The holiday season is complex. Add sensory kids (and/or parents!) to the equation, and it really gets exciting. The holidays are fullll of sensory rich experiences–lights, baked goods, jingle bells, noisy family gatherings. For some sensory kids, that means they’re getting the just right amount of stimulation and feel really happy and excited. For others it means possible weeks upon weeks of feeling dysregulated and frazzled. Which ever kind of kid (or adult) you are, the days post-holiday can leave everyone feeling a post holiday letdown. Why is that?
Many people who are highly sensitive tend to also like to have things “just so.” There’s a way that they envision things going, feeling and panning out and if/when they don’t go that way, the low/disappointment they feel can feel very low. In addition, the excitement of the holidays often brings loooots of dopamine to our brains. Think cookies, presents, games and friends. For many kids, that’s a recipe for a good time. So what happens the day after the holiday parties stop and there’s no more big, dopamine producing events to keep the party going? The crash.
They may feel/seem overall more moody, bummed and whiny. Obviously other factors that impact our nervous systems like the different meal schedules, lots more sugar and possibly interrupted bedtimes can also contribute, making the waters a bit more testy.
So what are some easy ideas of how to quell the impending let down/grouchiness? Here are 3 examples of simple activities you can use to help ease your child into more…uneventful days.
1. Make a “special” breakfast.
Remember. Kids like simple things in general. So don’t project your Pinterest expectations onto them. This can be frozen waffles, pancakes, cinnamon sugar toast. And none of those items have to be in the shape of anything but how they come. Keep it simple to keep it feasible!
2. Have a hot chocolate bar.
Whether homemade or from a packet, throw a few extra things in your cart during your Christmas preparations to have everything you need for a simple but delightful hot chocolate bar. Re-use the candy canes you got and pull out the sprinkles. A can of Redi-whip can go a looong way in curbing the post holiday letdown blues.
3. Go on a drive to see the Christmas lights in your neighborhood
Most people keep their lights up for a while, so you can definitely depend on finding some lights to admire in order to bring your child down slowly from their holiday high.
Remember to keep it simple! The idea is just to do a few simple, but intentional activities that are fun for your child in order to ease them from the pace of holiday craziness to more slow days.
Those are my tips! What would you add to the list?
Holidays are often super fun and a joyous time to gather with family 👨👩👧👦🏡 But, with them comes biiiig changes in routines. From the food, to being with people you might not see often, travel and unfamiliar places. …it’s a lot of “different” shoved into an often short period of time. Lots of kids are impacted by these changes, but especially sensory kids and kids with anxiety 😬 🧠
So how can you help to make this as smooth as possible for your little one?
Check out my tips below to make sure your little one is well supported. Meltdowns may still happen, but these tips will hopefully give you a little buffer.
Don’t make this the time to push trying new foods/have safe foods. You can offer your child the chance to help with preparing the dish you’re bringing or talk about your favorite memories surrounding your family food traditions for the sake of sharing your family culture, but not pressuring to try something. Having a food you know they like available can make them feel more comfortable and secure. You can choose whether to serve other foods on their plate or have a “learning plate” where you put unfamiliar foods. Just because your relatives think your child needs to try Thanksgiving dinner foods, doesn’t mean it’s true.
Have a plan ready for when they need a break. If your sensory kid feels they have permission to take a break and know how to advocate for that, you’re less likely to run into meltdowns and tantrums when they’re overwhelmed but don’t know how to tell you. Talk about where/what room they can go to to take a break. Bring things from home they know help them to feel calm (lovey, fidget toy, music, etc.) Talk about where they can go if they need quiet vs. if they need to move around.
3. Be flexible about what you “require” them to wear. Obviously it’s a special day and you usually want them to look a little fancier…but think about what’s most important and if you and your child can compromise with some outfits that are comfy but appropriate.
4. Make sure their blood sugar is balanced! Might seem funny because Thanksgiving is full of food…but if your child isn’t going to eat the appetizers or is going to eat very little of Thanksgiving dinner, make sure you have foods they’ll eat so a drop in blood sugar isn’t the culprit for a meltdown.
5. Involve them in food prep. Whether it’s in the garden or in the kitchen, being around food for a looong time before it hits your sensory kid’s plate helps them. They get lots of time to “get to know” foods. To see that mashed potatoes are mushy, hot and white. Instead of seeing if for the first time on their plate. When they get to participate in making things, kids are often more excited and proud to try it.
