curious children.
Fidgetland’s DIY Fidget Kit
$22.95
Perfect for tweens and teens who have outgrown fidget spinners but still like to fiddle, Fidgetland’s products were designed by an executive who wanted a discreet fidget to keep himself occupied during meetings. This DIY kit allows kids to put together ten fidgets of their own, choosing from three of Fidgetland’s most popular models, including the fantastic Noah (also available for $12). Recommended for kids 12 and up, though younger kids love doing this project with help.
Soft Scented Slime for Stress Relief
$10.99
When we asked readers for their favorite toy recommendations for kids with ADHD, the resounding answer came back: slime! This iridescent slime is super soft and stretchy, and won’t stick to surfaces — including your hands. It’s easy to reuse, and a soak in hot water can make dried slime soft again. Perfect for sensory-seeking kids without the fuss of making slime, or the mess of using an inferior product.
Cozy Sack Bean Bag Chair
$112.93
Kids with ADHD love to flop, drop, and slump — and they need a good place to do it. One of the top-rated bean bag chairs out there, the Cozy Sack features a removable, washable microfiber cover available in multiple colors, a protective liner, and a child safety zipper. It comes in sizes ranging from 3 feet to 8 feet (for the biggest kids!), and is perfect for your little stuntman to drape his or her body over while watching TV, playing games, or reading books. Free shipping with Amazon Prime.
Genius Marble Run Starter Set
$36.95
ADDitude readers also told us their kids loved marble runs, and I agree: from solid ramps for tiny kids all the way up to-build-your-own kits for older ones. The Marble Run see-through pieces allow you to see all the action! Older kids may find a single kit restricts their creativity, however, and need two of them for a good play experience.
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Carcassone, Castles of Caladale, and Kingdomino
My kids tend to do better with strategy-based board games where the process matters just as much as the end result (plus, if they need to quit in the middle, they still get loads of fun out of the game). So-called “German-style” board games like Carcassone, Castles of Caladan, and Kingdomino are great for this: they focus on the process of building or making something rather than moving across a board. In Carcassone, players put together tiles to create cities and roads. Four year olds can figure out simplified versions; eight year olds can master it and spank the pants off adults, though it’s rated for older children. The strategic nature of all these games makes it easy to bend the rules (not counting points, for example) to suit the kids involved.
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"Percy Jackson and the Olympians" Books
by Rick Riordan
$18
Let’s face it: It’s not always easy to get kids with ADHD to read books. It’s also often difficult to find positive portrayals of their symptoms. In Riordan’s fast-paced, action-packed novels (that will stuff your kids’ heads with a decent amount of Greek mythology), the main character has ADHD and dyslexia — a sign he’s descended from a Greek God. These are great books in which avid and reluctant readers alike will see reflections of themselves.
Mini Toddler Weighted Blanket and Premium Weighted Blanket by Platinum Health
Weighted blankets are amazing for promoting healthy sleep in both children and adults with ADHD, autism, and sensory issues. You know that lovely feeling you get when you fall asleep on a cold night under a pile of blankets? That’s what a weighted blanket promises. Its gentle pressure soothes insomnia (a chronic problem for many children with ADHD) and helps encourage restful sleep. This is the blanky your kid has been waiting for.
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Unstable Unicorns
$19.99
One of the all-time top most backed products on Kickstarter, Unstable Unicorns involves building a unicorn army army while betraying your friends. For 2-8 players, this card game is sure to crack up (and bring out to competitive spirit of) teens 14 and up. Available expansion packs (not the base game) may contain NSFW cards, and younger players may find it hard to read the cards or flip out when they lose a favorite unicorn.
Kinetic Sand
$14.95
Another common recommendation from parents who read ADDitude: kinetic sand! It sticks to itself, not to you; it oozes, molds, and drips right before your eyes. You can pack it, pull it, squeeze it, and shape it: your kids will never want to put it down! Parents often find that toys like kinetic sand are a great way to connect with their kids: they keep hands busy while mouths are freer to talk — sometimes even about things that matter.
Rubik’s Cube
$8
Give your kid a blast from the past with a Rubik’s Cube, recommended by many of our readers as a great toy for anyone with ADHD. Soothing to scramble, enchanting to fiddle with, a solution always seeming just around the corner: this is perfect for long car trips or other settings, like restaurants or church, where kids need to sit and wait for a period of time. It also makes a great stocking stuffer.
Vibes Sensory Earplugs
$28.95
Kids getting overwhelmed by loud noise, but still want to hear and engage — say, at a rock concert or movie theater? Vibes lower volume to comfortable levels while still maintaining clarity, and their clear design makes them virtually invisible. Each purchase comes with one pair of earplugs and three different fit sizes (small, medium, and large).
NOTE: Please note that all names, models, prices, links, and specifications were accurate and items were in stock at the time of this article's last update on November 15, 2022.
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As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
