Big Kids Still Like Toys!

As I finish up my holiday shopping this weekend, I realize that many of the kids that I give to have gotten older and require the next level of gifts.  Because many of these kids are picky about what they wear, I tend to avoid buying clothes.  Buying toys for older kids/tweens can be tricky but there are so many great things out there to choose from.  I love finding things that allow kids to be creative and think outside of the box.  They spend enough time engaged in school activities that they have to complete a certain way that I want to give things that allow kids to think, create and will build self-esteem and confidence.  And while it's probably way easier to get gift cards, I love seeing kids actually open up real gifts.  

Here are a few of my favorite things you can get for the older kids that work not only work on a variety of skills, but are kid tested and approved for lots of fun!

Project Kid-do you have a crafter on your hands?  If you do, Project Kid is a perfect gift for them.  This book is filled with over 100 activities that can be completed using many items in your home.  Kids can learn how to weave, make pom poms and design many things to decorate the home or bedroom.  I love the Rubber-Band art and Puff-Pain Window Clings projects and plan on doing these with my older kids at work.  To make this an even better gift, go through the book and pick out an activity you think the recipient will enjoy and buy all the supplies needed to complete it to give with the gift to get them started.  

Diggin Wobble Deck-this gross motor gift is designed to get kids up and moving around.  It is also great for working on improving executive functioning skills such as following directions, memory and focus/attention.  Essentially, this is a balance board and Simon Says game combined.  The board has five numbered, colored edges and each one has a sound associated with it.  It will call out numbers, colors and sounds a child has to shift their weight so that part of the board touches the ground.  There are three modes and multiple difficulty settings so kids can be constantly challenged.  

Fashion Design Kits-Creativity for Kids by Faber Castell has some amazing craft kits and I especially love the ones they have for older kids.  This kit comes with all the supplies needed to design and create a dress.  I like this one because it includes a 12" dress mannequin that you can put your dress on once it is completed.  Not only does it come with fabric samples and thread but all kinds of fun embellishments so a kid can be as creative as they want.  Great for not only working on all kinds of fine motor skills, but also great for working on executive functioning skills and encouraging creativity.  Follow this link to see all the different fashion and fiber sets you can choose from!

Spirograph Deluxe-I remember spending hours and hours playing with my Spirograph sets as a child

and I love that this game is still around.  Choose from the gears and wheels, place it on your paper and create whirling and spiraling patterns.  I like to give kids blank cards and have them design the covers of their own stationary.  Kids never get bored with this activity because each time they do it, they can create something new and wonderful.  The set comes with gears and wheels, colored pens, paper and comes in a box perfect for storing everything.  If you want to add something to the gift, get a bunch of different colored blank cards and envelopes so the recipient can create their own stationary.  Great for working on bilateral coordination skills, improve eye-hand coordination and graphomotor skills.  

Make Your Own Comic-Lulu Jr. is an amazing company that has created products that encourage creativity, builds self-esteem and strengthens literacy and writings kills.  This awesome comic book kit gives kids the chance to write, illustrate and publish their very own book.  Once their story is complete and they have finished filling in all the pages, they send it in to Lulu Jr and they will print the comic out so it looks like a real comic book!  What could be more motivating and exciting for kids than to see something they have created turned into a real book?  

Little Bits Kits-for those kids who are interested in learning more about science, engineering and building things, look no further.  The base kit comes with 10 color-coded modules that when snapped together, can make over 150, 000 circuit combinations.  There are other kits to choose from which allow you to do different kinds of engineering activities.  Kids are encouraged to design tons of different circuit sequences and come up with imaginative uses for those circuits including making a dimmer switch, a motorized car and a night light.  

So here are a few of my top picks for the bigger kids you may have to shop for.  While I know that many of the kids say they are too old for toys, I don't believe that you are ever too old to get toys at the holidays!  Do you have any other great gifts that you like to give older kids in your life?  I would love to hear from you about what has been a hit with your tweens.  I am just a click away and love hearing from you all and getting new ideas!  

