2020 Holiday Gift Guide-Game Time!

Winter always means more indoor times and with concerns about another wave of Covid-19 cases as we enter the holiday season, I anticipate people will be spending a lot more time indoors as a family. There are only so many television shows one can binge and I get the sense that people are looking for ways to connect that don’t involve a screen given amount of time people are spending with remote learning and work. Now seems like an ideal time to re-evaluate your game closet and make sure you have some games that will keep the whole family entertained. Below, I share a handful of this year’s favorites. I am excited to have some amazing game suggestions from my colleague, speech therapist Jacki Barredo, that are geared towards older kids and have a speech and language twist to them. I have also tried to add a handful of board games that encourage movement as I think it's so important that no matter what happens with the pandemic, we keep kids active because it is proven that children learn better and are more emotionally balanced when their bodies are given the opportunity to get up and move. 

Wriggleworms-I am a complete sucker for any game that has some kind of grabber to pick up pieces so when I saw this game I was sold. For the little ones on your gift list this year, this is a simple game packed with fun ways to work on developing a variety of skills. The game comes with 20 stretchy worms in 4 colors and 2 different lengths and 20 cards (10 with numbers, 8 critical thinking and 2 size outlines). Kids spin a spinner and they either collect a worm of the same color or the number of worms that they land on. The goal of the game is to be the player to collect the larger number of worms. My favorite part is that they have to use the provided tongs to remove the worms from the game board which is a wonderful way to work on increasing grasp strength and improve manipulation skills. In addition to working on fine motor skills, children learn about colors and size, can practice working on sorting skills, counting and be introduced to early math skills. 

Share And Sparkle Game-The Rainbow Fish is a popular children’s book that teaches children about the importance of being kind, sharing and what it means to be a good friend. In this cooperative, educational game, children must work together to collect all of the Rainbow Fish’s sparkly scales so he can swim in the waves before they reach the shore. Cooperative games are a great way for children or families to learn that there is more to playing a game than winning or losing. In addition to working on improving play skills, children can work on developing fine motor and grasping skills, hand-eye coordination and visual perceptual skills. 

The Color Monster Game-based on one of my favorite children’s books about learning how to identify and understand feelings, The Color Monster game seems to be a much needed resources for young children during these crazy times. Children (and their grownups!) are feeling lot of big feelings and sometimes that can be very confusing. In this collaborative game, children work take turns rolling the dice to move the monster around the board to try and fill up the jars by matching the emotion tokens to the correct colored jar. In order to pick up an emotion coin, children have to share a memory or experience they had with whichever feeling they pick up (Happiness, Sadness, Anger, Fear or Calm). The game is finished when all the correct emotion tokens are in the correct jar. 

Don't Break The Ice-a classic children's game perfect for preschoolers, Don't Break the Ice is a two to four player game where the object is to keep Phillip the Penguin on top of the ice as long as you can while you tap out pieces of ice. Using a little mallet, kids tap out ice pieces but it requires thought and patience to choose a piece that won't make the whole board break. This game is perfect for the little ones in your life who are just starting to learn about turn taking. It also works on developing hand-eye coordination, bilateral coordination and can improve grasping and manipulation skills. 

Pancake Pileup-this game is a huge hit both at my sensory gym and with my kids at The Meeting House. What I love about Pancake Pileup is that you can play it in so many ways depending on your child's goals. This game has been a good one to play on my remote sessions to add a gross motor component. It is traditionally a relay-style game where kids pick a card and then try and be the first to stack their pancakes in the correct order; pancakes are on one end of the room and the plate is on the other. If you have several kids you can do a relay race where one kid picks up the first pancake, hands off the spatula to the next kid and continue until the card is complete. Pancake Pileup is great for working on improving visual perceptual skills, hand-eye coordination, sequencing and executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and regulation skills. Additionally, you can improve gross motor skills by giving the kids physical challenges such as jumping, walking backwards, etc. 

First Orchard-one of the things I am hearing from many of my families is their concerns about their very young children missing out on critical opportunities to socialize and learn early academic skills. I am here to reassure parents of young children that there are so many other ways to support your children during this crazy time and the most important way is through play. If your toddler isn't going to school, collaborative games like First Orchard are great for teaching them about working together, color recognition and early counting skills. Together, children (and their grownups if necessary) work together to pick the fruits from the trees before the raven reaches the end of the path. First Orchard is similar to Hi Ho Cherry O but I am always a big fan of toys/products made from wood for sustainability. In addition to working on the aforementioned skills, First Orchard encourages fine motor and manipulations skill and hand-eye coordination.

