Our therapists have compiled a list of their favorite gift recommendations based on the age of your child.
Scroll down to the age range you are looking for and read the blurbs on why we love these toys. Click on each picture to shop online!
For Babies:
Sit to Stand Walker
The music and lights are great for keeping your baby’s attention during tummy time, sitting, side-sitting, and learning to walk!
Mirror
This portable mirror is perfect for addressing visual tracking and neck range of motion during tummy time.
Stacking Rings
This set of silicone stacking rings is great for sensory exposure, fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, visual perception, and hand-eye coordination.
See, Touch, Feel Book
This book is great for providing visual, tactile, and auditory sensory input during tummy time with your baby!
Sensory Piano
This easy-activation keyboard is ideal for independent play while your baby is in tummy time, sitting, and learning to crawl.
Water Mat
This inflatable mat is great for keeping your baby entertained during tummy time AND makes for mess-free sensory exploration!
For Kids Ages 1-2:
Little People Toys
These toys are fantastic for developing imaginative play and communication skills. PLUS they grow with your child!
Let's Learn Piggy
Piggy banks are great toys for learning visual and motor development; this one allows your child to pratice numbers and colors.
Knob Puzzles
Knob puzzles make it easy for your child to develop motor control, matching, manipulation, and visual perceptual skills through play!
Spin Again Toy
This “spin” on a stacking toy not only works on sorting and visual-motor skills, but it also provides a visual and auditory sensory component to increase your child’s engagement and attention.
Squigz
This is one of our Emerge favorites! It helps children learn the concept of pushing and pulling.
Hammering Toy
This safe hammering set allows for children to develop fine motor control and visual-motor skills.
Alphabet Alligators
This toy teaches motor control by pushing and pulling animal pieces together and apart. It also works on matching colors and can be used with older children for letter identification.
Play Tunnel
Tunnels encourage use of crawling which aids in gross motor development and provides sensory input. As children get older, they can be used to play sequencing games or provide a nice spot to relax!
Balance Bike
This bike is fantastic for gross motor development and overall environment exploration!
For Kids Ages 2-3:
Lacing Beads
This toy is great for motor skill development, learning shape identification, and learning how to count!
Velcro Food
This activity is fantastic for fostering imaginative play skills and provides opportunities for matching, fine motor coordination and strengthening.
Play Kitchen
So many imaginative play ideas! This set allows for opportunities to develop motor control when putting dishes and food away!
Cash Register
This seems to be one of our kid’s favorites! It’s wonderful for play skill and motor skill development.
Easel
This dual-sided easel helps with proper posture and mature grasp development. They are also a great way for children to develop their drawing skills!
I Spy Books
These are a great item to have in the car to keep the kids interested and busy! They’re also perfect for practicing object identification and visual perceptual skills.
Cootie
This is a fun turn-taking game that also fosters fine motor control and bimanual coordination!
Let's Go Fishin'
Another “grow with me” game! As you catch the fish, you can practice color identification and fine motor control.
Magnetic Fishing Puzzle
This is another great puzzle for motor control! Younger kids can easily use the knobs and kids with more advanced motor control can use the rod.
For Kids Ages 4-5:
Sneaky Snacky Squirrel
We love this game for cooperative play and fine motor skill development. The tongs are great for development of grasp and hand strength.
Drill N' Design
This is a fun activity for creativity and the development of fine motor, visual-motor and visual perceptual skills.
Lite Brite
A classic! This activity provides opportunities for fine motor, visual motor and visual perceptual skills.
Tangrams
Tangrams are a great way to develop visual perceptual skills as well as motor control, problem solving and force grading.
Marble Run
Another Emerge favorite! This is a great way for children to foster their problem solving skills while also developing their fine motor coordination.
Guess Who
While usually recommended for children 6+, this activity can be modified in many ways to help with problem solving and language development!
Pop Beads
These are so great for fostering creativity as well as developing fine motor control.
Flexible Fingers
This is a great activity to work on fine motor skills and problem solving, especially while in the car!
Zoob Tubes
A great alternative to legos. These are perfect for working on fine motor skills and fostering problem solving and building skills!
Sensory Toys for All Ages:
Theraputty
This simple activity provides endless entertainment while providing opportunities for fine motor strengthening and heavy work for regulation. (recommended for ages 3+)
Kinetic Sand
This is a great tactile activity for your children. The sand sticks to itself making it easier to build with it!
Water Table
This activity is really great for building fine motor coordination skills and is recommended for children 1+.
Scooter Board
Scooter boards provide proprioceptive or heavy work input to calm and regulate the body. Children can sit on this board or lay on their bellies!
Mini Trampoline
If your child has a lot of energy, the mini trampoline is a great way to provide movement input to regulate the body without going outside!
Body Sock
A body sock is a great way to provide tactile and proprioceptive input to calm the body. It also provides feedback for those children who have difficulty with spatial awareness.