The most useful sensory toys for autistic teenagers are ones that don’t look like toys: smooth stress balls and putty, chewable pendants, weighted lap pads, bedroom lights, massagers and timers they control themselves. This guide is for parents, carers and school staff looking for sensory toys for teens with autism, and for teenagers choosing for themselves. We link every item, so a teenager can open the product page, read the details and make up their own mind.
Many autistic teenagers enjoy sensory input as much as they ever did but want things that fit in at school, college or with friends. Others still love light-up toys or soft characters, which is absolutely fine: age is a starting point here, not a rule. The full Autism and ADHD range has plenty more.
What to look for at this age
- Their choice, not yours. Teenagers are far more likely to use something they picked. Share a few product links and let them decide, including deciding against.
- Could pass as something else. A stress ball on a desk, putty in a pot, a timer by the bed: things that look like everyday objects are easier to use around friends.
- Fits their routine. Think about where it will be used: a pocket at college, a desk drawer, the bus, the bedroom at night.
- Sized for older bodies. Check weights and age guidance. Our 2kg weighted lap pad and large wrist weights are sized for older children and adults, while our children’s ear defenders have a listed upper age of 16 years.
- Privacy. Some teenagers are happy to use sensory items anywhere, others only at home. Go with what they are comfortable with, and don’t draw attention to it in front of others.
Fidgets and putty: sensory toys for teenagers that don’t look like toys
These are the kind of fidgets adults keep on an office desk. They give hands something to do in lessons, on the bus or while gaming.
- Speks Gump: Six Miniature Smooth Stress Balls: six small memory gel balls to squeeze, stretch, twist and squish, easy to carry in a school bag, desk drawer or pocket. They are fidgets, not chews. Check them regularly and stop using any that are punctured or leaking.
- Speks Odds Soft Silicone Fidget Magnets: three textured silicone pieces with a hidden magnetic core, to connect, stack, roll and click without much noise. Because they contain magnets, keep them for teenagers who no longer put things in their mouth.
- Hand Squeeze Eggs: four 60mm rubber eggs ranging from squeezy soft to squeezy hard, so your teenager can choose the resistance they like.
- Atomic Bead Stretchy Stress Ball: a 75mm ball of micro beads inside a tougher rubber skin, giving firm resistance when squeezed and stretched. Colours may vary.
- Speks Blur Focus Sensory Putty: silky silicone putty with a velvety feel that isn’t sticky and never dries out. It comes in a pot with a twist lid and should be kept in it between uses. Ages 3+.
Browse more fidget toys.
Tip: Ask your teenager which places are hardest to sit through, then plan one fidget for each: one for the pencil case, one by the bed and one in a coat pocket.
Chewable jewellery and pendants
Some teenagers chew sleeves, hoodie cords or pencils. Chewable jewellery gives them something made for chewing that looks like an ordinary necklace, pendant or tag.
- Chewy Chewable Eternity Pendants: super soft pendants on a matching silky cord that adjusts easily, in Blue Desire. Suitable for a mild to moderate chewer.
- Sensachew Chewable Dog Tags: a pair of 50mm chewable dog tags, in soft or firm, made for children and adults who look for something to chew or bite on.
- Ark’s Chew Tags: a slim, discreet chew tag, 30mm wide, 50mm high and 5mm thick. This listing is red, standard strength; a tough grey version is also available.
- Chewy Chewable Gem Necklace: a 53mm gem pendant on a 24-inch lanyard with a safety clasp release. It is latex free, washable and dishwasher safe.
- Ark’s Chewable Krypto Pencil Topper: a 70mm chewable topper that comes with a pencil, for lessons and homework. This one is blue XXT, and green and pink XT versions are also available.
- Ark’s Chewable Toothpicks: a discreet option with three toughness levels in each set (Standard, XT and XXT), so your teenager can find the one that suits. There are two colour options.
Safety note: We recommend all chews are used under constant adult supervision. Look chews over regularly and replace any that are damaged. Our chewable jewellery and chew toys include softer and tougher options.
Weighted lap pads and blankets
Weighted items give steady pressure that many teenagers like while sitting, reading, gaming or watching something. Pick a weight that suits their size, and always use weighted resources under constant adult supervision.
- Weighted Lap Pads, 2kg: a 660mm by 510mm lap pad made for older children and adults, which can also be worn over the shoulders. Colours may vary.
- Weighted Textured Lap Pad, 5lb: a green 5lb pad, 530mm by 260mm, smooth on one side with soft raised dots on the other.
- Weighted Blanket: made from a soft, breathable 100% polyester, in 3lb, 5lb or 8lb. Many families use one on the sofa during a film. Hand wash only. The product page has no weight guide, so call us on 01535 662812 if you are unsure which to choose.
- Weighted Wrist and Ankle Pads, Large: a pair of 250g wrist weights, 280mm long, sized for older children and adults, with a wide velcro fastening. They can be worn on the ankles too.
See all our weighted lap pads and blankets.