6. Let them make their own dish to serve! This will work best if you have supportive family members. And I know adding something to your to do list sounds like “No thanks.” But within your emotional capacity, consider if you can help your child make something simple. I’m thinking Charlie Brown snack mix vibes. This shows your sensory kids that there is room for their preferences in a holiday meal. That it’s more about being together, sharing & being thankful. Maybe someday they’ll like Thanksgiving food, but let’s not wait until that day for them to feel included. I think a lot of sensory kids might feel really happy & proud if they saw their preferred food on the dinner table.
8. Talk about greetings/physical touch before hand. Unsolicited touch can make (anyone) but especially sensory kids uncomfortable. Talk about boundaries and give your child options before you see family. “If you don’t want to give a hug, you could smile, wave or say hi.”
9. Be prepared to advocate for them. I don’t think kids should be rude or mean, nor do I excuse truly bad behavior. But…a lot of things your child struggles with aren’t behaviors. So remember that you don’t have to justify your parenting to your family members or random guests.
10. Give your child and yourself loooots of grace. The holidays are often dysregulating for the reasons I mentioned above. Please be kind to yourself. You are juggling making sure that the kids are dressed, getting to the party, bringing the dish you promised you would make, and maybe worrying that they’ll get sick in this crazy intense flu/RSV/cold season. Please remember you love your children well, and what counts is that. It doesn’t matter how fancy everything looks. Your child’s behavior isn’t a reflection of your parenting, it’s insight to what your child is working through right now.
What would be on the menu if your sensory kid’s favorite food was what’s for dinner?
Sensory travel tools are worth a shot, because I feel like the challenge of traveling with kids is one of those life experiences that you don’t understand until you do it for yourself. I can at least speak for myself and say that a 9 hour car ride in the backseat with my 4 month old baby changed me 😅
Depending on your personality type, the actual act of traveling itself might feel like no big deal, or it might get you stressed just thinking about it 😳 There’s figuring out what clothes you need (or might possibly need. #chronicoverpackersunite), making sure you have enough snacks to manage your blood sugar levels and prevent hangry episodes, things to entertain yourself with on the trip…
But traveling with kids. That’s next level. Because now you have to use your fortune telling skills to try to anticipate someone *elses’s* needs on a trip. What snacks will they want, what activities will keep them entertained [I, for example, never expected a 1 L water bottle to be the MVP of road trips, but I periodically remind my husband to not throw it out because it has proved its worth in gold multiple times no2w], what clothes will be comfy for them to travel in. So let me first give some general sensory tips to consider for traveling, and then I’ll share some sensory tools that can be useful for family trips.
Structure The Trip to Meet Sensory Needs
Let your child decide what clothes to wear. Obviously if you are dressing all your kids in a certain color so you can easily identify them, stick with the plan. But make sure it’s something they’re comfy in.
Make sure to have good meals and have plenty of snacks! I think this is something that most parents know, but I think we can sometimes get so stressed by trying to get all of our stuff and all of the people through security/in the car/on the train etc etc in time and your child starts having a meltdown when you realize, “Oooh. We haven’t eaten since breakfast 4 hours ago.” 😳
Speaking of snacks…Especially if your child likes crunchy or chewy snacks, make sure to pack some for some good, calming oral motor input. Just be mindful of snacks that could be a choking hazard while they’re eating in the car. Another great way to fit in some oral motor input while traveling is using water bottles with straws.
Consider playing music with a heavy beat for kids who get carsick/motion sickness. Music is a very powerful sensory tool. And if your little one (or big one) gets motion sickness? Often times music with a very grounding, heavy beat (like reggae, reggaeton, rap, country) can be very calming and help them to feel more connected to their body (when they feel disconnected is part of how motion sickness happens).
Be prepared to take breaks where they can move around. As best as you’re able, allowing your child to climb around for 10 minutes at a rest stop, get some spins in or walk or crawl up or down the aisle on a plane…little kids’ (particularly sensory kids’) brains are wired for movement so they crave it, and get a little more grouchy, hyper, emotional, etc. when they don’t get it.
Now onto the tools…some are very simple and very old school (which I’m a fan of.) I very much subscribe to the idea that you don’t need to spend a bunch of money to meet a child’s sensory needs. *However* I’m also going to include some fun/nifty/unique items that I think are worth getting if you are interested in them.
