My favorite Items
Tiny Tikes
THIS has become a trendy product and for good reason!! I used this product daily with my little one adapting it to each stage of infancy. It's the perfect spot for floor time with lots of sensory experiences.
THIS is one of the few containers I approve as a therapist. Its design allows for optimal hip position for development an allows for trunk rotation with less limitation compared to other seats. I loved to used this while my daughter was learning to sit up and was a convenient on the go high chair, too!
THIS is another trendy item and it holds up to the hype! After researching many brands out there, I decided on the Figgy for a few reasons. I love that the 4 main cushions can be detached from one another offering more creativity. It's a bonus that its Velcro connectors offer opportunities for fine motor strengthening! The many configurations makes this awesome for little ones learning to crawl, pull to stand, and climb all the way up to older kids who are limited only by their imagination!
The soft climbing blocks are a great plays cape for the littlest movers. I love using these in the clinic for learning to crawl and strengthening postural positions. Its fun as they grow for obstacle courses, too!
The versatility of this climbing set is awesome. Such a great way to work on coordination and get weight bearing through the hands- an essential part of fine motor development.
Great practice for visual motor skills!! The little spikes are a lovely teether according to my daughter, too.
I used this a lot when traveling and at home as a way of working on a variety of skills.
These beeswax based crayons are a great short stubby shape for the tiniest hands. The non toxic materials smell amazing, too!
Building your Sensory Space
THIS is offers a great space for relaxation and sensory decompression. Great for many ages!
THIS is the swing I use in the clinic and is a favorite for most of my clients. It provides deep pressure input while also giving opportunities to swing!
I love that this swing provides opportunity for movement but also a quiet space to hang out.
THIS is a great versatile ball that can be used for activities, alternative seating, or to provide pressure input to your kiddo! I like this shape as it's safer if you're not around to help your child.
Stepping Stones are a great alternative to being outdoors in nature and working on balance and motor planning. The varying heights add to the challenge while hopping from one stone to the next. Great to add into an obstacle course with a tunnel, puzzle, or trampoline.
A tunnel is a great way to work on crawling! If you've followed me you know how important crawling is for development for babies and older kids. The tunnel is a great motivating way to encourage crawling and create some awesome obstacle courses!
A Climbing set is a great way to get your kiddo moving and challenging their motor coordination. Weight bearing through our hands and climbing is so important for hand development and core strength! I love that this is versatile too and can be folded for storage.
Let your little one burn off some steam while working on their endurance, strength, and balance!
A great way to give your child some input on their whole body. Plus the balls can be used in so many fun ways, too!
I love this balance beam because it can come apart and be made into different shapes!! Plus its easy to store.
Play couches are all the rage! I love the Figgy because the cushions are all firm and sturdy AND they come apart and can be reconfigured with their velcro edges.
The weight of this furry friend is very calming and super versatile. Can be use in car rides, while reading books, or during play.
An essential in a sensory space! It allows for a safe place to crash and a comfy place to relax.
It's important to have gym mats when creating a sensory space particularly under any swing set up.
If you don't have the space for something like a compression swing, this is a great way to give some compression input!!
THIS is a fun way to work on those gross motor coordination skills. All you need is flat ground! You propel yourself by moving your feet back and fort and creating momentum.
THIS classic gym fav is great to work on motor skills and strength. I typically use this by having kids lay on their rummy and move the scooter with their hands. It's a great way to work on hand and upper body strength.
Fine Motor and Visual Motor
THIS fun silly game has a way of capturing the attention of almost all kids. It requires use of tweezers shaped like a squirrel to work on fine motor skills. Super fun and super motivating!
THIS is a game that continues to surprise me. It's one of the most requested to play. Great for working on index isolation as well as bilateral coordination when trying to catch the jumping bear.
THIS is a fun new take on Kerplunk. Moving slowly to keep the bees from waking. Setting up this game is just as therapeutic (if not more so) than play itself. Lots of fine motor skills addressed here!
THIS simple and classic activity is great for fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, and visual motor skills. You can change up how to lace the boards and see if your kiddo can find errors as they go.
I LOVE this game. In fact, we have 3 at the clinic! Its great for motor, visual, and problem solving skills.
This is great for family game night!!! See if you can get all the pieces on the board, but the tetrus shaped pieces make it harder than you'd expect.
A great challenge!! This comes with cards to recreate various shapes with the magnetic cubes.
It's a classic for a reason. Great for left/right discrimination and whole body coordination.
These little suckers can be used for so many things. The suction cup design helps with fine motor strength!
A fun spin on Bingo! The little 'zinger' forces fine motor skills while adding a layer of motivation.
Being on the floor is so important for development from tummy time to hands and knees. Puzzles help encourage that while working on visual motor skills.
This visual game is a great way to work on a variety of visual skills. Perfect for traveling too!
This is a fun problem solving game to see if you can beat your best try. Can be a one person or multi person game.
This unique shape is great for preschoolers and older working to strengthen their tripod grasp.
Sensory
These are a great quiet fidget. Multiple tubes in this pack allows for one in all your favorite places.
Life Skills
Opportunities to prepare food can help decrease picky eating. It also helps with motor skills and cognitive skill development.
This is a great activity to bring with you on the go or at home while working on fine motor skills needed for basic fasteners we encounter in daily life.
Good Reads
This is a great read if you are interested in diving deeper into the 'why' behind behaviors and learning challenges.
Dives into the necessity of nature based play and how it impacts the development of our children. Written by an occupational therapist.
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