Happy holidays! The holidays are such a magical time of year, especially for children. As we reflect on the holidays, we have so many memories from childhood of the little things that made this time of year special: The piney smell of the old boxes pulled out from the basement, wearing jammies all day and eating sweets, the box of holiday books only read in December, then stored away the rest of the year, the bright packages with so much excitement, wondering what was inside.
CI Pediatric Therapy Centers. is team of passionate speech-language, occupational and physical therapists as well as mental health professionals. As pediatric therapists, we're experts in play, and we LOVE to talk about how you can support play through gifts. Another thing we are experts in at CI is celebrating each child’s unique strengths and interests. In this spirit, there is truly no one size fits all “right” gift. The best gift you can give is one that fosters the interests and passions of the child in your life, so don’t be afraid to go your own course and find something totally different if it means it will light up your loved one!
When giving gifts, it’s not all about quantity. We all know many of our kids have too much ‘stuff’ as it is! This year, be thoughtful about your purchases. Think about the age of the kiddo you are shopping for. Are they under 2 years old? They may get just as much joy from ripping paper off a box and playing in that box, as they would a big, fancy, expensive toy. Consider wrapping up essentials for them (e.g., puff snacks, winter hat, diapers, etc.).
When you are shopping this year here are some qualities to look for in a toy:
- Toys that can be used in more than one way or are open-ended
- Items that are sturdy and well made
- Items that can be wiped down or hold up in the washing machine!
- Toys that will grow with the kid, so they can enjoy for years to come
Some qualities, as therapists, we try to avoid:
- Toys that are overstimulating (batteries required is not always a good thing!)
- Cause and effect toys that go on for too long after they have been activated
If you have the means, consider being thoughtful about where you purchase items this year. Amazon is going to make it through this pandemic, but some of our smaller local shops may not! Some of our favorites are Room of One’s Own, Little Luxuries and Anthology, downtown Madison. You could also consider supporting black owned kids and baby stores.
Now for what you’ve been waiting for-- Just tell us what to buy already! We’ve broken this down into a few age ranges, but they are by no means exhaustive.
Many of these suggestions could be used at almost any age, and that is intentional! We love toys that can be continued to be loved at all ages! These are toys our staff has grown to genuinely love over the years of playing for a living. We are not financially supported by any of the companies/retailers we’ve included below. Shop around. Many of these toys are sold at more retailers than we provided.
Toys recommended for ages 1 and up!
- Playsilks
- Musical instruments
- Various obstacle course equipment
- The Nugget
- Crash pad (Duvet cover filled with fluff)
- Soft Foam blocks
- Wooden blocks
- Play house, people, farms, play food
- Soft playground balls or any ball
- Books
- Sandra Boynton is one of our favorite authors
- Love by Matt de la Pena is one of my favorites to buy for new mamas- the art is unbelievable and so inclusive!
- Bubbles
- Toy cars
Toys Recommended for Ages 2-4 (and Beyond!):
- Mr. Potato Head
- Playdoh
- Pop The Pig
- Squigz
- Color Bug Catchers
- Yeti In My Spaghetti
- Magna Tiles
- 3-wheel Kickboard Scooter
- Balance bike
Toys Recommended for Ages 5+:
- Learn to read Treasure Hunts
- Fort Construction Building Kit
- Uno Dare
- Jenga
- Legos
- STEM set
- Snap Circuits
- Cardboard Construction Toolbox
- Big Life Journal
- Scooters (upright and scooter boards)
- Light up sneakers
- Obstacle Course Equipment
Experiential Gifts and Subscriptions:
- Raddish Subscription
- Picky eating/positive food experiences, executive function
- Little Passports
- Class at local pottery studio (Fired Up Pottery & Midwest Clay Project), [publisher note, my new favorite is the Curious Crafter]
- Pipsticks
- Literati
- KiwiCo
- Highlights Magazine
Gift Ideas to Support Learning at Home
- Alternate seating options
- Wobble stool
- Stability ball
- Weighted lap pad
- Gross motor equipment for movement breaks
- Foam Balance Beam
- Crash pads (duvet cover filled with fluff)
- Our Favorite [not-so-distracting] Fidgets:
Artsy Gift Ideas:
- Basics (construction paper, felt squares, glue)
- Smelly Markers
- Kwik sticks
- Slime kits
- Water Beads
- Kinetic Sand
- Shrinky Dinks!
- Watercolor pens/paper
- This set of watercolor paints I swear by for older kids who are really getting into the craft!
- I also love the new trend for water inside the brush, so you squeeze as you go!
If your child receives therapy at CI, don’t be afraid to ask your therapist for recommendations that are more tailored to your child. To learn more about CI Pediatric Therapy Centers and the services we offer visit us at https://www.citherapies.com/ or follow us on Instagram @citherapy.