Pom poms. I said old school, right? These little guys are great because they’re quite portable (can stick them in a pocket, purse, backpack…) and they’re a great physical/tangible tool if you want to get some breaths in. Taking calming breaths rarely works for many of the sensory kids I know. A lot of sensory kids really require hands on tools for learning, and trying to breathe requires a lot of body awareness that many just don’t have. But if you add a pom pom to the mix, you might get some breaths! Blow them across the tray on an airplane for self regulation, or just some fun 🙂
Bubbles: For the same reasons as pom poms…you can get some breaths in using a prop if your child can blow from the bubble wand. Alternatively, these are great for kids who like visually interesting things. Speaking of which…
Sand or gel timers: These are great for kids who love visually captivating things. They can be used to actually track time or to just watch the sand or gel trickle down. They’re nice and portable also, which makes them a great sensory travel tool.
Wacky Track Fidgets: These are a nice, travel-sized heavy work activity for your child’s hands. Heavy work is generally calming for everyone. Using your hands to work against resistance can fit in some nice heavy work, and these links that click when you snap and manipulate them can work that in to your child’s travel time.
Floam: Obviously most textured sensory mediums are way too messy to take on trips, but I think Floam is worth a shot for a sensory travel item. The texture is kind of like a non-edible version of rice crispy treats. It pulls and pushes apart and has a slightly sticky aspect to it. You can squish it up and easily form it into shapes for sculpting etc, or just use it like a stress ball and squish to your heart’s desire. It’s not crumbly like kinetic sand and it shouldn’t squish into things like carpets etc.
Squigz: What’s a sensory toys/tools list without Squigz? Just kidding–kind of. These are just fun and intriguing. They also provide some of that heavy work for your hands I mentioned with the Wacky Track Fidgets. They stick onto basically anything, and the hard work of pulling them apart is fun and can use up some energy. The standard size ones are kind of big to take many of on a plane, but they also have mini ones available. These might be best suited for slightly older kids (manufacturer info says 5 years old) because they could be too hard for little hands to pull.
Noise cancelling earbuds/headphones: These are a great tool to have on hand for kids who get easily overstimulated by noises. The noise deafening are great for children [or parents] who want to still participate in convos but just need things to be toned down a bit.
Headphones for music: Alternatively, you might have a child who really is soothed by music, so having their own set of headphones to listen to music while traveling can be supremely helpful. Work with your child to decide if ear buds or over ear headphones are best.
Eye mask: this may be my personal bias, because I am *very* sensitive to light. But if you’re traveling (particularly on a plane or train) during times when your child might need to sleep and they’re sensitive to light, an eye mask might help them a bit. It is also useful to have in the event that wherever you’re staying is brighter than home and your child struggles to fall asleep that way.
Snack box: This is part sensory but also part fun and motor. This is just a fun way to expand the time your child takes to work through all those yummy snacks you packed.
There you have it! My top 10 sensory recommendations for sensory travel. I hope something strikes you as helpful for your child and that you can feel a bit more empowered as you prepare to travel with your littles in tow!
By the time your child is 5 years old (if they’re pretty typically developing) I will give the overall advice that you should follow their lead/interests in developing hobbies and activities that meet their sensory and motor needs.
For instance, riding bikes, cooking, doing crafts, playing sports, exploring outdoors, [and doing chores 😉 ]etc. are all chock full of natural sensory and motor development. You don’t have to try very hard to curate a sensory or motor experience.
That being said, this lists has some activities that fit the bill of being everyday activities that could be matched to your child’s interests.
5-8 Years Old
Mini Toys/Games: I promise you there is nothing more inviting to a child than mini games and toys. (Maybe that’s a big promise. lol) But they are so, so enticing!! This is a great way to work on fine motor skills and muscle grading (how much force do I need to use to manipulate this item). As your child stabilizes their arm and hand, they work on focus and the muscles of the hand and arm.
Jenga: This is a classic, but for good reason. This game also requires focus, self control and muscle grading. Your child will strengthen up the muscles they need for writing, buttoning, tying shoes, etc. while having fun with the family. Nice thing is you could also use these blocks for building and more open ended play. Some people will even write questions, sight words etc. on the blocks. You could maybe even write words in another language if you’re trying to incorporate bilingual learning.
Small Pop Beads: These small beads are great for strengthening the arches of your hand as you have to push with a good amount of force to get them together. Bonus is as you clean up, pulling apart the beads can get a second round of strengthening in. Another highlight of this toy is the two hand coordination required for stabilizing and pushing the beads together.
Twister: This game targets so many good things sensory and motor. Listening skills, motor planning (how can I make a plan and move my body), problem solving, core strength, shoulder stability, and provides lots of movement sensory input that is often needed. A great option to keep around for cold weather and days when you need to stay inside.
