As many of you know, I am a big believer in supporting small and local businesses whenever I can. Personally, I love going into stores and seeing toys, games and arts and craft materials in person before buying and will inevitably end up discovering something else that I can’t live without. With that said, there is something very appealing about Amazon Prime Day and it’s a good time to stock up on some stuff. I am sharing some of my favorite finds that are included in today and tomorrow’s sale. This is actually a great opportunity to stock up on some of the sensory or gross motor equipment that you might be considering for home because there are actually some great deals on these in this sale.
Hugimals-my favorite weighted animals are 20% off during the sale so if you were thinking about getting one before, this is my PSA to run and get them while they are on sale! There are 5 to choose from and each is as cute as can be. They are a huge hit with my kids at work and every parent who has gotten them for their kids for home have been thrilled with them. There are a lot of weighted animals out there but these are my go-to recommendation for a variety of reasons. First of all, they are so cute and at 4 1/2 pounds are the perfect weight for all of my kids. When you hold them, it really does feel like they are giving you a hug which provides a lot of calming and comforting sensory input. ! Secondly, I love that they use glass beads they are in little pouches that can be removed in order to be cleaned which is not the case with all weighted animals. If you are looking for a great weighted animal, I promise you that you can’t go wrong with a Hugimal.
Suction Cup Toys-these are a staple toy in the gym I work at and they are used by both the physical and occupational therapists a million different ways. I love myself a versatile toy that can help with all kinds of developmental goals and these definitely check a ton of boxes. They are a great toy for working on increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills, encourages hand-eye coordination and is a fun way to learn about colors. They can stick to pretty much any surface and I often recommend them for traveling because they can stick to car or airplane windows and keep kids entertained for a long time. We use them in the gym to work on balance by sticking them to a bosu ball and having kids squat down to pull them off and then stand up and put them on a mirror. They are also great for using in the bathtub. Another great feature about this set is that it comes with this great storage container that the toys actually stick to.
Rainbow Plus Plus Blocks Tube-another great find on the Prime Day sale and something that I not only use in therapy with my kids, but these open-ended building toys make my holiday gift guide year after year and are a go-to gift for the little creators in my life. There are a ton of different colors to choose from and while each tube comes with directions for things for you to build my favorite thing to do is see what the kids I work with create on their own. Plus Plus blocks are great for encouraging imagination and creativity while also working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye coordination and work on motor planning and organizational skills. Great for on-the go entertainment because they are lightweight and can just be thrown in a purse or backpack. It’s also great for taking to the beach or pool and having on hand when your kiddos might need a break from the sun and water.
Pop-It Pro Fidget Game-this game keeps my kids at the gym entertained for so long and it’s another great thing to take on the go this summer if you are traveling. Think a fidget pop toy mixed with Simon Says. It’s got several levels so it can be more or less challenging for each specific kid and it’s a great game to work on improving so many skills. The buttons light up and the kids have to pop them and then push the back up to go to the next level. This not only provides some nice sensory input for sensory seeking kids but works on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, works on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills, works on visual tracking and visual scanning and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organizational skills.
Pop Tube Stretchy Animals-another fan favorite for my kids at work and great for all ages. These pop tube animals can be stretched and squished back together and the kids favorite part is that they light up! This simple toy is great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, encourages bilateral coordination, improves hand-eye coordination and works on motor planning and organizational skills. I highly recommend picking up a few sets of these while they are on sale as they make great stocking stuffers or small gifts.
Skillmatics Dot Sticker Mickey and Friends Kit-I love any and all sticker based crafts and so do the kids. I like that they don’t make a big mess and can be done pretty much anywhere making them great to stock up on for any summer traveling you might be doing this summer. In this dot sticker kit you get sheets of different colored and sized dot stickers and 4 picture scenes for the kids to decorate. Each of the scenes has blank objects that you fill up with the matching color. I love this Mickey Mouse set because I find that even kids who are resistant to fine motor and crafting activities can be motivated by characters that they are familiar with. It’s also great because you can work on improving language and conversation skills by talking abut each of the scenes. Dot Sticker Art is also great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, works on hand-eye coordination and matching skills and helps with focus and attention.
