Occupational therapy toys are tools of transformation, turning each therapy session into an opportunity for growth, exploration, and, most importantly, fun! These toys, which address therapeutic goals, engage your kiddos in activities that help develop motor skills, sensory processing, coordination, and social skills. If you’re an occupational therapist (OT) looking to support a child’s development, the right occupational therapy toys can make therapy goals feel like play.
The Benefits of Occupational Therapy Toys
The right occupational therapy toys can make all the difference for a child working on developmental or therapeutic goals. By blending sensory, motor, and cognitive skills, these toys offer kids a multisensory experience that can transform therapy into a positive and playful experience. Toys in occupational therapy encourage repetition, practice, and mastery, creating an environment where progress is both achievable and exciting.
Each toy is tailored to focus on specific therapy goals, whether it’s building hand-eye coordination, improving grip strength, or increasing sensory tolerance. These toys help children develop confidence in their abilities and foster independence.
The 15 Best Occupational Therapy Toys for Positive Growth and Fun
Let’s take a look at the 15 best occupational therapy toys that will engage and support kiddos on their journey to reaching their full potential.
1. Therapy Putty
Therapy putty is a staple among occupational therapy toys. Available in varying levels of resistance, it can be squeezed, stretched, or pulled to build fine motor skills and hand strength. This simple, malleable toy is perfect for helping kids develop grip strength, which supports everyday tasks like writing, buttoning, and eating. Therapy putty is also a sensory-friendly tool that’s great for calming kids who may experience anxiety or restlessness.
2. Balance Board
Balance boards offer kids a dynamic way to develop core strength, coordination, and balance. Children stand on the board and try to keep it steady, which helps improve stability and posture. As they play, they’re developing key skills that will support walking, running, and other physical activities. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to add an element of challenge and excitement to therapy sessions.
3. Lacing Beads
Lacing beads are large, colorful beads that can be strung together on a shoelace, offering an engaging activity for building fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Kids enjoy threading the beads and creating patterns, which also encourages color recognition and sequencing skills. This occupational therapy toy is particularly useful for improving focus, patience, and bilateral coordination, as kids must use both hands to string the beads.
4. Weighted Blankets or Lap Pads
Weighted blankets or lap pads provide a calming sensory experience that’s helpful for children who have trouble sitting still or feel overwhelmed. The gentle pressure of these toys can soothe the nervous system, making it easier for kids to focus and participate during therapy. These blankets also help with sensory regulation, giving children a sense of security and comfort that aids focus and engagement in therapy activities.
5. Pop Tubes
Pop tubes are bright, flexible tubes that make a fun popping sound as they are stretched and compressed. They’re great for improving arm and finger strength, coordination, and proprioception, which is awareness of body position in space. Pop tubes can also serve as a sensory activity for kids who enjoy auditory stimulation, making them versatile and highly interactive occupational therapy toys.
6. Scooter Boards
As the name suggests, scooter boards are flat boards on wheels that kids can sit or lie on while moving around, helping develop gross motor skills, core strength, and coordination. Kids can use their arms to propel themselves or be pushed by their therapist, adding a bit of excitement and movement to therapy. This toy encourages muscle strengthening and coordination, especially when navigating through obstacle courses or playing scooter board games.
7. Tactile Sensory Balls
Tactile sensory balls come in different textures and sizes, making them fantastic for sensory play and motor skill development. Kids can squeeze, roll, and throw them, which strengthens hand muscles and improves tactile awareness. They’re perfect for building tactile tolerance, which can help kids become more comfortable with different textures in their daily lives, whether they’re using a pencil or brushing their hair.
8. Velcro Dressing Boards
Velcro dressing boards mimic the activities involved in dressing, such as buttoning, zipping, and lacing. They’re excellent for practicing fine motor skills and teaching kids how to dress themselves, fostering independence. By practicing on the dressing board, children improve hand coordination and finger dexterity, skills that will make dressing much easier and empower them in their daily routines.
9. Pegboards
Pegboards are simple yet effective toys that encourage fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and color recognition. Kids place pegs in holes on a board to create designs or match colors, which requires precision and concentration. This is also a great tool for kids who need practice with spatial awareness and planning, as they decide where to place each peg.
10. Sensory Bean Bags
Sensory bean bags are small bags filled with materials like rice or beans, adding weight and texture to each one. Kids can toss, squeeze, or stack these bags, improving their grip strength, coordination, and tactile processing. These fun tools are fantastic for sensory play and can be used in obstacle courses or simply for relaxation by squeezing and feeling the beans inside, which adds a soothing sensory component to therapy.
11. Tangle Fidget Toys
Tangle fidget toys are colorful, twistable toys that offer a tactile outlet for restless hands. Kids can twist, bend, and coil the toy, which is particularly helpful for children who benefit from sensory feedback. This toy is great for promoting focus and self-regulation helping kids stay engaged in therapy sessions or even classroom settings. It’s a versatile tool that provides a calming effect and helps with hand coordination.
12. Playdough Sets With Tools
Playdough is a timeless toy that encourages creativity and motor skills development. When paired with various tools like rollers, cutters, and molds, it becomes a dynamic occupational therapy toy that helps with hand strength, dexterity, and finger control. This activity also allows kids to explore different textures and engage in imaginative play, which fosters sensory exploration and creative thinking.
13. Theraputty Scissors Set
This set combines therapy putty with specialized scissors, giving children an opportunity to work on grip and cutting skills simultaneously. Using these tools, kids develop fine motor skills and hand strength needed for cutting and writing. It’s a particularly effective tool for kids who need to improve their hand control and dexterity.
14. Stacking Cups
Stacking cups are simple yet versatile occupational therapy toys that help with hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and motor planning. Kids can stack the cups in different formations, helping them understand balance, size, and sequencing. It’s a great activity for little ones working on motor skills and cognitive development, as they learn how to stack, unstack, and explore different building possibilities.
15. Sensory Bin Kits
Sensory bin kits come with bins filled with different materials like sand, rice, and small toys, creating a sensory-rich play experience. These kits encourage tactile exploration and can be used for activities that improve fine motor skills, such as scooping, sorting, and digging. Sensory bins are especially helpful for kids who may have sensory processing difficulties, providing a safe space to experience various textures and improve tolerance over time.
Making the Most of Occupational Therapy Toys at Home
If you’re using these occupational therapy toys at home, remember that following the child’s lead is essential to fostering engagement and progress. Encourage exploration and creativity, and praise them for every small achievement along the way. Whether it’s squeezing therapy putty or mastering the scooter board, these toys offer kids a fun and positive way to work on their therapy goals.
Occupational therapy toys play a vital role in therapy sessions, helping kids work on key developmental skills in a way that feels natural, enjoyable, and rewarding. With a little creativity and guidance, these toys turn every session into an exciting opportunity for growth.
At Care Options for Kids, we believe that implementing occupational therapy toys and other fun methods can offer endless opportunities for growth and development. By encouraging sensory, motor, and cognitive skills in a fun and engaging way, our highly skilled OTs support child development in fun and creative ways. Want to be part of a team that believes in making skill-building play as fun as possible?
Join the Care Options For Kids Team!
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