Bean Bag Chair: Bean bag chairs give the comforting deep pressure input many kids crave. It’s kind of like a little hug. It will help your child to get the squish they’re seeking if they’re one who likes to roughhouse, seems clumsy, asks for big hugs, breaks crayons when coloring, etc. Nice feature is that they’re mobile. You can also use them for heavy work by tossing them or giving someone squishes.
Velcro Mitt & Ball: I love this toy. Aside from the obvious hand eye coordination benefit from a motor perspective, it’s great sensory input. Your child has to pull hard everytime they toss the ball back to you, getting some of that calming heavy work.
7. Magnatiles: I’ve seen these become super popular, and I think with great reason. This is an open ended toy (one that allows your child’s imagination to make the fun) and it provides more of that calming heavy work as your child pulls magnets apart while building. This also provides an opportunity for strengthening hands.
8. Beados: I loved discovering this toy as an OT. Especially if you have a kiddo who struggles to hold a pencil, this toy is great for practicing that. Lots of fine motor practice to push the tiny beads into the bulb, release one bead at a time using the pen, squirt water to make them stick together. Your child also develops visual scanning, visual perceptual and discrimination skills as they use their eyes to discern how many beads of each color they need and where they go.
9. Bop it: The package says 8 and up, so maybe reserve this for 7-8 year olds. If you have a child who doesn’t get frustrated easily and likes a challenge, I’d say this could still be fun for them. I had this growing up, and I did seriously love it. Writing about it makes me want to play again, haha. It’s a really fun motor challenge. Bop it is another awesome way to get your child moving and working on lots of the same skills I mentioned above for Twister.
10. Card Games: Card games are a great activity to play with your whole family, and manipulating the cards strengthens your child’s grasp as well as midline crossing skills, which are important for higher level problem solving and motor planning. Spot it is particular favorite of mine because kids enjoy it but it’s also actually fun and challenging for adults too. Another classic is Uno and Go Fish for the kids on the younger end of this range.
11. Lite Brite: Lastly, another nostalgia provoking classic. Lite Brites are an excellent way to continue to strengthen the arch of the hand. They also provide lots of practice for developing some of the visual skills similar to those I mentioned for Beados. The bright colors and lights can also be very satisfying visual sensory input for some kids.
There you have it!
A full list loaded with toys that will not only (and most importantly) fill your house with more fun and joy, but also strengthen your child’s sensory and motor skills. These toys are mostly classics, and that’s with good reason. Multiple generations have realized how fun they are, and so worth having in your home.
Have Other Kids?
Don’t forget to check out my guide for your other little ones too! I have toys to foster sensory and motor development for kids ages birth through 8 years old. You can find the main post with the separate posts broken down into age groups here.
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.
Your baby may be feeling much less like the snuggly newborn from days of yore and looking much more like a little “big kid.” As baby continues to grow, he or she will love to explore and maybe sometimes get into trouble with all of the new motor skills they’re learning.
The toys I included for your 12-24 month old focus on the fact that baby is learning to refine the control and coordination of his or her limbs and body. These toys offer opportunities for important developmental skills such as using two hands together, learning how much force to use to maneuver items and using their joints and muscles to push, pull and smoosh as they develop their body awareness (aka where is my body is space).
12-18 Months
Knob puzzles: These are a great starting point for your baby who is learning how to use more and more precise movements with their arm and wrist. Also develops sensory skills as baby learns how much force to use to place pieces inside the frame.
Finger paints: I know mess can be triggering…but letting kids get messy really is great for them!! And painting is a fun way for them to start to express themselves. If your child is hesitant, you can start by rolling a toy car or a ball through the paint and always having a cloth nearby to wipe hands when they feel overstimulated. This also helps your little one develop the muscles or their hands and using two hands together.
Poke a Dot Book: These books by Melissa & Doug are a great way to get that pointer finger poking. They also provide some satisfactory sound input as well as heavy work for fingers for your little ones who are getting used to being gentle with how much force they use.
Musical Instruments: This age is an awesome time to encourage your little one to make some music. Instruments help to develop and strengthen shoulder, arm and wrist muscles as well as provide opportunities for two hands working together. Obviously sensory input is sound, but it’s also good for them to use their muscles and joints to get some input there as they shake, rattle and bang away.
Wooden Blocks: Simple cube wooden blocks are a classic for a reason. Your little one will continue to strengthen shoulder, arm, and hands with picking up, dropping and stacking. This also helps develop muscle grading, which is our ability to know how much force to use to maneuver items. This particular set is dyed using vegetable and spice food dyes!! Super cool.
