Archives for the year of: 2015

Toys aren’t merely devices made to keep your busy little bee while you finish folding laundry. True, some do just that, but many toys are created as educational tools to teach your children and help them develop better physical, organizational, emotional and social skills. For example, introducing your child to puzzles early on is not only a great, essential way to ensure he or she get the hang of figuring out fun stuff now, but that they also succeed in the great puzzle that is life.

More benefits of playing with puzzles include the development of great hand-eye coordination, fine and gross motor skills, plus shape recognition and problem solving. Puzzles also help children learn about their place in this world and their surroundings while they also become socially confident creatures.

Puzzles also encourage little ones to set goals and achieve them, which then promotes the emergence of self esteem —and lot of it. And maybe, one day, they’ll also do their own laundry! Til then, let’s do some puzzles.

1. First Puzzle – Treehouse

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Great for building self-esteem, this puzzle is large, which is great for sweet little hands, and it’s foam, which makes it easy for wee fingers to grip. Encouraging hand-eye coordination and visual sensory development, it’s designed to really get into the brain and improve cognition, logic, and reasoning.

2. Sensory Puzzle Blocks

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Nice and vibrantly colored, these puzzle blocks help develop fine and gross motor skills while improving hand-eye coordination. They’re textured, too, so as to provide tactile and visual sensory input. Stack, build, and assemble the foam pieces with friends and family to improve social skills.

3. Tot’s First Chunky Pegs

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Again, here’s a puzzle that’s made to help your child develop motor skills and hand-eye coordination. This 20-piece set is designed for tots 12-months old and up to stack, sort, match, and build away with the chunky pegs and pegboard.

4. Edushape Play Mat

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Now here’s a cool concept: use six-by-six foam alpha-numerical puzzle pieces to get your little darling’s logic, reasoning, and motor skills running AND build a fort! With 36 pieces to play with in total, it’ll be easy for your sweetie to get lost in a little world of numbers, letters, and learning. Creating a whimsical box full of fun, this colorful, soft, easy-to-clean floor mat has endless learning possibilities, not to mention it’s also a great insulator for cold floors. Once assembled, the mat is 72”x72” big and is perfect for designating a specific play area in the home.

5. First Puzzle – Fun Forrest

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This large foam puzzle has 10 pieces that are easy to grip so they work wonderfully with little fingers. While building self-esteem, this puzzle also encourages hand-eye coordination and visual sensory development and improves motor skills, cognition, logic and reasoning. And when joined by friends and family, it can also do wonders for your child’s social skills. Did we mention it features all of your favorite forest creatures?

 

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What will be your kid’s first or next adventure in the wonderful world of puzzles? Leave us a comment or drop by our Facebook page to tell us all about it!

There’s probably not a child on this planet who can keep perfectly still — and the same can be said for many of us adults, too! But the challenge to keep your kids content and calm can be extra tricky if you are a special needs parent, which is why we stock a variety of fidget toys.

A fidget toy regulates a child’s relentless need to move around and handle objects. These handy self-regulation tools are super effective in keeping kids’ fingers busy and, as a result, promote focus and concentration, decrease stress, and increase tactile awareness of fingers and hands. By playing with a funny-looking rubber ball, a child’s energy is focused and their spirits are quietened, which is great for social situations like going to dinner or a wedding.

Whether you’re on road trip, sitting in a doctor’s office or cooking dinner, fidget toys can bring relaxation to both you and your child. We’ve pinpointed several toys that are perfect for kids who have trouble sitting still and remaining calm.

PS: These are perfect for throwing in his or her backpack before you head out the door!

1. The Woolly Worm

These eight-inch woolly worms are little rubber bundles of entertainment and sensory stimulation. With a flexible body that can stretch, bounce, and wiggle, a little one’s imagination could run wild for hours. Available in eight different colors.

2. Wood Fidget Puzzle

These twelve fun fidget blocks work together in thousands of ways. Twist and connect to your heart’s content with these half-inch blocks that connect via heavy-duty elastic string. Happy building!

3. IsoFlex 

An ideal toy for sensory stimulation and tactile input, the IsoFlex Stress Ball is filled with micro beads and can be used as a therapy ball, exerciser, or for loads of fidgeting fun. IsoFlex’s walls are double-lined with natural latex for extra durability and a unique, soothing feel. And since it can massage your palms and relieve stress, the IsoFlex is a great idea for adults and children alike!

4. Squigglets

These awesome, colorful bracelets double as sensory balls that can be flung, skaken, and worn, too. With a soft, squishy, and satisfying feel, squigglets can be adorned sometimes as anklets, too. The interesting texture of squigglets also provides sensory stimulation and tactile input for anyone with ASD or SPD. 

5. Tangle Jr (Textured)

Tangle Jr is another, fun fidget toy that provides a creative outlet for kids with its textured surface. Tangle Jr’s twistable body with endless possibilities makes this toy a fun one to explore. While it provides tactile sensory stimulation, it’s also a great way to de-stress. You can also connect several together to make a long Tangle snake.

6. Soft Star Chew

Moms, teachers, and therapists alike love letting the Soft Star Chew help soothe children’s anxiety while also keeping fidgeting fingers busy. This one’s made of terry cloth, providing natural comfort for your wee one’s mouth. The same company, Abilitations Chewlery, also makes a cute purple elephant version.

 What fidget toy will you be throwing in your child’s backpack come Monday? Drop by our Facebook page and share your story!