Little Red Riding Hood Game-this is a great game to work on problem solving and logical reasoning with preschoolers and young school-age children. The point of the game is to get Little Red Riding Hood to grandma’s house by creating the correct path. There are 48-challenge cards and each one starts with a guide to how to place the pieces (Little Red Riding Hood, grandma’s house, trees and the wolf) on the board and fill in the path using the correct pieces. While they say this is a 1-player game, I think it would be a great game for kids to work on together in order to solve the challenge. In addition to cognitive skills, this game works on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves visual-spatial and perceptual skills and increases executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and organizational skills.

Mr. Mouth-I love when games from my childhood make a comeback and even more happy when said games end up being favorites for the kids that I work with. Mr. Mouth is great for older preschoolers and school-age kids to work on improving hand-eye coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and a great game for working on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, regulation and organizational skills. Be the first to get all of your bugs into the mouth. Sounds easy but you have to time it just right which can be tricky. For my younger kids who might be getting frustrated, I often let them practice by keeping the mouth open for the first round so they can get used to the game in order to build up their frustration tolerance. 

Kerplunk Sloths-the original Kerplunk (marbles) and Tumblin' Monkeys are two of my favorite games and also longtime favorites at work. When I went searching for the link to those games, I stumbled upon this newer version and obsessed is an understatement. Instead of marbles or monkeys, you have to collect the cutest little plastic sloths you've ever seen! Kids take turns rolling the die and removing the matching color stick. The rules actually say that the person with the least number of sloths at the end is the winner but I often let the child(ren) playing decide if they want to aim to get the most or the least number in order to determine a winner. Kerplunk Sloths works on so many developmental skills including improving fine motor and manipulation skills, improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills, encourages executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organizational skills. Younger children may need some assistance for set-up but in general, this game is appropriate for pre-school through school-age children. 

Spottington-for those of you who don't know about Eeboo, I highly recommend you get to know them. In addition to beautiful puzzles, pretend play toys and craft supplies, they have some of the most well-made, durable and creative games. I received Spottington in my monthly Sensory TheraPlay box last month and it's been a great game for my school age kids. One of my favorite things about this visual perceptual and visual scanning game is the fact that it comes with 7 double-sided interchangeable game boards so the game is never the same. The rules of the game are quite simple, which is another bonus, which makes it more fun for everyone. People take turns flipping over one of the 250 picture cards and everyone playing races to be the first one to find it. Once you find it, you place your token on it and call out "Spottington". The objects are various sizes and there be others that look similar so it really takes a lot of concentration. This game is great for working on visual motor, visual scanning and visual discrimination skills and improves executive functioning skills such as focus and attention. 

The Floor is Lava-with the recent success of the Netflix show, The Floor is Lava, this has become a game kids have gotten really into. I love this game, especially as we are looking at the possibility of a second round of lockdowns and shelter in place action, because it offers movement opportunities for our kids who are spending so much time on a screen. In this family game players must imagine that the floor is molten hot lava while spinning the color wheel to jump to the right foam pieces. The game comes with 25 different colored "safety stones" and 27 challenge cards. This gross motor game works on jumping, leaping, balance, coordination and motor planning. For younger kids, this could be a really fun way to learn about colors. 

Turtle Steps-another gross motor game that can be played indoors or outdoors. Kids who have gross motor delays often want to avoid movement at all costs possible so being able to do it through game can be a game changer for them. Turtle Steps works on balance, coordination and concentration and is appropriate for children 3 years and older. The game includes 3 large and 3 medium-sized turtle shell stepping stones, 24 activity cards with turtle facts and alternative ways to play the game. Through obstacle courses and challenges, kids can work on jumping, coordination and increasing body strength. Play by the rules it comes with or create your own game using the turtle shells. For those of you worried about space, the shells easily stack as to not take up too much space. Gross motor development and movement is important for building confidence, self-esteem and helps with children learning. During these crazy times where so many kids are doing remote school, it's so important that we provide as many opportunities for movement that we can. 