18-24 Months
Height Adjustable Easel: An easel is an awesome way to increase your child’s shoulder and wrist stability. Scribbling and painting on a slanted surface encourages lots of strengthening that will come in handy when it’s time for drawing and writing down the road. I picked this one because it looks like the height can be adjusted for little ones.
Bingo Dot Markers: These are great first tools for drawing and “writing” for your little guy or gal. Your child will have fun learning the cause and effect of making dots and drawing. These also provide some satisfying heavy work feed back as you have to push a little harder to get the ink moving.
Velcro Fruits & Veggies: This is a toy that packs a punch because you get hand strengthening, two hand coordination, imaginative play and some heavy work as your kiddo has to pull velcro fruit apart.
Suiggs: Have you seen these guys yet? I feel like they’ve gotten fairly mainstream. But, they are super awesome. Pulling and pushing these whimsical looking suction cup/alien antennae looking suction cups works on hand and arm strength, two hand coordination and gives lots of heavy work for your little one who likes to roughhouse, asks for tight hugs or has lots of energy.
Shopping Cart: I was between this and a ride on toy. Both are great for getting big movement (especially when you need to move play indoors.) Your child gets heavy work as they get lots of input to their joints and muscles with pushing, pulling and loading up the cart. For some extra oomph add some bags of rice, beans, ankle weights etc. to the lower compartment to really tire them out 😉
So now you’re ready to select the toys that you think look the most fun for your baby, knowing what sensory and motor benefits they’ll be getting as a bonus as they play.
Which toy do you think your baby will be most excited to break in?
Got big kids too? Check out the main page of the gift guide for my recommendations for kids 0-12 months and 2-8 years old!
For young babies, their whole life is an abundant sensory and motor experience! They’ve exited the womb and entered the world, and often times they’re super excited for all of things that have become mundane to us.
So as far as toys go, I keep it very simple. I look for toys that are not over-stimulating, and that promote babies’ interest in moving, cause and effect, engagement, joy and exploration.
0-4 Months
Yoga ball: When babies are not so mobile on their own, a yoga ball is a great way to introduce them to movement. You can sit and bounce while holding your baby, you can lay baby on his or her back and belly and do gentle rocking movements in all directions. Best part is this item can grow with your child. You can roll it, bounce it, etc. as they get older and bigger.
Tiny Love Black and White Activity Mat: I thought I didn’t want an activity mat, but I’m super grateful we have this one. The black and white is great for when that’s about all baby notices. This mat comes with a nice little accordion set of black and white pictures which was great for our early tummy time days. The items that hang off of the hooks are simple and not overstimulating, and most importantly, I enjoy the little songs the hedgehog plays. That’s important for a toy that makes noise.
Usborne Tummy Time Book: I am VERY excited for my mom and dad to bring this for my baby! I love it because it has a mirror, which is an awesome and perfect tummy time tool. It “grows” with your child as there are multiple sides to the book, which evolve into a cloth book with pages to flip, etc.
Wooden Rattle with Bell: A friend bought this for my baby and it’s awesome. I like using wood/more natural and simple toys when possible. I like this one because baby can grasp it in the holes of the rattle, which encourages development of the muscles of the arch of the hand. And the bell is a more charming noise than plastic beads. Though, we have one of those rattles too. 😉
4-6 months
Colorful scarves: I was with a mom friend the other day, and she brought these out for her 4 month old son, and I thought–brilliant. Colorful so baby’s interested, and scarves are a lovely form/texture for babies who are just learning how to grasp things. Basically they are pretty likely to be successful as opposed to when they are trying to grasp a more formed toy. Bonus is you can throw these in the dress up bin someday.
O-ball teether: If you don’t know by now, OT’s love the O-ball. 2 for one. Teether and a ball. Also, the open web-like design allows for a little bit of help for little hands that are learning to grasp and use their fingers.
Suction Cup Zebra Activity Toy: This guy is awesome. It’s one part teether, one part rattle, one part something to swat at. Bonus is that it has a suction cup, so you can attach it to a high chair, grandma’s table, the table at the restaurant etc. And there is a little rotating compartment with mini plastic beads that gives lots of cool visual sensory input.
Touch and Feel & Crinkle Books: These books are lovely. I always have to touch every texture myself, lol. As baby starts swatting at things, they’ll be (hopefully) delightfully surprised to explore interesting textures. Bonus is that baby can help turn the pages with chunky board books.