If you are still shopping and looking for more ideas, be sure to check out my complete 2014 Holiday Gift Guide.  You will find dozens and dozens of toys and games here for children of all ages.  

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The Big Stuff!

Here's another sneak peak to this year's holiday gift guide.  Yesterday, I focused on the small toys that you could get for kids.  Today, I am sharing some of the kid tested and occupational and physical therapy toys that I've put on this years list.  

Gross motor toys are ones that make children use the bigger muscles in their body and encourage them to walk, run or jump around their environment. I've chosen a handful of toys that will work on building trunk control/strength, upper body strength, motor coordination and endurance.  Trunk control and strength are important for developing good gross motor skills which lead to the development of good fine motor skills.   Take a look at some of my favorite big body toys.  More importantly, these are loved by the kids who play with them so they don't realize that they are actually working and exercising!  

Balance Board-there are a lot of different balance boards out there but I find that many of them are too challenging for my younger kids.  This one is great because it can be flipped over and can be made more or less challenging for children.  I find this is a great therapy tool that parents can use at home to carry over some of the things I work on at the gym such as balance, coordination and focus/attention.  I love to pair it with a fine motor activity such as a puzzle or a gross motor activity such as playing catch or something.  Kids love it and it is small enough to slip under a bed and not take up a lot of space.
OgoSport Super Sports Disk-there are several different sized disks to choose from so they can be used with children (and grownups too) of all ages.  Each set comes with two hand-trampoline disks and a koosh-like ball to bounce back and forth to your partner.  If you have more than one set, you can add more people!  The disks are super light weight because they are made of foam which makes it easy for kids to hold onto.  Can be played with indoors and outdoors.  Great for working on eye-hand coordination, social interaction, focus and attention and regulation skills.
Kick Scooter-many of my NYC families use a stroller for their older children to get to and from places faster but are wondering what they can get that will get their kids more physical.  One of the first things I recommend for them to get is the Mini Kick (for children 2-5 years of age) or the Maxi Kick scooter (5 years and older).  This light-weight scooter is easy for kids to use because of the two wheels in front and the one in back.  By leaning to one side or another, a child is able to easily steer (mostly to avoid hitting other human beings!).  Great for working on motor planning and coordination, bilateral coordination, body strength and focus and attentional skills.  For those kids who have a hard time warming up in the morning and are close enough to school, I suggest having them scoot to school to wake up the body to make the morning transitions easier.  
Zoom Ball-I remember using a Zoom Ball as a kid and loving it back then.  As a therapist, I love it even more because there is a tremendous amount of therapeutic value.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with what this is, let me describe:  there is a light-weight ball attached to two ropes with hands.  Each person grabs one side/two handles and let the play begin.  By opening and closing your arms, the ball can slide back and forth.  Go as fast or as slow as you want but see how long you can keep it going without having to take a break.  Great for working on building upper body strength, motor planning/coordination, modulation and regulation and cooperative play.  

Stomp Rocket-kids LOVE playing with stomp rockets.  After the kids place the foam rocket on a tube they jump on the launch pad and it shoots off.  This is a great toy for working on jumping, balancing on one foot and building body strength.  I love this toy because it is non-battery operated and doesn't make a ton of noise.  Kids love it because they can make something fly across a room without getting in trouble.  This is a great toy to work on with another friend...one friend can make the rocket fly and the other one can go run and try and catch the rocket and bring it back.  
Hop & Squeak Pogo Jumper-this kid-friendly pogo jumper is made out of durable foam and has a built in squeaker that squeaks every time a child jumps up and down.  The bungee cord handle has a comfortable grip for the kids to hold onto.  Great for working on improving trunk control/strength and motor planning.  Also great for providing proprioceptive input to kids which helps with improving focus and attentional skills.  Can be used indoors and outdoors and ideal for kids 3 and older. 

Do you have any wonderful toys that you think should be added to my list?  I'm always on the lookout for new toys not only for this list but also to have on hand at work.  Please feel free to email me with any questions or suggestions.  I am always a click away and love hearing from you all!