Thoughtful, practical and quirky gift ideas for children and teens who are hard to buy for — including autistic and ADHD (neurodivergent) young people.
Buying gifts for children and teenagers can be challenging if the typical kinds of gifts don’t appeal. Many families have at least one person who is genuinely difficult to buy gifts for - this can often be the case with older adults who already have plenty of possessions, but it can also apply to young people.
Traditional presents like clothes, books, make-up, jewellery, music, board games, chocolate or sweets have never appealed to our PDA daughter. Even gift money, which many children love, hasn’t been straightforward; having too much choice created anxiety rather than freedom. Open-ended decisions and the worry of the money “running out” used to make the experience overwhelming for her.
I've had to put a lot of thought into the gifts we've bought for our youngest daughter over the past 18 years. Every year I scratch my head, wondering what on earth I can buy for her, so I understand how stressful it can be to find anything which will bring joy.
How do you approach your special occasion days?
As a side note, before we dive into the list, a lot of families with neurodivergent children might need to think about expectations during the whole festive period, not just the 'special' day. Sometimes we need to change from the typical traditions or ways of doing things at this time of year. In my post '
How to help a PDA child at Christmas', I shared that we gave our daughter her main Christmas present on December 13th one year. If that sounds crazy to you, I urge you to read that post to understand more!
So, on with the list. I thought I’d share some of the more unusual (yet often successful) gift ideas that have actually worked for us, plus a few extras suggested by readers of our
Facebook page. Maybe something here will spark inspiration when you’re stuck wondering what to buy. I’ve divided them into seven categories, with ideas for a range of ages. I know not everything will be suitable but if this list gives even one person an idea they might not otherwise have had, I'll be happy to have helped in some small way!
*The list contains affiliate links - as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, but it won't cost you any extra. The links are in the names of products or when you click the photos*
🎉 Fun Stuff
1. Snow Balls
A fun, physical way to burn off energy. A hit for family play sessions all year round. One of the best presents we've ever given!
Buy here: Snow Balls
2. Exploding Kittens
A card game suited to older children (7+), with simple rules but lots of laughs.
Buy here: Exploding Kittens
3. Dobble
A classic game along the lines of snap, more fun! There are five different ways of playing, and some different branded versions to look out for, like Bluey, Paw Patrol, Mario, Marvel, Harry Potter or this cute Disney option:
This was probably the first game we owned where we realised we didn't have to let our younger daughter win, she was naturally better than us at spotting the matches!
Buy here: Dobble
4. Shape Shifting Cube
A magnetic “magic cube” that can transform into 1 billion shapes. Great for curious minds and those who love fidgety, hands-on toys. Contains 243 magnets.
Buy here: Shape shifting cube
5. Instant Snow Powder
These are tiny granules that expand when water is added; fun as a stocking filler and doubles as a sensory experience.
Buy here: Instant Snow
🤲 Sensory Gifts
A couple of items from above could fall into this category too, but here's some more ideas that are perfect for children who appreciate tactile, calming, or sensory-rich experiences.
6. Mood plushies
Soft plush toys with changeable “faces” to help express feelings in a low-pressure way. Our PDAer used an octopus version of this to show her feelings to teachers or those who she wasn't so comfortable with. Now she prefers to have it on the angry face most of the time because she says it's cuter!
Buy here: Mood plush - Axolotl
7. Mood Night Light
Varied character or animal designs that can help create a soothing bedtime or chill-out vibe. We have the cat version but you can choose from almost anything - like the panda:
Or the axolotl:
Buy here: Mood Night Light - Cat or Panda or Axolotl
8. Bubble tube
A softly lit bubble tube with gentle movement and ambient light that can be very calming. These often come with fish but of course they could be left out if the child is not a fish fan!
Buy here: Bubble tube
9. Star or Galaxy projector
Lots of different options for these, from small battery-operated devices to room-filling projectors - I thought this astronaut one was cute! Great for calming or creating a cosy space.
Buy here: Galaxy projector
10. Fidget Toys
So many different inexpensive versions of these, from pop bubble toys like this one above to worry stones like this below (actually silicone not stone!):
Or a speed cube set, or variations on this:
Find some more fidget toy suggestions in my list here: Unusual gift ideas
11. Slime
A classic sensory activity. Add glitter or sequins or small toys for extra fun!