6-9 Months
Roly Poly Musical Toy: This toy is great to encourage more controlled/directed swatting from baby during tummy time as well as crawling. Light bells or chimes is the old school way to teach baby cause and effect with auditory sensory input (pre push a button, toy plays music)
Melissa & Dough Stackable Animal Wooden Cars: Someone gifted us these, and I already use them with baby during tummy time. They’re fun because you can stack them. So I often will roll it across the mat to work on his visual tracking and then stack them up and knock them down to address his attention and cause/effect play. As he gets older, he’ll be able to roll them, knock down other things with them, etc.
Hand Drum: Another great way to introduce music for natural sensory input along with an opportunity for baby to play at midline while using both hands together to bang away as they improve their aim with their hands.
Activity Cube: I like this for (at least) two fold reasons. One is that as your baby is getting more sturdy during tummy time, they can use a cube like this to challenge their shoulder stability as they reach up off the floor. It’s also a great toy for your baby as they look for something to play with while sitting up. This particular cube allows you to take off the twisty-twirly maze, which makes this a great activity to practice dropping items into a container.
9-12 Months
Large Pop Beads: Being that baby is sitting or on their way to being a more sturdy sitter, using two hands to do something a little more challenging will work on their core, shoulder and hand strength.
Fisher Price Stack & Roll: This is seriously one of my all time favorite toys as a pediatric therapist. I use it with kids of so many different ages. It’s awesome because the “cups” that nest together also push together to form balls of varying sizes. So you can work on rolling the ball to each other, rolling to knock things over, etc. The stacking is nice because they “click” so they’re more sturdy than other stacking toys. They are a little challenging to push and pull apart to make the balls, so mom or dad will have to help with that for now.
Fisher Price Gumball Drop Toy: Dang, I really like Fisher Price’s toys for 9-12 month olds, lol. This one (though it has lights and music…you could choose to not put in batteries. Baby won’t know the difference) is super fun because baby will work on refining their ability to release items into a large opening as well as pushing down a lever to release the ball down the ramp. The balls are all very cute with captivating sound or visual input.
Phew!
There you have it. Those are my recommendations for toys that are unique/worth keeping around the house that will also bring baby joy as they develop their sensory and motor skills. Share this post with a new mama who is also looking for toys she won’t regret buying!
If you have other big kids (12 months to 8 years old!) don’t forget to check out my suggestions for them too! You can find each post broken down by age here.
If you want ideas for toys that will support your child’s sensory and motor development and like to be intentional with your purchases, this guide is for you.
By and large I am ever striving for a minimalist lifestyle. I have anxiety and lots of extra stuff makes that worse. However, I also am a sucker for a great toy that I think will get a lot of mileage and/or uniquely suites a child’s needs or interests.
Overall, I stay far away from toys with lights and music because I truly believe kids need opportunities to create their own magic in play. (I have exceptions. Such as for kids with significant motor delays I think technology, lights and music [barring those susceptible to seizures!] give kids lots of bang for their buck when they have to work so hard to get their bodies moving!
Benefits to Being Intentional with Toys
Play is slowly making a comeback, and everyone will benefit from that! In play, children develop….
Attention skills
Self regulation and emotional regulation
Executive functioning
Language
Relationships
Imagination
Problem solving
You get it. Play is awesome. But being intentional about which toys you select helps you set the stage to promote your child’s sensory and motor development and lots of fun without tons of unused things gathering dust.
Below you’ll find my recommendations by age. For ease I created separate links for 0-12 months, 12 months through 2 years, 2-4 years old and 5-8 year olds. Click on the image for the list you want to be brought to that post. When possible, I included links for items that I recommended that I found on Etsy, in an effort to support small businesses. I cannot attest to the experience you’ll have with sellers or stores. I’m just showing you what toys I think will be awesome for your kids! There are also affiliate links from which I will receive a portion of sales.
Mindfulness has been a buzz word for I would say the past four years or so in education. Maybe in society at large also, but it seems it’s really made itself known in how it might help the young minds we help to educate. Kids have always needed adults to model and teach how to process the sometimes overwhelming world. However, in today’s society where technology is king, one has to be more and more intentional to be truly connected to what is going on in your life.
I really loved this article because I think it highlights the importance and connection of mindfulness on self-regulation. As an OT I often approach self-regulation by addressing sensory processing deficits with sensory input or modifications to the environment. However, I also love bringing children’s awareness to situations, triggers and reactions and teaching them tools they can use to help in those situations.
Also…I’m really interested in one of the assessment measures they used. It’s called the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders and is used to assess controlling and directing actions, inhibitory control, paying attention and remembering instructions! If I were working right now, especially in the schools, I would definitely be looking into this.
