I love putting this gift guide together at this time of the year because depending on where one lives, kids don’t have as many opportunities to get outside and move around. For so many of my kids, being outside or going to the playground and getting their energy out after a long day of school helps them focus on homework and other afterschool obligations. We are in a time that parents want to decrease the amount of screen time that kids have but finding the right gross motor or appropriate physical activity can be challenging. As I put this years list together, I really focused on finding as many options that would be good for kids of all ages. While some are specific to a certain age, many are good for all ages. Physical activity and gross motor play is such an important part of development because it boosts brain function which leads to improved focus, attention and academic performance. If you have a kiddo who is always on the move or seeks sensory input, it’s important to have tools on hand to support them so they can be given the opportunity to move their body and give their body the input that it needs in order to be able to learn, focus and regulate their emotions and feelings. There was so much more I wanted to put on this gift guide and have so many other suggestions so if you don’t see what you are looking for and would like some ideas, email me at otmeghan@gmail.com and I will help you find the perfect gift for your kiddos!
1. Wooden Balance Board-I think every kid can benefit from a balance board and I say this as a mom of a teenager who still will use hers every once in a while. There are so many different kinds of balance boards to choose from and like the stomp rockets, I like to introduce new ones to parents and gift givers whenever possible. I chose this one from Plan Toys for a couple of reasons. First off, the price point seems much more reasonable than some of the other ones out there. The other thing I like about this one that makes it different than the other is that you have the option of adding a rope which will make some kids feel more comfortable as they are working on building up their balance and coordination skills. This balance board holds up to about 175 pounds making it good for kids as young as toddlers and as old as teenagers. There are so many benefits of balance boards including improving core strength and coordination skills and can help with improving focus and attention by providing calming input from rocking back and forth. We use our balance boards in so many ways at our gym including have kids work on building up leg strength and squatting skills by having them pick up toys or puzzle pieces while standing on the balance board.
2. Deluxe Bowling Set-this foam bowling set would be a perfect gross motor gift to keep families entertained. It is made from high-quality foam so it can take the rough play from little kids. This set comes with ten bowling pins, a bowling ball, a pin placement guide and a sturdy storage guide. This bowling set would be great for working on improving hand-eye coordination, motor planning and coordination skills, increases upper body strength, and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organizational skills. It’s a great game to play solo or with friends or family and it will build confidence and self-esteem as they get better at bowling.
3. Dance Mat-sometimes kids will avoid physical activity unless it’s incredibly motivating, which this dance mat will be for many kids. What’s nice about this particular dance mat is that you can switch back and forth between solo mode and face-to-face play with a friend or family member. You can choose between the cartoon or planet mat depending on what your child is most interested in and is great for children as young as 3 years old to teenagers. It features 5 modes: easy, memory, music, competitive mode and light show mode. Playing with a dance mat works on so many occupational and physical therapy skills including improving coordination, motor planning and hand-food coordination, sharpens reflexes and works on improving balance while building up their endurance and overall body strength. It’s also a fun way to work on improving memory, focus and concentration skills while building up confidence and self-esteem.
4. Dino-Soar Stomp Rockets-stomp rockets are always a hit and if you have a dinosaur loving kid, then this will be the perfect set for them. There are no bad stomp rocket sets and I always put one on my gift guide but I do try and switch up the theme of the set each year. This particular set comes with three foam rockets (Riley the Raptor, Trixie the Triceratops and Theo the T-Rex) and an adjustable launch stand. There are so many occupational and physical therapy benefits of using stomp rockets including working on improving hand-eye coordination, grasping and manipulation skills when putting the rockets on the launchers, and encourages gross motor skills such as jumping, running and building endurance, works on coordination and balance skills.
5. Djubi Dartball Set-this set is like darts but has a slingshot spin to it. Intended for older kids, teens and tweens, kids use a slingshot to get their balls into the net. Hook the rubber-band loop part of the ball onto the launcher and try and get as many points as they can with the obvious goal to get a bullseye! This toy is great for working on improving hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills, improves motor planning and coordination skills and is a great way to work on improving executive functioning skills such as focus and attention. An added bonus, this is a fun way to get kids to work on math by adding up their scores. Additionally, kids confidence and self-esteem increase as they get better and better at the game.
6. FunPunch Kids Edition-I’ve been looking for something like this for ages and my phone must have known that because out of nowhere, this popped up on my Instagram feed and I while I was freaked out, I was SO excited. This boxing/punching bag system is compact and easy-to-set-up and can be attached to a variety of surfaces. It was designed to help children improve strength, improve hand-eye coordination skills, increase focus and attention skills and is a great outlet for decreasing stress and anxiety in kids. This mini punching bag was designed to be a safe and engaging way for children to burn energy, build upper body strength and help improve hand-eye coordination skills. This would be a great therapeutic tool for kids who present with anxiety or become stressed out easily or have big feelings and don’t have the right tools to manage those big feelings. The FunPunch kids would provide kids a more effective way of releasing their energy or big feelings in a constructive and safe way.
7. Jump Jump Joey Game-this cute game for toddlers will get your little ones moving around and learning new physical skills. In this cooperative game, players search for a baby kangaroo by hopping on large pads. Players call out “JUMP JUMP JOEY!” as they hop, and if they land on a pad that isn’t a Joey, they perform the action shown on the card. Some of the actions they will have to imitate is dancing, marching and so much more. To add to the fun, the game comes with a kangaroo apron with a pouch that your toddler can wear while searching for the joey. In addition to being a great gross motor game that encourages movement, children learn about following directions, listening, being able to imitate other people and encourages pretend play and encourages language development.
