The right toy can make learning through play easy.

The challenge is the seemingly endless options that can make gift giving overwhelming! Yes, you could buy your children cheap toys that will fall apart by New Year’s Day. OR, you can check out our list of clinic favorites!

Each of the toys we list has been clinic-tested, has been proven to be durable, promotes a wide array of developmental milestones, and is most of all FUN! Want even more holiday gift giving ideas?  Check out my past toy blogs for even more ideas! (It should be noted that links are provided for convenience, but not necessarily endorsing any particular retailer).

Playdough

Yes, this is a classic! Playdough is used daily in the clinic to help improve finger strength and dexterity.  In addition, rolling play dough into a ball or into a worm is an excellent way to build bilateral hand coordination.  Want even more ideas?  Using play dough with play dough scissors is a fantastic way for little ones to work on early cutting skills WITHOUT having to worry about the kiddos using the scissors on their hair or their clothes!

Pop beads

Pop beads are a fantastic way to develop bilateral finger strength and coordination.  Pop beads are so crucial to hand development, that many standardized fine motor tests include the ability to pop/unpop these beads in their test kits.  Choose the large beads for infant development of hand strength and coordination.  However, the mini pop beads are a great way for preschool & school aged children to work on their finger strength & dexterity, as well as creativity in making jewelry!  In addition, school aged children can also work on visual skills through sequencing and pattern making throughout this creative process.

Bugs in the Kitchen Board Game

This is a super gross, fast-paced board game where a battery operated realistic-looking bug is running through a maze, and player must problem solve to move the walls of the maze in order to trap the bug.  Excellent for working on response speed, fine motor, frustration tolerance, and problem-solving skills!

Nesting Cars by Melissa and Doug

This car and garage set opens up so many opportunities for language development with naming colors & counting, pretend play development, color matching, and fine motor skills.  An added bonus is that both the cars and garages are very durable and can withstand many hours of stacking up the boxes and having the cars crash into them.  This car set is a clinic favorite as a reinforcer at the end of the session, definitely kiddo approved!

Slapzi

Slapzi is a fast-paced card game for early elementary aged children on up to adults.  There is NO turn taking involved.  Rather, players attempt to be the first to match their cards to the category card, perfect for working on fine motor speed and problem-solving skills.  This game should definitely be added to your Family Game Night rotation!

Jellyfish Light

Similar to a lava lamp, these dancing jellyfish are very mesmerizing.  We recently installed them in our quiet room at the clinic and they have been a huge hit. This light would be perfect to use in a child’s bedroom to help with falling asleep, or in any space designed for relaxation. And as we all know, the ability to achieve sleep, calming, and self-control are definitely developmental milestones!

Shrinky Dinks

Many children who have difficulties with finger strength/endurance HATE to color. But coloring is SO good for developing those fine motor skills needed for effective writing skills! Enter the magic of Shrinky Dinks.  Many of us moms and dads remember playing with these when we were kids, but the magic still remains.  Simply color the plastic templates with colored pencils, have an adult place the pictures in a low heat oven for a couple minutes, and watch the plastic artwork turn into mini masterpieces!  An added bonus is that this is a very low-mess craft for play dates and slumber parties!

Alpha Pops

What seems like a simple and inexpensive toy treat actually works on a wide variety of developmental skills for a wide range of infants, toddlers, and preschool children. Older infants can work on bilateral hand strength by pulling apart the popsicles. Toddlers can use them for matching and color identification, as well as pushing together the popsicles for bilateral hand strength.  Preschool/Kindergarten aged children can use the popsicles for alphabet identification and sequencing.  With so many different uses of these popsicles for our kiddos in the clinic, these frozen treats have still proven to be quite durable!

Disney Princess Enchanted Cupcake Party

I put this cupcake party kit on my own Holiday Wish List!  Players use the cupcake pieces to make various cake, frosting, topping options, which is great for fine motor development, as well as pretend play skills and social skills. In addition, this kit includes “recipe” cards to help with matching skills and following directions.

About the author:

Melissa Foster is a Nationally Board Certified Occupational Therapist who received her Masters in Occupational Therapy from University of Central Arkansas in 2004. She came to TEAM in 2013 with a wealth of treatment experience in settings that range from NWA to Kansas to New York. Her primary interests are treatment of children on the Autism Spectrum, treatment of children with ADHD and treatment of children with sensory processing and behavioral disorders. Melissa is an active public speaker in the NWA community on topics related to Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder. She has authored several resource materials for parents on topics such as sleep and picky eating. Her blog for parents has become a popular resource for families. Melissa loves spending time with her husband and their two children. On warm summer days she enjoys sitting on her patio with a good book and a glass of iced tea.