Journal Journal of Child and Family Studies (SNIP 1.061)
Article Title Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Program on Young Children’s Self-Regulation, Prosocial Behavior and Hyperactivity
4 Case series (and low-quality cohort and case control study) [This study was a cross-sectional study]
5 Expert opinion without explicit critical appraisal
MethodsInvestigators assigned 127 children aged 4-6 in eight kindergarten classrooms from Toronto public schools to either a control or intervention group. The primary researcher implemented the training program for all classrooms as she was trained in the specific program used in this study. It is the Mindful Schools program.
Intervention
Children in the intervention group participated three times a week in twenty minute lessons for a period of six weeks. Some components of this particular mindfulness program included children practicing external and internal mindful awareness practices and lessons in “heartfulness”(Viglas, M. & Perlman, M. p. 1153, 2018). To conclude the session, children wrote or drew about the new practice they learned in their “Mindfulness Journal.” In addition, investigators encouraged children to practice these skills and teach them to their family. Children were invited to share about those experiences at the start of the subsequent session.
Measures To measure controlling and directing actions, inhibitory control, paying attention and remembering instructions, researchers assessed children with the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders (HTKS).
Teachers filled out the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire as a means to assess children’s prosocial and hyperactive behaviors. The five subscales are Prosocial Behavior, Hyperactivity, Conduct Problems, Emotional Symptoms and Peer Problems.
These items were measured before the intervention began and once the six week program had finished.
Findings
After the intervention was complete, students who participated in the Mindful Schools program showed better self-regulation skills than those in the control group per results of the HTKS.
Children in the mindfulness group also demonstrated significantly better scores in the Prosocial and Hyperactivity subcales on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire when compared to peers in the control group. Researchers detected no significant difference between groups for the subscales for Conduct Problems, Emotional Symptoms and Peer Problems.
When researchers compared children’s scores from the first to second assessment using the HTKS, they found those who had lower self-regulation at the start had significantly more gains and benefited to a higher degree from the mindfulness interventions than those with higher scores on the HTKS during the first data collection.
Similarly, change in scores from before to after intervention of the teacher completed questionnaire indicated that those with higher scores for hyperactivity and lower scores for prosocial subscales before treatment benefited significantly more from mindfulness training than peers with opposite scores (higher prosocial and lower hyperactivity) before the program began.
Things to Consider
When I select articles, I make an effort to look into interventions that are relevant to OT practice. A limitation as an OT in applying this research is that this study assessed a specific program. In order to be truly confident of generalizing the findings here, you would have to use this same program.
Also, the program is structured in a way that seems to provide treatment on a group level. In this study, the same interventionist visited classrooms three times a week. I know that isn’t possible for you and your school caseload.
However, I’m taking this information as evidence that a structured program/curriculum on mindfulness can demonstrate significant and positive results for self-regulation. I’ll continue to research into mindfulness programs and will definitely share if I find one geared more toward a one on one approach to increase its generalizability to OT sessions.
Reference
Viglas, M. & Perlman, M. (2018). Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Program on Young Children’s Self-Regulation, Prosocial Behavior and Hyperactivity. Journal of Child and Family Studies (27)1150–1161. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-017-0971-6
Self-regulation is a crucial element of providing holistic sensory integration and sensory based therapy. But what exactly does it entail? I like the four components of self-regulation that Leah Kyupers, author of the Zones of Regulation, highlights:
(Pfeiffer, Clark, & Arbesman, 2017)
Part of the thought process behind implementing sensory integration and sensory-based therapy is that as a child’s sensory processing abilities improve, so too will their self-regulation. I think this definitely is a possibility, but we must be mindful that oftentimes the children we work with need to be directly taught regulation skills. As their sensory-processing improves, children may be more calm more of the time. This in turn may facilitate them learning self-regulation strategies for the next time they are becoming dysregulated. However, the need for direct modeling and practice of tools to regulate remains.
Journal American Journal of Occupational Therapy (SNIP score 1.121)
Article Title Effectiveness of Cognitive and Occupation-Based Interventions for Children with Challenges in Sensory Processing and Integration: A Systematic Review
4 Case series (and low quality cohort and case control study)
5 Expert opinion without explicit critical appraisal
* This was a systematic review which included a wide array of evidence from RCT to Level IV single-case experimental design. As this type of systematic review doesn’t fall into either 2A nor 3A, I chose to categorize it into a level 2B study. The evidence reviewed was higher than case studies but lower than cohort studies.
