Holiday Gift Guide 2023
It's that time of year again! Below is a list of toys that cater to a range of sensory and developmental needs, promoting physical activity, sensory stimulation, creativity, and cognitive skills in an inclusive and enjoyable manner for children with special needs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases (paid links.)
Don't forget to follow @Balanced.babysitting on Instagram!
Teeter Popper: https://amzn.to/3GcTHnm
The Teeter Popper provides a unique experience with its rocking and popping motions. It can help provide children with a fun indoor activity.*The Teeter Popper can also help support balance and coordination, gross motor skills, and it can benefit children with sensory processing needs to support self-regulation.
Textured Stretchy Strings Fidget: https://amzn.to/47Kq88f
The Strings Fidget is a fun and versatile tool with various colors and textures. It can help support increased attention with its soft and pliable strings. *The strings can also serve as a discreet fidget tool to help support self-regulation and can be a great addition to a calming corner basket.
STEM Magnetic Tiles: https://amzn.to/3up4mIV
Magnetic Tiles help encourage imaginative play, turn-taking and sharing with others, and support increased attention. The colorful and magnetic nature of the tiles adds an extra layer of engagement.
Liquid Motion Bubblers: https://amzn.to/40P9wKu
The Liquid Motion Bubbler provides a mesmerizing visual experience. It also offers a non-disruptive way for children to redirect their attention. *The bubbler can be calming and soothing, making it an excellent tool for relaxation and a great addition to a calming corner basket.
Jump Rocket: https://amzn.to/47n01ET
This engaging toy provides children with various ways to play. It helps promote play with others while supporting social skills such as turn-taking and sharing.*The rocket can help promote physical activity while providing sensory support.
Pop Tubes: https://amzn.to/3ST1RsE
Pop Tubes provides children with various ways to play by stretching, pulling, and popping the tubes into various configurations. This can help increase attention and support creative play. *These tubes can be a great addition to a calming basket to support self-regulation.
Writing Tablet: https://amzn.to/49LzsL1
The Writing Tablet provides a low-pressure environment for practicing writing, drawing, and learning, making it an inclusive tool for children with various abilities. The tablet’s versatility allows for customization to meet the unique needs of each child. *It can help to support fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination while offering a creative outlet for self-expression. The tablet could also be a great addition to a calming basket.
Water Wow: https://amzn.to/3RbAJnm
The Water Wow is a fun activity that can help support sustained attention, foster creative play, and promote letter and number recognition. *Water Wow can also be used to support fine motor skills while offering children a calming and relaxing experience.
Touch Light Doodle Board: https://amzn.to/46xBXxv
This activity is designed to boost sustained attention and encourage creative play in individuals.*The Touch Light Doodle Board provides sensory input through different textures and colors. It can help support fine motor skills and be a great addition to a calming corner basket.
Marble Run: https://amzn.to/3MTlQmY
Participation in this activity aims to enhance social skills, including turn-taking, sharing, and interactive play with others. Additionally, it seeks to promote joint and sustained attention, fostering both independent and creative play. *Marble Run can also aid in fine motor skill support
Squigz:
This unique toy is designed to promote creative play by constructing diverse Squigz towers. It also encourages problem-solving skills, as individuals explore ways to make Squigz adhere to different surfaces and build structures. Furthermore, the activity facilitates social interaction, fostering play with others and developing essential skills such as turn-taking and sharing.*Squigz can also provide sensory support and help foster motor skills.
InnyBin:
The InnyBin is a great activity that focuses on problem-solving, specifically by determining how to manipulate a shape into a cube. Additionally, it emphasizes color and shape recognition as part of the learning experience.*The InnyBin can also provide sensory support through different textures.
Stepping Stones: https://amzn.to/3umH1Ye
These unique stones offer a way for children to engage in imaginative play by building various obstacles and playing different games. It helps support social skills through shared attention, turn-taking, and sharing. These stones can also support color recognition while
providing children with a fun indoor activity. *They can help promote physical activity and support balance, strength, and coordination.
Reusable Sticker Pad: https://amzn.to/47BOfpM
This activity aims to boost sustained attention and foster creative play. Moreover, it can be employed collaboratively to enhance social skills like turn-taking, sharing, and cooperative efforts in constructing imaginative scenes. *This activity can also help support fine motor skills.
Pop-Up Play Tent: https://amzn.to/3uljerG
This Pop-Up Play Tent encourages pretend play, whether solo or with others. *It also serves as a valuable resource for creating a calming corner, by offering a safe and tranquil space.
Dimpl:
This unique toy can help increase sustained attention. *It can be used as a fidget for self-regulation, provide sensory input and would be a great addition to a calming corner basket.
Magnetic Robot Blocks: https://amzn.to/49Ol5FK
Engaging in this activity promotes creative play through manipulation of the blocks to make various monsters. It can be a fun toy to play with others to practice turn-taking and sharing as well as increasing joint-attention. *These blocks can also support fine motor skills.
Lite Brite touch: https://amzn.to/40SHcHd
The Lite Brite Touch fosters creative play, problem-solving, and developing skills in color and object recognition.*It can also provide sensory input and be used as a calming tool. This toy could be a great addition to a calming corner basket.
Critter Clinic: https://amzn.to/40SJ5n8
This activity aims to promote independent play, enhance sustained attention, and encourage pretend play. It also contributes to the development of social skills, such as sharing and taking-turns, while involving participants in problem-solving, such as figuring out which key corresponds to each lock.
Color Wonder: https://amzn.to/3QJeh3m
Color Wonder offers a variety of ways to play. The fingerprint color wonder encourages creative and independent play while boosting sustained attention.*Using a finger to color the pictures could help support fine motor skills.
Expandable Ball: https://amzn.to/3uztnB3
The exandable ball is a fun and interactive toy that can support imitative play and help promote increased sustained attention.*It can be a great addition to a calming corner by allowing children to practice deep belly breathing.
Bilibo:
The Bilibo encourages a range of play skills, including imaginative, creative, open-ended, and active play, while also fostering problem-solving skills. *This unique toy could provide sensory input and help increase balance and coordination.
Mini Trampoline: https://amzn.to/3MXzbe2
This interactive toy helps support active play along with sustained attention. *This mini trampoline can also provide gross motor and sensory support.
Liquid Floor Tiles: https://amzn.to/47J2oBE
These Liquid Floor Tiles release limitless play possibilities, while serving as a dance floor, play mat, obstacle course, and more through imaginative play. Additionally, it aids in promoting color recognition. *These tile can also provide sensory support.
Indoor Swing Pod: https://amzn.to/47KqADt
The Indoor Swing Pod promotes active play, provides a comfortable place to read, watch TV, or take a nap. *This indoor swing can also be used as a sensory swing to support any sensory needs.
Disclaimer: The information provided above is to help support parents in choosing toys for their children. Please consult your child's pediatrician and therapists for specific advice on how these toys can help support sensory input, motor skills, and self-regulation based on your child's unique needs. As a BCBA, I am unable to comment on sensory regulation practices or practices that support motor skills, however Occupational and Physical therapists are a wonderful resource.