Boochie-another movement game that the whole family can enjoy indoors or outdoors. The first part of the game is to toss out the Boochie target and then try to land your ball and as close as possible. Kids will love that they get to keep score on the special wrist tracker that the game comes with that will throw out different throwing challenges each round. Kids may have to toss between their legs, behind their back, with their eyes closed and so much more. In addition to getting kids up and moving while they may be stuck inside this winter, it works on improving a variety of gross motor skills such as hand-eye coordination, balance, endurance, throwing skills and so much more. 

Sushi Go-one of my clients recommended this game to me and I am obsessed with it now. I actually just picked up my second game to play at home with my husband and daughter! This pick and pass card game is fast-paced and requires strategy and good planning. Each player gets 10 cards and is trying to score the most points by collecting and making a variety of sushi rolls. Sounds easy, but it gets tricky because you keep passing your cards between players who might end up taking the card that you need. This is great for older children who are working on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and organization. It's also a great way to sneak in some additional math practice for your kids! 

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza-this game recommendation comes from speech therapist extraordinaire, Jacki Barredo. I’m a huge fan of card games because they are easy to store and can easily be taken on the go to keep your kids entertained and this definitely fits that requirement. Pass out all of the cards to all the players and take turns flipping your cards over while saying taco, cat, goat, cheese, pizza (in that order). When the card and the word match, players race to slap the cards and the winner takes the pile. Be sure to keep your eyes open for three special action cards. This is definitely for older children on your gift list and great for working on sequencing, organization, focus, attention and really great for working on regulatory skills. 

Hearing Things-another recommendation from my speech therapist colleague, Jacki Barredo, geared towards older children (10 and older). After the online viral "whisper challenge" sensation, Hasbro created this game. One player puts on a pair of speech-cancelling electronic headphones and the other player is required to say the random phrases on the card. The player only earns the card if they correctly figure out what the other one was saying.

Buildzi-one of my absolute favorite games, and has been for years, is the dice game Tenzi. It’s been a favorite for my kids and has been on my gift guide for years. As I have spent the last few months trying to freshen up my game selection, I stumbled on Buildzi and had to test it out immediately. It has quickly become a favorite of my kids, particularly my older children. One of the things that I love about this companies games is that they all have more than one way to play it making it less likely your child will become bored with it. When playing Tower Buildzi, kids have to look at a card and replicate the tower on the card; this can be done individually or against a friend to see who can build it the fastest without it falling down. When playing Block Card Buildzi, each player gets 8 cards with different shapes and they have to build a sturdy tower using the random shapes.
Buildzi is amazing for working on developing a variety of visual skills such as visual motor, visual perceptual, visual discrimination and visual tracking skills. It also works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and improving frustration tolerance. If you have a child who has difficulty with teamwork, this is a great game, particularly the Block Card version, to work together with a sibling or a peer to strategize the best way to build a tower. 

Rummy Tile Board Game-Rummikub is a favorite game amongst many of my family and friends. Whenever my sister comes to visit (remember when one could freely travel???), we spend hours playing it. While I have the original version, I thought this version would be more appealing to kids. Rummy Tile Board is a great game for older children who need to work on developing or improving their executive functioning skills. Kids have to take turns placing numbered tiles in runs (4, 5, 6 and so on) or in groups (same numbers, different colors). The first person to use all of their tiles wins. This fast-paced game works on sequencing, pattern recognition, focus, attention and organizational skills. Like many of the more complicated games I introduce my kids to, I always play the first few rounds together so I can make sure they truly understand the rules and answer any questions they might have. I find that this builds their confidence and motivates them to try something that may be tricky for them. 

Morphy-another one of my favorite games for the older kids on my caseload. The goal of the game is to collect the most number of discs by finding a disc with that is different by one quality. The game comes with 60 discs that have a color, pattern and a center circle hole that varies in size. Start with a green disc with stripes and a large center circle and you can move it to an orange disc with stripes and a large center circle or to a green disc with dots and a large center circle. Morphy is a fast-paced game that works on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills, visual discrimination, visual tracking, pattern recognition, sequencing and improves executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and self-monitoring. 

I had so much fun putting this game gift guide together. As I have already said, parents are looking for as many opportunities to get their kids off of a screen and what's better than getting the family together to play games. I worked really hard to find games that grown-ups would enjoy playing and not just feel obligated to. There are so many great games out there but it can be really hard to sift through them all. One of the things that I was mindful about with this list is that a variety of skills could be worked on when playing them. 