Methods
The authors of this systematic review included peer reviewed studies that concentrated on interventions in the scope of OT for children and adolescents who had sensory processing and integration challenges. Authors of this review ensured this in that studies they included demonstrated the use of an assessment that specifically confirmed the participants had sensory processing or sensory integration challenges. The authors selected studies that also included outcome measures that specifically evaluated sensory processing and integration (Pfeiffer, Clark, & Arbesman, 2017, p. 3).
The authors of this review specifically reviewed interventions defined as either cognitive or occupation-based. I appreciate that the authors were specific by excluding studies that did not explicitly indicate subjects as having sensory processing or integration disorders (Pfeiffer, Clark, & Arbesman, 2017, p. 4) While it is sometimes frustrating to have less articles, it is better to have consistent and accurate definitions so that we can feel confident of what is being reported!
Findings
Two studies included evaluated cognitive interventions that targeted outcome measures of self-regulation and executive functions of inhibitory control, social cognition, behavioral and emotional regulation and externalizing behavior problems (Pfeiffer, Clark, & Arbesman, 2017, p. 5).
Alert Program for Self-Regulation
A level I study assessed the effectiveness of 12 individual 1 hour sessions of the Alert Program for Self-Regulation for children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Authors grouped children into an immediate and delayed treatment group. The delayed treatment group served as the control. Both groups received treatment, with the group receiving treatment first demonstrating significant increases in their inhibitory control and social cognition. These gains were maintained at a 6 month follow-up. Also noteworthy is that parents of children in this group indicated their children’s behavior and emotional regulation improved. These parents also noted a reduction in externalizing behavior problems in their children (Pfeiffer, Clark, & Arbesman, 2017, p. 5).
Components of the Alert Program
(Pfeiffer, Clark, & Arbesman, 2017, p. 5)
Social Stories
A level IV study included an intervention of Social Stories for 9 weeks in a self-contained pre-school classroom. This intervention with 3 male pre-schoolers entailed reading and then talking about a Social Story concentrated on the children’s goals (Pfeiffer, Clark, & Arbesman, 2017, p. 5). Children also practiced their strategies as part of the intervention. The interventionists used Social Stories that met Carol Gray’s criteria for social stories.
All three children in this study showed increased frequency of their desired behaviors. The baseline, intervention and maintenance phase percentages of frequency of desired behaviors are shown.
Occupation-Based Interventions
Horseback Riding to Promote Self-Regulation Skills
A level I RCT investigated the effectiveness of horseback riding on children’s social functioning. Subjects were children 4-10 years old with ASD. These children participated in 1 hour per week of horseback riding lessons for 12 weeks. This was done at an equestrian center with trained instructors. Children who participated in the horseback riding intervention demonstrated statistically significant changes in their overall Sensory Profile Score, as completed by their parents (Pfeiffer, Clark, & Arbesman, 2017, p. 6). Specifically, the following subscales were impacted: Sensory Seeking, Sensory Sensitivity, Inattention/Distractibility and Sedentary Behaviors. These children also demonstrated significant changes in social motivation.
A level III study used lessons that a school group coordinator designed about: sensory orientation to the environment, mounting a horse and riding (Pfeiffer, Clark, & Arbesman, 2017, p. 6). Subjects were children in kindergarten through fifth grade with ASD. Children who participated in horseback riding demonstrating significant improvements in their social interaction, sensory processing as well as reduced severity of symptoms associated with ASD. It is noteworthy that in this study, subjects had built in breaks and during breaks, the gains were not consistently maintained (Pfeiffer, Clark, & Arbesman, 2017, p. 6).
Yoga as a Means to Promote Self-Regulation
A level III study assessed the use of yoga for subjects 12-18 years old who were in partial hospitalization or an inpatient mental health unit (Pfeiffer, Clark, & Arbesman, 2017, p. 6). These subjects took part in at least two 50 minute yoga sessions over 5 months. A Yoga Alliance-registered teacher taught the classes. Participants in the yoga intervention demonstrated significant improvements in their pulse rate and self-reported distress ratings.
What’s the Best Way to Promote Self-Regulation?
As OT’s we know that there are many factors that contribute to our clients meeting goals and living fulfilling and enjoyable lives. I liked that this study highlighted both the need for cognitive strategies and occupations. Teaching children to become more aware of their body’s state of regulation helps empower them to self-regulate . I am excited to see that children can participate in occupations that are enjoyable that can also help develop self-regulation skills! What are your favorite programs and tools to teach children self-regulation?
References
Pfeiffer, B., Frolek Clark, G., & Arbesman, M. (2017). Effectiveness of cognitive and occupation-based interventions for children with challenges in sensory processing and integration: A systematic review. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 72, 7201190020. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2018.028233.
