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Cool Gadgets for Kids with Special Needs

Kids Tablets

If you have a child with special needs, you know that your child’s unique skills and challenges don’t always coincide with the “average” recommendations for their age group. Whether your kid has an activity limitation, a learning disorder, or a developmental delay, their needs are something you (and the world at large) will continue learning more about every day.

Thanks to technology, it’s getting easier than ever to assess, understand, and meet our children’s needs. Though you certainly know about many of the mobility tools and medical resources specifically recommended for your child, the resources that can expand and enhance your child’s world don’t stop there.

In this list, we’re going to look at three gadget categories that have proven themselves invaluable to kids with many different kinds of unique needs and abilities.

A smartwatch or fitness tracker.

Did you know there are specially designed smartwatches and fitness trackers for kids? While all kids can benefit from these gadgets, they are particularly useful for kids with special needs. Smartwatches can serve as a phone that your kids can access quickly and easily. It’s right there on their wrist! Plus, they can use them to set reminders as they learn independence. If you’re afraid that a free-floating phone could get lost and you want to know you can reliably reach your kid, a smartwatch with cellular capabilities is the perfect solution.

Fitness trackers, meanwhile, are designed to track not just physical activity but also sleep patterns and heart rate. You and your child can learn a lot about their body by tracking reactions and quality of sleep. Plus, if your kids feel inspired, they can set personal goals for their activity levels. If they want to start an exercise routine, you can put together some basic workout gear, like an exercise ball, gym mat, and balance disc.

A children's tablet.

A kids' tablet offers children an easy and widely accessible way to engage with games and resources that support learning and development. With children’s tablets, parents can manage and track the usage of the device through passwords and apps on their phone. A tablet is an especially great resource for children who have physical activity limitations. There are apps for developing fine motor skills, decision-making and problem-solving abilities, and a host of other skills. If your child has limited hand mobility, you can also find tablets that will operate off of voice commands.

Additionally, if your child is older and wants to graduate to an adult tablet, then the possibilities open up even more. Your child can make and edit short videos, stay in touch with friends, listen to podcasts, and read or listen to audiobooks all with one resource.

Headphones or a white noise machine.

The noises of the world around us can be distracting and irritating to all of us, but for many kids with special needs, auditory input is particularly powerful—and in some cases, debilitating. If your child has a hard time focusing or gets easily upset by noises around them, a comfortable pair of children’s headphones may be just the answer you’re looking for. With headphones, your child can easily listen to music that they find comforting or relaxing. They can put on their favorite audiobook or listen to a soundtrack that helps them concentrate. And they can enjoy all of this without forcing their audio preference on anyone else.

A white noise machine is another great option for children who find certain sounds or auditory settings distressing. By providing a consistent low-level soundscape, the white noise machine creates a feeling that is deeply calming. Many people use white noise machines when going to sleep, but you can also put one in living spaces or playrooms to drown out external noises.

We hope you found these suggestions useful as you think about ways not only to meet your child’s needs but also to bring them joy, stimulation, and comfort. Gadgets are just a small tool in the range of resources you can use to broaden and diversify your child’s experience. They offer a lot of value in a small package and are easy to carry with you wherever you go. Best of all, these cool gadgets for kids with special needs offer a wealth of possibilities for play, development, and engagement.

Additional information:

These statements and any information contained herein are intended for educational purposes only and are not meant to substitute for medical care or to prescribe treatment for any specific health condition. Carefully review product labels for instructions and important safety information and consider consulting with a health care professional regarding your use of health and wellness products.