I highly recommend going to your local toy-stores and see what they have; they are often a wealth of information and know what is most popular. Some of my favorite local toy-stores that have an amazing selection here in the New York City area are Lulu's Cuts and Toys in Park Slope, Little Things Toy Store in Park Slope, Stationery and Toy Store on the Upper West Side, Mary Arnold Toys on the Upper East Side and Fun Stuff Toys on Long Island. While it's always been important to shop local and small businesses, they are really relying on it this holiday season. 

There are so many more games out there and if you are looking for something specific for your child or someone you are looking to buy for this year, I'd be happy to help you find the perfect game. I am only a click away and love hearing from you all. Also, if you have any game suggestions, please send them my way! I am always looking for new games for work and home. 

2019 Holiday Gift Guide-Game's On!

No matter how technologically advanced we get, there will always be a reason to have board games in your home. In my family, Rummikub and Boggle hold a special place during family game nights. To this day, countless hours are spent playing one of these games when a sister is in town to visit and the enjoyment I get from playing these games is hard to describe. In addition to the nice 1:1 time spend with my sister, I love how my brain is working and I feel 

There are a tremendous number of benefits of playing board games besides entertaining people. Here are just a few of the many benefits of board games:

1. Improving memory formation and cognitive skills- did you know that the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of the brain are responsible for complex though and memory development? 

2. Stress Reducer-according to online research and surveys, there is a number of people who play games to unwind, relax and relieve stress. 

3. Encourage child development-board games help children develop their logic and reasoning skills, improve critical thinking and boost spatial reasoning. Increased focus and concentration are also linked to playing games. 

4. Improves developmental skills-playing board games help children develop a variety of fine motor and manipulation skills. Additionally, they can work on improving coordination, dexterity and grasp strength.

Below, I share a handful of games that I use at home and work, recommend to parents and think are just awesome. I have tried to share games that can be played as a family because I think it's so important to schedule time together because everyone has such busy and hectic lives. 



Mr. Mouth-I found this classic game a few weeks ago at Barnes and Noble and it has quickly become a favorite of so many of my kids. The goal of the game is pretty straight forward: the first player to feel all their flies to Mr. Mouth wins. 
Great for working on executive functioning skills such as focus and attention, improves hand-eye coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on developing fine motor and manipulation skills and encourages executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, self-regulation, organization and self-monitoring.  




Morphy-this is one of my favorite games for the older kids on my caseload. The goal of the game is to collect the most number of discs by finding a disc with an attribute that is different. The game comes with 60 discs that have a color, pattern and a center circle hole that varies in size. Start with a green disc with stripes and a large center circle and you can move it to an orange disc with stripes and a large center circle or to a green disc with dots and a large center circle. Morphy is a fast-paced game that works on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills, visual discrimination, visual tracking, pattern recognition, sequencing and improves executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and self-monitoring. 






Colorforms Silly Faces Game-this is a game recommendation for younger children (age 3 and up) who are learning about colors, shapes and parts of the face. It doesn't require any reading which is perfect for the little members of your family. Silly Faces can be played with 2-6 players as they compete to build their silly face first. Kids spin the spinner and choose a Colorforms piece that goes with the category and stick it on their silly face card. There are some unexpected moments in the game which works on being flexible and resilient: if you land on the swap space, they must switch their card with another player who may move ahead in the game. Also, there is an un-stick space where you lose one of your face pieces and to replace it with another one. In addition to learning about shapes, colors and parts of the face, kids can work on developing fine motor and grasping skills, improve hand-eye and bilateral coordination skills all while encouraging kids to have fun, be silly and think outside of the box. 



Boom Blast Stix-I was introduced to this game by one of my occupational therapy colleagues a few Christmas' ago on a Facebook post and I immediately bought it. Warning...this is not a game for those who are easily startled! The point of the game is to clip the triangle-shaped pieces together and carefully stack them on top of each other (the container you store the pieces in doubles as a game board) without making them become undone and causing all of the other pieces to explode. This simple game works on so many occupational therapy skills such as improving fine motor and manipulation skills, increases grasp strength, encourages executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and self-regulation. 





Head to Head Scramble Pop-one of my go-to favorite games from when I began practicing has been Perfection. I have to be honest with you all that I still get startled every time the timer runs out and the pieces pop out. One of the things I have always wanted to change about Perfection is that it could be more than a one person game. So when I saw that Fat Brain Toys had a two-person version of this shape matching game, I was hooked! Think fast, move fast and scramble like mad to match all the shapes into the board first and before time runs out. Whoever gets all of their pieces into the board first wins the game. This game is ideal for working on improving hand-eye coordination, visual motor, visual perceptual and visual tracking skills, works on matching and identifying shapes and encourages executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, motor organizational skills and self-regulation.