12. Bath bombs
A sensory treat that can make bath time relaxing and enjoyable. Lush bath bombs were a staple product in our house for a few years. Definitely not cheap, but us parents will sometimes do anything to get our children to wash... We have also tried the bath bombs from Zimpli (skin safe, drain safe, easy clean and stain free) and can recommend these too. The solar system set looks amazing:
✏️ Craft & Activity Gifts
Great for creative, imaginative or hands-on kids — especially those who enjoy making things.
13. Kinetic Sand
Many happy hours spent at our house over the years, playing with different colours and accessories that go with this Kinetic Sand.
Buy here: Kinetic Sand
14. Play Doh
Another well used product at ours - and although there are plenty of kits which make great present ideas, sometimes it's the basic Play Doh itself which makes the best gift.
Buy here: Play Doh
15. Marble Run
Engaging and rewarding; good for building, creative thinking and enjoying results. There are many different sets to choose from but we started off with this basic set so it didn't take up too much space.
Buy here: Marble Run
16. Paints
Our girls used to get through huge quantities of paint when younger and it was always a treat to get new colours or glitter options. Colouring pens or art sets could work well too but families often end up with far too many of these so it's always worth checking before buying. These acrylic paint pens could work for older children.
Our PDAer would have struggled to find the patience for any kind of specific arts and crafts sets but they could work for some children, especially if based around a theme they love, like these animal kits:
Buy here: Acrylic Paint Pens or Aqua Puffs
17. Air Drying Clay
Soft and squishy, non-toxic and takes about 24 hours to dry hard, so that gives plenty of time for minds to be changed or finishing touches to be added! We've had lots of fun with this stuff over the years.
Buy here: Air Drying Clay
🌟 Branded & Character Gifts
Within this category there are always going to be lots of options in terms of characters (often from gaming or a Film/TV series), from Minecraft to Marvel to Peppa Pig and more. Lots of variety in terms of items available too, such as lights, books, jigsaws, plush toys, blankets and bedding etc. Sounds obvious I know, but always best to ask first what the favourite character of the child you are buying for is - no point in receiving a Paw Patrol vehicle if you're an avid Octonauts fan, for example.
18. Building Bricks
Lego is a firm favourite with many children and this car is one of the current best sellers. There are lots of character branded sets available too, so you could double up on an interest, like with this Minecraft Armadillo Mine Expedition Set:
19. Night Lights
Minecraft is a big favourite brand with longevity and you can't go wrong with something fun and useful like this night light. Or maybe this Kitty lamp would go down a treat?!
It's always worth checking what items the children already have though.
Buy here: Minecraft Creeper Light or Kitty lamp
20. Plushies
Nintendo rules in our house and Kirby is a firm favourite. There are plenty of other options, such as Mario or Animal Crossing characters, or Bluey:
If your child is anything like mine though, they won't want the most popular character, they are more likely to crave the obscure, super rare ones. Sigh.
Buy here: Kirby plush or Bluey plush
21. Action or Collectible Figures
Sonic seems to be a character whose appeal rarely dips, so something like this action figure might work well. Or a Marvel character - Spiderman is also a hot property.
Funko Pops are highly collectible and seem to come in every character you can imagine. I think Glinda from Wicked might be the best seller at the moment but Pokemon is top of the pops in our house (although see my previous comment - Pikachu wouldn't be welcomed here as he is too popular, too mainstream, and the less well-known characters would be preferred!).
Buy here: Sonic Action Figure or Funko Pop Pikachu
22. Top Trumps
An oldie but classic. These come in lots of different character options, such as Minecraft and KPop (both categories that seem to often be favoured by neurodivergent children).
Buy here: Top Trumps Minecraft or Top Trumps KPop
23. Books
For lots of children (but not all!), books are a great option. Our daughter would not have considered any book a good gift until she received the Pokemon Extra Super Deluxe Essential Handbook. The latest version is called the Super Duper Extra Deluxe Essential Handbook!
Some of the popular YouTubers have published books, or the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition might hit the mark:
(If you know someone young or old who would like to know more about PDA, why not point them towards my list of Books About PDA!)
Buy here: Pokemon Handbook or Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition
🏡 House & Home Gifts
Useful and comforting items for the bedroom or living space - especially good if the child likes staying home, in calm spaces or cosy surroundings. With the added bonus that they come in lots of branded and character options!
