Children in Motion’s Favorite Things: Holiday Gift Ideas

Written By Children InMotion

It is that time of year. Parents are frantically trying to figure out what the best present(s) will be to support their child’s development while also giving gifts that are fun and engaging! When you have a child with sensory processing problems, this challenge can become even more daunting. So, Children in Motion has put together this list of our favorite toys. We have listed toys by age groups for easy navigation. Check out Children in Motion’s Favorite Things below!

Note: We do not receive any compensation from the companies listed in this blog post nor do we have any financial interest in any of the products listed. All links are for Amazon.Com We are in no way associated with Amazon.com nor do we promote Amazon purchases. All items are available through other retailers.

Note: Please be aware of your own child’s developmental and chronological age. Not all toys are appropriate for all children. Please be aware of choking hazards. Parents are the best at determining what toy is appropriate for their child’s stage of life.

INFANTS AND TODDLERS (0-3 YEARS)

  • A soothing sound, light, and breathing toy is a great way to help with sleep. Toys like the FISHER PRICE SOOTHE N’ SNUGGLE or a BABY SLEEP SOOTHER BEAR is a sweet way to support sleep for your infant or toddler.

  • Ring Stackers and Blocks are a great way to help develop your child’s fine and visual motor skills. Packs like this one by Jyusmile are a nice way to engage in fine motor play in a fun way!

  • The Baby Einstein Glow and Discover Light Bar is a great activity for babies working on lifing their neck when laying on their belly. Use the lights and sound to promote tolerance of Tummy time with this awesome toy!

  • For a child working on walking, go for a Walk, Bounce, and Ride toy, like this cute Pony from Fisher Price.

AGES 3-6 YEARS

  • By 3-6 years, children are working on coordinating their bodies and learning to use their hands in more dexterous ways. They are also learning to play near and with others. So, easy collaborateive games like Elefun are a great way to play with others!

  • The I Can Do That Game by Wonder Forge is a great game for the 3-6 year old child. It encourages game play, memory, and early executive functioning skills!

  • Everything these days says “Montessori” on it. But, some of our favorite toys come from the Montessori curriculum. SIMPLE PUZZLES, FINE MOTOR TOYS, SEE AND SPELL, and BUILDING TOYS will be played with for a long time in your home.

  • SENSORY BINS are a great way to explore new textures in play. You can purchase an already made bin or make your own with some easy ingredients at home! (May be a choking hazard for children who place items in their mouth).

  • Early balance skills help with later in life balance skills. So, items like a STRIDER BIKE or BALANCE BIKE is a great way for littles to begin working on their motor skills!

  • Does your child love to jump and crash? Consider a combination TRAMPOLINE and CRASH PAD for the ultimate holiday gift!

  • My own daughter loved her FORT BUILDING KIT for years and years. This is a great creativity, motor skill, and visual motor toy that also promotes imagination!

  • Musical Toys are great for all ages! Try a full on PERCUSSION SET, a KEYBOARD, and a KARAOKE MICROPHONE and you can have a family band! Other musical instruments like HARMONICAS or other MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS are great for supporting breathing and oral motor skills.

AGES 7-9 YEARS

AGES 9+ YEARS

  • Our Tweens and Teens are often excited about friends, their bedroom, and finding ways to relax after stressful days at school. A great sensory-based gift for Tweens through Teens is a HAMMOCK SWING for their bedroom. It’s a cozy place to curl up with a book, color, draw, or talk with a friend. You can install the swing into a beam in your ceiling, like THIS ONE or find one that comes with a stand like this METAL HANGING HAMMOCK.

  • This age range is a fun time to promote problem solving and executive functioning skills. Games like DOG CRIMES or CAT CRIMES or ESCAPE ROOM GAMES by ThinkFun are great ways to have fun and practice problem solving and executive function skills.

  • Crafting can still be fun with this age group. But, the crafts may get more complex. Check out activities like 3D COLORING PUZZLES, MAKE YOUR OWN WALL COLLAGE, or CATAPULT WARS.

  • Get your Tween or Teen up and moving this holiday season with active toys like a HOVER SOCCER BALL, STOMP ROCKETS, or THROW THROW BURRITO.

  • Help your Tween and Teen find their Zen with emotional regulation games like ZEN BATTLE, STRONG SUIT, or THE MINDFULLNESS GAME.

  • Music is a great way to help your Tween find calm. If you are not ready for your tween to have a cell phone consider an MP3 PLAYER and a set of BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES. This way, you can control what type of music while allowing your child some chill time with their tunes.

Finally, it is always important to remember that experiences can be just as, if not more, valuable than toys and games. Other great gifts include experiences, such as:

  • Annual Water Park Tickets like ROARING SPRINGS (Located in Utah)

  • Annual Family Tickets to Theme or Amusement Parks like LAGOON (Located in Utah)

  • Annual Memberships to a Children’s Museum such as DISCOVERY GATEWAY or THE LEONARDO

  • For your tweens and teens, a trip to a local escape room like A GREAT ESCAPE can be a fun way to spend an hour or so.

  • Teens and Tweens may also enjoy local Yoga or Zoomba Class Memberships.

But, remember, if you buy the memberships you have to make the plans to use them!

Children InMotion
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