Dirty Pig Card Game-I am a big fan of card games because they are portable and easy to take with you when you are on the go...like keeping kids entertained while at a restaurant or in a waiting room. This is an easy-to-lear game with the goal being to be the first player to dirty all your pigs. Each player begins with 3-5 clean pigs in front of them and three cards in their hands. Each turn a card is played. By playing a "Dirty Your Pig" card, one pig can be send into the mud. One of the pig cards is flipped over to show a dirty pig on the back. Rain cards clean all the pigs, even your own. Barn cards are used to protect your pigs from the rain and the lightening cards destroy the barns but lightening rod cards protect barns from lightening cards. Farmer cards are used to dirty someone else's pigs....he likes a clean pig! Pigs in a barn that are protected with a barn door are safe from the farmer. A pig in a barn, with a door and a lightening rod is completely protected! Great game to work on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, working memory and organizational skills. 




Greedy Granny-this is a recommendation from my 11-year old niece who says . This non-battery operated game is a simple but hilarious game that will keep players engaged. The goal of the game is to swipe as many treats from Granny's tray without waking her up. Kids take turns taking a piece of food from the tray and then press the button all while hoping Granny won't wake up. The game is intended for kids as young as 4, but as my niece proves, fun enough to keep your older kids entertained as well. Great for working on social skills such as taking turns, being a good sport when winning and losing and can improve fine motor and manipulation skills. You can add a little challenge by having kids use tongs or kid's chopsticks to remove the treat from Granny's tray. 





What's In Ned's Head-this game has been around for ages and one of my all-time favorites to work on developing tactile recognition skills. Place the 16 silly objects in Ned's head, give it a good shake and then pass out a card face down to each player. All turn their cards over at the same time to see what object they have to find and quickly race to be the first person to find the correct object. In addition to the cards for the objects that come with the game, it includes 12 blank cards so you can add your own objects which is awesome because it keeps the game interesting and novel each time. In addition to working on tactile recognition skills, What's In Ned's Head can work on improving grasping and manipulation skills and encourages executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organizational skills, improves frustration tolerance and works on self-regulation skills. 



Roller Coaster Challenge-this logic game is a huge hit with my older kids and great for working on developing executive functioning skills. Kids can build up to 40 different roller coasters ranging from beginner to super challenging. Kids pick a card and set up the posts and tracks according to each challenge. They then collect the remaining pieces (listed at the bottom of the card) and have to figure out where they all go in order to complete the roller coaster. Once the roller coaster is put together, they can test it out by running the car along the track. In addition to working on focus, attention, organizational skills, this game works on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves visual-spatial skills, logic, creativity, problem solving and critical thinking. One of the greatest things I see when kids successfully create the roller coaster is that their confidence and self-esteem seam to soar and it encourages them to try the more difficult challenges. I also like to make this game a social opportunity for kids to work together and collaborate on the actual building of the roller coaster. 


Pop The Pig-this is not one of my favorite games but it is one that makes the kids at work SO happy and actually works on a variety of developmental skills so felt like it had to be included this year. While we play it at the gym with just one kid and match it with some kind of gross motor activity (obstacle coarse, climbing up the incline mat to collect the burgers, etc.) it is actually intended to be a multi-player game (a fan favorite with my kids at The Meeting House Juniors). Players take turns rolling the die, finding a burger of the same color, turning it over to see the number, feed the pig and then push down on his head the correct number of times. With each pump, his belly will grow bigger and bigger until he pops! Even though the point of the game is to not be the one to make his belly pop, the kids want to be the one to make it happen! Pop The Pig works on number and color recognition, counting skills, works on improving upper extremity strength, grasping and manipulation skills and encourages executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and self-regulation. 

Yeti Forgetti-one of my favorite games a couple years ago was another Yeti game, Yeti In My Spaghetti, so when this game arrived in my monthly Sensory TheraPlay Box (I will talk about this amazing subscription box in a later gift guide)  a couple of months ago, I was super excited. This newest game from PlayMonster is another hit with my kiddos at work. One of my favorite things is that it is small and doesn't take up a lot of space which is great for on-the-go entertainment. Kids hide the yetis and snow crab under the igloos and move them around so nobody knows which is which. They then draw a card and what they say-guess where a certain yeti is, peek inside the igloo, reveal a location or mix them up again. Try and remember where the yetis are to collect cards but do all you can do not find the snow crab or else you will lose all the cards you have collected. The player who collects the most cards is the winner. This is a great game for working on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, sustained attention, working memory, flexibility and self/emotional regulation. 




