At this age, your little one is really mastering and exploring movement with their body! They still love big, gross motor movements, but are starting to develop and refine their fine motor skills too! Many of these recommendations support important skills your child needs, like using two hands together in a coordinated movement, strengthening their shoulders, arms, hands and fingers and maneuvering and controlling a tool to get a job done (like in drawing, cutting, eating, etc.)
Lest we forget…kids of this age continue to need LOTS of quality sensory input. Many of the toys encourage those big gross motor movements, because movement sensory input is strong and can be really helpful in regulating your child’s big feelings.
In that same vein, I included some toys that can double up as tools to help manage big feelings.
2-3 Year Olds
- Wooden Lacing Beads: A classic activity that sets the scene for lots of other skills as your child gets older. Lacing beads helps your child use two hands together, work on muscle grading [aka how much force do I need to maneuver this object] and visual motor skills. These beads are extra cool because they come with a variety of textures, which is pleasing to the touch and visual systems. You can also experiment with stacking/building with these beads due to the flat surfaces.
- Felt Busy Book: These are just too fun and whimsical to me. These felt busy books are often chock full of super intriguing fine motor activities that are oftentimes very calming for your little one’s sensory system as well. A high interest, screen-free way to regulate those big feelings.
- Play Dough: Maybe one of the original “sensory” play items. Play dough is awesome because you get lots of tactile input from the texture of playdough plus a bonus of some calming heavy work as your child uses their fingers and hands to push, smoosh and pull. Use the code CLARE10 to get 10% off when you support fellow mompreneur Teresa’s Etsy shop.
- Ride on Toy/Scooter: I think it’s important to include gross motor toys when considering your child’s sensory development. Sensory has strong foundations in our movement systems, so feeding those is great for sensory development. Your child will strengthen and coordinate their arms and legs while getting lots of calming input to their joints and muscles. This ride on toy is cool because it converts to a scooter when your child is ready! Score for some 2 in 1 toy efficiency.
- Sand and Gel Timers: These are a little less “toy” but I wanted to include them because as those 2 year old feelings ramp up…it’s a good time to slowly introduce some toys that can be used to help process feelings. The sand timer kit here has different colors for different times.
- Teepee Tent: I had a little tent as a child and I truly treasured that thing. It was very simple, but felt so fun and like I had my own little space. I think that’s important for kids as they start to get older, especially as a means to process their sensory needs.
- Chef’s Apron: I am also plugging how cooking is the best sensory and motor experience. Engaging with food provides touch, smell, sights, sounds and taste as well as heavy work when your child is getting involved in smooshing, tearing, pulling etc. This also develops their motor skills of using two hands and improving finger strength and coordination. And the best of all? Exposure to foods is a helpful tool to prevent and address picky eating.
- Massager: Another item you can introduce in a low key way that can eventually serve as a self calming tool. These massagers are fun and provide buzzing input. I usually recommend showing it to your child and then handing it to them while turned off to give them control over trying it out.
3-4 Year Olds
- Water Wow Books: When I discovered these, it felt like a jackpot find. These are great way to slow down kids who are typically interested in fast paced activities. The magical cause/effect of colors showing up when you color the page with water is very enticing. This is a great way to also work on pencil grasp as your child has to hold a developmentally appropriate chunky water marker to color.
- Sneaky Snacky Squirrel: These games are great first “group” games for your little one. I think having to pass the cute squirrel tong back and forth is very helpful to learning to take turns. Your child gets great hand strengthening by squeezing the tongs to pick up and place fun, colorful acorns in the corresponding spot on the tree.
- Rubber Ink Stampers: This is another throwback to my childhood. Rubber ink stampers are a great way to strengthen up the arches of your little one’s hands while also getting some satisfying feedback to their hands with every push to ink the stamper and stamp on the page.
- Wooden Magnetic Fishing Game: I LOVE this game. haha Capslock always comes across so strong. But I do really love this game! Super fun and helps to develop hand eye coordination and muscle grading.
- Sit and Spin: Vestibular input (the sense that is activated when our head moves) is a powerhouse of sensory input. The first system to develop in utero as baby is floating around in the amniotic fluid, this system can be very calming, but also of course…very alerting. A sit and spin is a great toy to get strong vestibular input for kiddos who seek that out. It also addresses crossing midline and using two hands together, both of which are very important skills.
- Bowling: Bowling is a great way to get your little one up and moving to develop motor skills and get the sensory input they need. Simply walking, bending and throwing the ball and setting up pins will get lots of that vestibular input kids often crave and need. Bowling also develops hand eye coordination in a very fun way.
- Hippity Hop Ball: This bouncing ball equipped with a handle to hold onto challenges your child’s balance, core strength and coordination, while getting that movement input they’re seeking.
Time to get your little one on the move and start refining those movements that will help them to continue to grow in the independence they so desperately want 😉
If you have other big kids or babies (0-24 months and 4-8 years old!) don’t forget to check out my suggestions for them too! You can find each post broken down by age here.