24. Bedding
Duvet covers, and blankets have worked well in our house if they had favourite characters on. Anything from Pokemon and Minecraft to Peppa Pig or Mario - so many options.
Buy here: Pokemon bedding
25. Clothing
Clothing can be one of the trickiest items to get right, especially if you have sensory-sensitive children like mine. As long as I chose something soft and without embellishments, I could usually get away with it though! Especially for the love of a favourite character or game. Again, many options but I've chosen the Minecraft t-shirt and Pokemon hoodie as a starting point.
Buy here: Minecraft tee or Pokemon Hoodie
26. Cushions
A shaped, character cushion is likely to raise a smile, or maybe try something more tactile, super soft and furry, or with reversible sequins to double up as a fidget toy.
Buy here: Mario cushion
27. Coverless duvets
A revelation for us this year - a duvet with the cover stitched on, part of the product, so no more slipping around. And the whole thing goes in the washing machine! More of these are starting to filter onto the market now, so there's some new colours and varieties - we got pink but this Gamer one is fab!
Buy here: Coverless Gamer duvet
I think most children love a bit of 'tech' these days. Especially when they get to the teenager stage. For my generation who didn't grow up with it in their pockets, it can maybe feel a bit daunting and worrying - the 'screen time' phrase seems to be discussed over and over. If you've got real concerns around this, I recommend following @thegamereducator on Instagram for lots of great, no-nonsense advice.
28. Gaming consoles
The Nintendo Switch 2 was released earlier this year and although our PDAer usually stays away from anything too popular, even she will admit that their MarioKart World game is awesome. Not cheap of course, but good value as it gives hours of entertainment.
Buy here: Nintendo Switch 2 + MarioKart World
29. Tablets
Everyone loves a tablet and we've had a variety in our house over the years. But I've heard that this Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet is a bestseller currently - it includes ads-free books, games, apps and parental controls so definitely worth considering for younger children.
Buy here: Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet
30. Electronic accessories
With all the electronic items, bluetooth headphones are a great accessory to have nearby. These cat ones look super cute, have great reviews and come in different colours.
Or gaming headsets like this one above.
Another big tech hit for our PDAer who loves to create digital art was her Apple Pencil - remember to check which version is compatible with your iPad.
One last suggestion... Gift cards. Or money.
For some autistic children, there is a love of Fries so strong that nothing else matters, and a McDonalds gift card would make them happy. Sadly, we don't seem to have those available here in the UK... you could design your own though, which is what I have done!
Or maybe a Lush voucher for them to choose bath bombs. Or Robux, or credit on the Nintendo or App Stores, or even an Amazon gift card, if they're not overwhelmed by the choice. If they're at the stage where they are mature enough to go shopping themselves and hand over a gift card, that's great, but even if not most parents will do their best to involve them in the process of using the gift card and understanding where it's come from, if that's possible.
As a footnote - many moons ago I was a toy buyer for some big retail stores, so I know that family board games make up a big proportion of Christmas sales when it comes to toys. Most board games didn't work in our house though, and I've heard this is common for other PDA families. Our PDAer always struggled with waiting for turns, or following rules set by other people (or the game), and she also found it difficult to cope with the constant stress of worrying about losing. That said, there have been a couple of exceptions along the way that did work, so I have added them in my list above.
And.... if you are buying for grandchildren, or nephews/nieces or somebody else's children, my advice (before jumping into this list) is to ask the parents what might be suitable for their child. I understand the general feeling that gifts should be no-strings-attached, and lots of people think that children should be happy with whatever they are given (and that they should say thank you for it, but that's a whole other blog post!). But it doesn't always work like that.
We are grateful that our family and friends have not taken offence at our suggestions for what might work as a gift. Yes, it takes some of the 'sparkle' and spontaneity away, and can prompt not-so-fun chats about 'budgets' and the like, but on the other hand it reduces waste and money spent needlessly. So in our house we embraced the lists.
Final Thoughts
If you’re shopping for someone who doesn’t like clothes, sweets, or any of the typical gifts, this list could offer a starting point.
Hopefully if you were, like me, thinking 'what on earth am I going to get this year?!' this list may have helped a bit. If anyone has any ideas for a 18 year old who doesn't go out much, doesn't like make-up or stationery or books or or or.... and who doesn't know what she wants, feel free to share with us!
Happy gift hunting! I hope you find something that lights up someone’s face this season 😊
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