8. Magnetic Dart Board-we have one of these at the gym and it’s such a great addition because it works on so many occupational and physical therapy skills. It’s also great because it can be used in so many ways and adapted for each child’s level of development and what they are working on. For example, for some of my older kids, I will put them on a swing and move them around and have them work on focus, attention and self-regulation by having them be very mindful of when they throw the dart. For kids who are working on improving balance skills, I have them stand on a bosu ball while throwing the darts. Playing with darts is great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, works on improving hand-eye coordination, works on motor planning and coordination skills and increases confidence and self-esteem as they get better at the game.
9. Paddle Popper Catch and Toss Set-kids at my gym are absolutely obsessed with our toy tennis set so when I saw this I thought how many of them would love this. What I love about this set is that some of my kids who might have more challenges and delays would be much more successful with the suction cup paddles. This particular set from B. Toys comes with 2 double-sided paddles and a lightweight ball. The paddle features suction cups on one side for catching while the other side is flat and intended for tossing back to their playing partner. This activity is great for working on improving hand-eye coordination, improves motor planning and coordination skills, and is great for working on sensory regulation by learning how much power to use when hitting the ball. Kids also have opportunities to work on body awareness and spatial awareness while playing.
10.B. Toys Planet Balance Beams Planet Hopper Set-if you have a planet obsessed kiddo on your list this year, this would make a great gift for them. This space-themed balance beam and stepping stone set comes with 8 starry beams and 8 textured planets which all provide a different kind of tactile experience. The easy to connect beams are curved and can be made into a variety of configurations so play can be different each time. Kids can create their own solar system by placing the planets any way they desire. The great thing about this particular set is that once your child is done playing with it, the planets nest into each other and the beams can be stacked on top of each other for easy storage. This toy is great for working on improving motor planning, coordination and balance skills while working on increasing core strength. Putting the solar system together is a great way for kids to work on problem solving and organizational skills. Kids can play with this solo or work with a friend or a sibling to design their solar system. With winter coming and, for some, fewer opportunities to get out and move around, this would make a great movement option for busy little kiddos.
11. Popdarts Pro Kit-if you are looking for something fun and physical for your school-aged/tweens/teens, Popdarts are perfect for them. It’s a game that is kind of a mash-up between darts, bocce ball and cornhole. It’s is a competitive suction-cup dart game that can be played indoors or outdoors on smooth surfaces that the silicone darts can stick to. Players are split into teams and take turns throwing their darts towards a target; the first team to reach 21 points is the winner. This particular set comes with 6 darts (3 of each color), a target and a storage bag. Playing with Popdarts is great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, works on hand-eye coordination, motor planning and coordination skills, improves focus and attention and can build confidence and self-esteem. An additional bonus is playing this game can work on practicing simple math skills in a sneaky and more motivating way.
12. Catching Sticks Reflex Challenge Game-sometimes, or should I say all the time, my phone hears me talking about things I wish I had at work for my kids and then all of a sudden something pops up on my Facebook or Instagram algorithm that meets the criteria. This stick catching game is one of those things that I learned about because of this strange new way of things. This interactive challenge game was created to work on improving hand-eye coordination and reflex control. Kids stand underneath the stick holder and get their hands ready to catch randomly dropping sticks. I’ve been looking for something just like this for a long time and I can’t wait to test this out with my kiddos at the gym. What’s nice about this one is that it has three levels of play so you can increase the challenge and speed as kids play with it. In addition to working on hand-eye coordination and honing reflexes, this game works on improving focus and attentional skills.
13. Smart Playground Sensory Swing-over the years I have had so many parents who want to get a swing for home but tend to be worried about safety and not having enough space. While there are many swings that can be purchased for home, the first I always recommend is a lycra swing because it is versatile and can be used for children of all ages. I also feel like it has more sensory benefits than some of the other swings that can be used at home. I love this swing from Smart Playground because it is incredibly well made and comes with all the accessories needed for assembly and use. Lycra swings offer a ton of sensory and motor benefits including providing calming, deep-pressure input that can decrease anxiety and improve focus and attention, improve body awareness and increase core strength. I have had many families buy these types of swings and they have said that they find their kids snuggled in the swing reading a book, doing their homework or just taking a break.
14. The Freckled Frog Whizzy Dizzy Vestibular Toy-to be clear, this is an investment piece. It’s a beefed up Sit N Spin that is made of high quality materials and can hold up to 100 pounds making this a great sensory tool to have at home for some of your older children (but still is great for little ones). If you have a child who is constantly moving or spinning, this would be great for them. It provides organized vestibular input that they can be in control of. The Wizzy Dizzy not only provides sensory input, it is great for working on improving motor planning, balance, coordination skills and increases core strength. Depending on what kind of sensory challenges your child presents with, the vestibular input can either calm or energize their bodies while giving kids the opportunity to learn how to control their bodies and eventually lead to improved focus and attention to other tasks.
15. Zing Ball-we’ve had one of these at our gym for as long as we have been open and it’s one of the best occupational therapy toys because it works on so many occupational and physical therapy skills. This two person game has kids launching a football shaped plastic ball back and forth to each other by opening and closing the ropes. The wider and faster kids open and close their arms, the easier it is to keep the ball going back and forth. Playing with the zing ball works on improving hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills, works on increasing upper extremity and core strength, works on improving motor planning and coordination skills and problem solving. Because it is a two-person game, it requires working in partnership with the other player in order to keep the ball going back and forth as long as possible.
