Visual stimuli resources for kids are a must in our house. We have two children who are crave visual stimuli.
The challenging part about meeting the needs of a child who is hyposensitive to visual stimuli is finding ways to meet that need safely and without destruction of property.
I remember vividly the many times Bulldozer threw toys across the room as a toddler, because he loved to watch them fly.
Then there was the time he flooded the upstairs bathroom, because he was enjoying watching the water run.
Sunshine also craves visual stimuli, but in different ways. Most often her go-to source of visual stimuli is bright flashing lights with colors changing.
In this post I share all of our favorite visual stimuli resources for kids from the past and present. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Visual Stimuli Resources for Kids
When you have a child who craves visual stimulation, it is crucial to have safe and age appropriate toys in the house that meet the sensory needs. Otherwise your child will seek the visual stimulation elsewhere in ways that may not be as safe.
Here are our favorite visual stimuli toys for kids!
Visual Stimuli Toys and Games for Kids
Sensory Fidget Tubes
Flashing Light Up Bouncy Balls
Glitter Wands
LED Light Panel and Accessories
Find It Game
Ocean Animals Search and Find 100 Piece Puzzle
Eye Found It Board Game
Where's Waldo? Book
Blocks
LEGO Sets
Ball Pit
Spinning Tops
Lite Brite
Marble Run
Suspend Game
Plasma Ball
Visual Stimuli Fidgets for Kids
Bulldozer and Sunshine also both like visual sensory experiences where there are a lot of moving parts, like with these fidgets below. Numbers are also fun for them.
Glow in the Dark Spaghetti Ball Fidgets
Fuzzy Bands
Stretchy String Fidgets
Calculator
Squishy Pencil Grips
Multicolored Pin Art Board
Liquid Visual Stimuli Fidgets for Kids
Liquid visual timers are the perfect fidget to take on the go when you have a child who craves visual stimulation related to water.
We kept at least one packed in our to-go sensory bag for years. When I had to take Bulldozer to a place where he needed to sit still, I would pack several and switch them out.
Liquid Motion Bubbler Timers
Liquid Motion Spiral Timer
Zig Zag Liquid Timer
Jumbo Ooze Liquid Timer
Tornado Lamp
Erupting Volcano Motion Bubbler
Visual Stimuli Timers for Kids
None of my kids are fans of using timers to show how much time they have to complete a task.
They do enjoy and ask for timers in situations where they have to work on a nonpreferred task for a certain amount of time, so they know when it will end.
Timers are also used for baking and waking up in the morning.
There are many timers out there, but these are our favorites.
Sand Timers for Kids
Stoplight Traffic Light Visual Timer
Visual Analog Timer
Wake Up Light Sunrise Alarm Clock for Kids
Visual Stimuli for Kids at Bedtime
Both Sunshine and Bulldozer struggle with severe anxiety at night and in the dark. Over the years we've tried and tested many supports to help them. As we've found the right ones sleep has improved and anxiety lessened.
It seems that my kids need visual stimuli even more at night and in the dark, in order to feel regulated and safe.
Kids Star Light Projector Night Light
LED Strip Lights
LED Curtain Lights
Tetra Bubbling LED Aquarium
Visual Stimuli Accessories for Kids
Sunshine loves to accessorize as often as she can. Whether at home or on the go, she always wears jewelry and is carrying something in her hands.
Jewelry and other other accessories are the best when they have a light up component to them. Sunshine can use them to provide herself with the visual stimuli she needs at any time.
Spinning Light Up Wand
Flashing Rings
Light Up Necklace
Twinkle and Shine Light Up Wand with Fiber Optics
Glow in the Dark Scrunchies
LED Light Up Bracelets
Visual Stimuli Supports for Kids in the Bathroom
The bathroom is yet another place where it seems Bulldozer and Sunshine crave visual stimuli most. When fun and safe ways aren't provided to receive that visual input, it's very easy to be unsafe and cause destruction.
Here are our favorite bathroom resources that help with hygiene needs, bathing, and so much more. They make such a difference for both Sunshine and Bulldozer.
Rainbow Light Up Electric Toothbrush
Toilet Light
Bathroom Timer for Kids
Fogless Shower Mirror
Submersible Lights
Visual Stimuli for Kids Outside
One might think that the outdoor environment provides enough visual stimuli on its own, but that's not necessarily always true.
Whether it's day or night, we've found some really fun ways to add to the visual sensory experience.
Bubble Machine
Garden Lights
Glow Sticks
Sandbox with Toy
Water Table with Accessories
Outdoor Trampoline Sprinkler and LED Lights
LED Bike Wheel Lights
Pinwheels
Magical Flames Color Changing Packets
Sprinklers
There are so many safe, healthy, and fun ways to provide visual stimuli for kids who crave it. Once you observe and learn your child's interests, you can think of so many different ideas.
When Bulldozer was little he was very passionate about balls. The more he had the happier he was. We provided a bin full for him he would use regularly. All were different colors, textures, and weights. Some lit up. Some didn't. As long as he had his balls, he was a happy kid.
Bulldozer also loved vehicles. He loved lining up his Hot Wheels cars and monster trucks providing the visual stimuli that he felt he needed. The vehicles would be sorted by color. Bulldozer would take the time to spin the wheels of each car, examining them up close, and at eye level, which was very pleasing to him.
Sunshine loves Christmas lights and anything that lights up really. She enjoys watching lights flash, spin, change color, and flicker as often as she can.
Every child is different in their visual stimuli preferences.
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