Tip: Make sure your teenager can always move a weighted item off by themselves, and start with a lap pad during a film or gaming session.
Lights and projectors for a bedroom
For many teenagers, the bedroom is where they go to recharge. Lights they set up themselves help make it feel like their own space.
- Mathmos Projector: rotates coloured oils to throw moving patterns of light across a ceiling or wall. Choose blue/green or red/violet. It runs on mains power (240V).
- Aurora Northern Lights Projector: fills the room with softly moving waves of colour, like the northern lights. Many families use it for winding down at the end of the day.
- Sensory Mood Ball: a 400mm glowing ball. Use the remote to pick one of 16 colours or set it to change automatically. It is rechargeable and comes with a charging station.
- Dark Den Calming LED Disc Lamp: a small 70mm lamp with a controller for colour, brightness and effect, from smooth fades to flash and strobe. Choose a steady or fading setting if flashing light is a problem. It needs 3 x AAA batteries, which are not included.
- LED Cylinder Faze Lamp: a 163mm cylinder mood light that changes through six bright colours, with its 3 x AAA batteries included. Age 5+.
Find more in our sensory projectors and room lighting.
Tip: Agree a lights-out time together, and let your teenager choose the colour and setting for the half hour before it.
Ear defenders
Gigs, sports matches, fireworks and crowded school corridors can be very loud. Ear defenders let a teenager take some of the edge off the noise in places they still want to be.
Our Children’s Ear Defenders are listed for ages 6 months to 16 years, so they are an option for younger teenagers. The headband is padded, the pair weighs 160g and folds away, there are four colours to choose from, and the attenuation value is SNR 23.4 dB. If you are buying for someone over 16, call us on 01535 662812 or use our contact page before ordering.
Massagers
A massager puts a teenager in charge of where the pressure or vibration goes and how long it lasts, with no one else involved.
- Head Tingler: move its tipped pins around the scalp for a wave of tingles. It is easy to use on yourself, so a teenager stays in control. Popular last Christmas.
- Vibrating Back Massager: a 300mm by 190mm backrest massager with straps to hold it in place against the back or elsewhere on the body. It needs 4 x AA batteries, not included.
- Forty Wheel Foot Massager: 40 textured rubber wheels to roll the feet over while seated, about 28.5cm by 20cm. It needs no batteries and can sit under a desk. Avoid using it on broken, painful or irritated skin.
- Hand Massagers: three 130mm egg-shaped massagers to roll between the palms.
See our full relaxation and massage range.
Timers and organisers
A timer shows at a glance how long is left for homework, a break or a game, so a teenager can plan without being reminded.
- Pocket Time Timer: a 75mm timer that goes everywhere. Its clear cover flips open to act as a stand, or closes to protect the face in a bag.
- Magnetic Time Tracker: green, yellow and red sections light up as time counts down, with optional alarms. It sticks to a fridge or whiteboard or stands on a desk, and the 4 x AA batteries are included.
- Jumbo Timer: a digital timer with a large, clear display that counts up or down to the second, for up to 99 minutes 59 seconds. It has a stand, a magnet and an on/off switch, and takes 1 x AAA battery.
- Mini Sand Timers: four small colour-coded sand timers, 90mm by 25mm, a discreet size for a desk.
Our visual timers and organisers range has more.
Tip: Agree what happens when the timer goes off before it starts, for example “when it beeps, we leave for the bus”. Then the timer does the reminding, not you.
Playing together and hanging out
- Start with their interests. Ask about the game, series or music they love and let them show you. It is an easy way in that doesn’t feel like an organised activity.
- Low-key counts. A film with the projector on and a weighted blanket on the sofa is time together, and nobody has to talk.
- Take turns choosing. One evening they pick the light setting or playlist, the next you do.
- Ask before you join in. “Can I have a go?” respects that these are their things and their space, and “not now” is a fair answer.
Questions parents ask
Are sensory toys suitable for teenagers?
Yes. Enjoying sensory input doesn’t stop at 13, and plenty of adults use stress balls, putty and weighted blankets. What changes is usually the look, so choose items that fit in with what other teenagers carry and let your teenager have the final say.
What can my teenager use in class without standing out?
Small, quiet items are easiest: Speks Odds or a mini Gump in a pencil case, or putty in a pot. Talk to the school’s SENCO or the college’s learning support team so staff know what the item is for.
Are your ear defenders suitable for older teenagers?
The product page for our Children’s Ear Defenders lists them for babies over 6 months up to 16 years old. If your teenager is older than that, email info@exploreyoursenses.co.uk or call 01535 662812 before you order.
How do I suggest sensory items without embarrassing my teenager?
Keep it private and practical. Bring it up when you are on your own together, share a product link rather than handing over a bag, and mention that adults use these things too. If the answer is no, leave it for a while; some teenagers come back to the idea in their own time.
Can a school or college order these on a purchase order?
Yes. Schools, colleges and other organisations can pay by purchase order: there is a box for the PO number in the basket. Prices on our site are shown both ex VAT and inc VAT.
