0-6 months
This age group benefits from toys that provide sensory stimulation and can provide motivation for some of those motor milestones!
Lots of oral exploration happens at this stage, so something soft and safe for little mouths is a good choice. The rattle provides auditory input that can be used to attract baby's attention for things like visual tracking, neck extension in tummy time, and motivation for reaching.
Visual interest can help increase baby's tolerance to tummy time. A soft mirror like this provides something for baby to visually inspect while working on the strengthening required to maintain that tummy time position!
Bright, noisy toys like this are great for attracting and keeping attention. They can help provide motivation when it comes to attempting and maintaining various positions along with reaching skills. All these motions are hard work, so a flashy toy can help give that extra push!
6-12 months
This age group is beginning to move more independently and benefits from toys that can adapt to a variety of positions!
These Squigz are always in use around the clinic. They serve as great motivation for standing and reaching activities, and their suction cup base makes them easy to place on various surfaces so you can keep little ones moving!
Another big hit in the clinic, this piggy bank provides colorful motivation for little hands to grasp and release with more accuracy. Musical options are also available to cue kiddos when they've successfully inserted a coin.
Activity tables are a great way to encourage standing! The cause and effect switches on top encourage variations in grasp and fine motor skills as well. These toys typically have detachable legs and these can be used in a variety of positions (prone, kneeling, etc.) if standing isn't the only goal!
1-2 years
This age group is developing more advanced movement and executive functioning skills! There are lots of areas of development to target, but these toys below lend themselves to problem-solving, fine motor, and visual motor integration skills appropriate for this age group.
Chunky knobs on simple puzzles are a great way to work on grasp and visual motor skills. Pieces can even be placed at the end of mini obstacle courses or hidden under cushions to add some heavy work and movement to the task as kiddos get older!
These toys allow the child to practice a variety of grasps and switch operating movements, as well as explore cause and effect play. Turn this task into a game of peek-a-boo to keep them invested in problem-solving those switches!
Snap beads or pop beads are a great early construction toy for kiddos that requires practice coordinating with both hands. The slight resistance of pushing and pulling them apart also adds a fun strengthening component!
Additional Age Groups Upcoming!