Therapist Recommended Toddler Toys

TherapyWorks Therapist Recommended Toddler Toys

Our 2021 educational toys and gift guide is published.

 

Have you started your holiday shopping? Hopefully we can help! We asked a few of our therapists to recommend their favorite toys for toddlers. See our recommendations below. 

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Erin Vollmer MS, CCC-SLP

I love most of the games by the Peaceable Kingdom but my favorite for toddler language development is Where’s Bear? Hide the bear and stack the boxes to target vocabulary development, spatial orientation, classifying, and sequencing skills. Great for ages 2-5.

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B Toys Critter Clinic house can be used in multiple ways to target a variety of developmental skills. Color match the keys and find the surprise behind each door while enhancing your child’s vocabulary, expressive language, pretend play and fine motor skills! Great for ages 2-6. 

 

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Jordan Verdi PT, DPT

I love Learning Resources Hoot the Fine Motor Owl. Though this is very much an OT related toy, you can switch it up by working on single leg balance by setting the toy in the slot and encouraging your child to tap the coin in with their toes instead! I do a similar game with the Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Count & Learn Piggy Bank. Both great for ages relatively stable walkers, typically 14-18 months and up.

 

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Baby Einstein Glow & Discover Light Bar Toy is great motivation for tummy time! It also has a little “kick stand” to encourage your baby to look up higher on their tummy and encourage prop sitting and midline play in sitting as they get older! I have even used it as a distraction when working on standing balance as a surface for arm support without the ability to rest their trunk on a surface. Great for any child who is interested in lights and music. Roughly ages 2mo and up.

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Antsy Pants Tumbling Mat is fun for big gross motor skills. For new walkers work on stepping on and off the flat mat. Fold it up slightly to work on some stair and curb training. Keep it completely folded and prop/lean it on top of something sturdy leading up to your couch to create a small incline for your child to walk up and down. 

 

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Jocelyn Brockland MS, CCC-SLP

My favorite toy is Mr. Potato Head with Play-Doh. I find the Mr. Potato head can be frustrating but sticking the body parts in a balls of Play-Doh eases the frustration and allows us to focus on language development! Endless play ideas and the kids can do it independently too! Great for ages 2-6.

 

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The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Piggy Bank is one of my favorite Early Intervention toys because it can be used to target a variety of basic concepts, both in English and Spanish. The different-colored coins have farm animals on one side and numbers on the other. Ages 1-3.

 

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The Learning Resources Learn-A-Lot Avocados are adorable and provide great opportunities to target social-emotional development through facial expressions, fine motor skills, color matching, and identification. Great for ages 18 months-3years.

 

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Mindware Seek-a-Boo is a great interactive game that provides opportunities for vocabulary development, turn-taking, and sorting skills. Great for ages 18months+

 

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The TherapyWorks team also recommends the non-profit company See Me…Thrive! Adapted Toys. Check out their website for a wonderful selection of adapted toys!

If you have specific questions about your child’s development, please don’t hesitate to reach out! The TherapyWorks team is happy to answer your questions and provide recommendations for your child. 

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