National Geographic Play Sand Combo Pack-I am a big fan of sensory play and exploration but not a fan of things like slime or other materials that can make a giant mess. We are big kinetic sand fans in my family and this combo pack is on a pretty big sale and a really good deal! There are all different kinds of kinetic sand but I really like the quality of the National Geographic sensory materials. This particular set comes with 3 different colored sands and molds for building and sculpting. I love kinetic sand because it provides a lot of sensory input, encourages sensory play and exploration leading to a lot of creativity. As with other sensory materials, the open-ended play helps develop problem solving skills and new and frequent sensory experiences create connections that improve a child
’s ability to do more complex learning activities as they grow.
Indoor Sensory Hammock Swing-another great indoor swing my families have installed in their houses/apartments that is on sale for the next two days. This lycra swing can be used in a variety of ways and provides a ton of sensory input, both calming and grounding input, to help children through tricky moments. Kids can lie on their belly and swing back and forth if they need to get their wiggles out or the can snuggle inside the lycra if they need to calm down or are feeling overstimulated by things. There really are so many ways your child can use this swing and it’s fun to see how they figure out what their body needs at different times. This particular swing comes in 4 different colors and has all the hardware you need to hang from a beam in your ceiling.
Kids Pod Swing-this pod swing is one of the kid’s favorites and one that I typically recommend to parents who are looking for some kind of swing for a home sensory diet. This one is on sale right now and comes with all the hardware you need and kids can pick their favorite color. This swing is great for providing calming sensory input to kids and parents like it because it is safe and older kids can be independent in it. I know of a lot of my kids who have one of these swings in their bedroom or playroom and parents report that it’s a great thing to have when their kids need calming and comforting sensory input. Many of my kids will sneak into the swing to read or even do their homework because they find that the input helps them focus better, especially when things are more challenging and they are feeling anxious.
Stepping Stones-parents are always asking us what they can get for home so they can work on some of the things we work on at the gym. Since I am in NYC and not everyone has a ton of space, I try and recommend things that are easy to store or can be tucked away. This set of stepping stones is a great gross motor product to have at home and I love how this one stacks on top of each other and doesn’t take up much space. And this one on sale the next two days so it’s a good time to grab them! Stepping stones are great for working on motor planning, coordination skills, balance, navigating uneven surfaces, jumping and SO much more. We use them as part of obstacle courses during our sessions and one of the things I like about them is they come in varying sizes so it really forces kids to slow down and focus on the next step they are taking.
9-Piece Colored Liquid Tiles-this is another great gross motor tool we use at the gym and the kids love it and this 9-piece set is currently on sale! Kids love using these mesmerizing liquid tiles and they can motivate some of our super resistant kids to work on jumping or participate more willingly in more challenging obstacle courses. One fun thing I do with my kids when using them is to ask them if they see anything after they jump like maybe an erupting volcano with the red tile or ocean waves in the blue one. Great for apartment living because they can lay flat on the ground or easily stored without taking up much space in your house or apartment.
100 Piece Magnetic Tile Set-another great bargain for what I consider a must-have toy for any kid……magnetic building tiles! As an FYI, the original Magna-Tiles are also decently priced for the Prime Day Sale but if you really want a bargain, go for this off brand set. Both the original Magna-Tiles and this linked set come with 100 different color and shaped tiles but the off brand one is literally half the price and they do the same exact thing. Magnetic tiles are a great addition to any classroom, therapy setting or home playroom and I have not met a kid yet who doesn’t love building and creating with them. They are great for working on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills and also works on improving, focus, attention and organizational skills all why encouraging creativity and imagination skills. There are so many ways you can use magnetic blocks for both play and learning purposes. For example, I can work on matching and sorting colors using them and also have found them to be a motivating way to practice forming letters and numbers.
Scramble Shape Matching Game-this is a great shape matching game (think Perfection) but is meant for two kids to play against each other. Perfection and other shape matching games are another staple for me. When I am looking for games for work, I try and find things that can be adapted for kids of all ages and their skill set. For example, with these timed matching games, I rarely set the timer because I find for some kids it makes them more anxious or they don’t like the idea of something popping and the real purpose of the game for me is for them to correctly match the shapes. This game is great for working on hand-eye coordination, works on visual tracking and scanning, encourages fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills and works on improving focus and attention.
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