Emojinks-I have been a big Spot It fan for years and years and now that I run a social skills group, I tend to try and find games that have some kind of social emotional learning component. So try and imagine how happy Emojinks makes me! Very similar to Spot It, Emojinks is a game of speed where you try and be the first to find the matching Emoji. The nice thing about this game is that there are two different levels, beginner and advanced, so you can use it will all members of your family. Another great thing, the game is compact and easy to take on-the-go for non-screen-time entertainment. Emojinks is perfect to help your children learn about feelings and emotions while also working on developing focus, attention, visual motor skills, visual perceptual skills and visual tracking skills, improves fine motor and manipulation skills and works on social skills such as being a good winner/loser, taking turns and being flexible.

Friends and Neighbors: The Helping Game-Peaceable Kingdom has a variety of beautifully made games and are known for their cooperative games (meaning you need to work together and not strive for being the winner). Friends and Neighbors works on developing a better understanding of emotions and feelings in young children (recommended for children starting at 3 years of age) and encourages empathy. Kids will learn to read emotions and problem solve how to help a variety of people in different situations. Teaching our kids how to not only understand their own feelings and emotions but also recognize how others might feel is a truly important life lesson. In addition to being able to better understand feelings and emotions, Friends and Neighbors works on improving fine motor and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye coordination and encourages social emotional development. 

Heads Talk Tails Walk Card Game-this silly game of sounds and movement was recommended by NYC speech therapist, Jacki Barredo. Players try to match hidden head tiles to the correct body tiles. If they can't make a match, they have to try walk and talk like the mismatched tiles. Great for kids 3 and up and works on developing critical skills such as visual perception skills, reasoning skills, bilateral coordination and while encouraging gross motor development. 






Cauldron Quest-another fabulous recommendation from Jacki Barredo. This cooperative game is geared towards older children. The object of the game is to get the three correct ingredients into the cauldron before all six of the paths are blocked. The evil wizard has cast a spell to destroy the kingdom and you have the power to create a potion to break the spell but the kids must work together. The quest is to find the three correct ingredients hidden under the potion bottles and move them up the paths and into the cauldron before the wizards blocks all of the paths. I love cooperative games because kids must work together to achieve a common goal and not compete against each other. Some other social-emotional skills that can be worked on are making decisions together and being open to other people's ideas and recommendations. Also great for working on developing executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, working memory and problem solving. 

Thumbs Up-I just recently pulled this game out of my closet and so excited to be using it again at work. Thumbs Up is a fast-paced game where kids try to be the first to stack colored rings in the right sequence on their thumb. The game comes with colored rings and challenge cards. Each card has 4-7 pictures with numbers and colors and all the players race to be the first to stack the rings in the correct order. Whoever is the first to stack their rings collects the card; the player with the most cards at the end is the winner. This is a great game for on-the-go play because it can be thrown right into a bag. Thumbs Up is great for working on developing fine motor and grasping skills, finger isolation, improves hand-eye coordination, bilateral coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and encourages focus, attention, motor planning and organizational skills. 





Googly Eyes-this is another recommendation from my niece, Lila and one that I know is a favorite of so many people. This family game is one that involves drawing while wearing zany, vision-altering google eye glasses. Your team tries to guess what you are drawing which results in some hysterics from all players. There are three different sets of lenses for the glasses ranging from a mild to pretty crazy alteration in your vision. Googly Eyes is great for working on improving graphomotor skills and encourages focus and attentional skills. 




I tried to cover a variety of different games on this post for kids of all ages and ones that could be good for families to play together. In a day and age where kids are spending more and more time in front of some kind of electronic device, I love that there are so many game options out there that can keep kids entertained while also working on developing a variety of skills. If you would like any other recommendations for games to work on specific skills, I have plenty more out there to share with you. I would also love to hear from any of you if you have games that are a huge hit with your kids or at work. I am only a click away and love hearing from all of you. 

2018 Holiday Gift Guide-This and That

In this installment of the 2018 Holiday Gift Guide, I share a bunch of my favorite toys, games and craft sets. I have also included a handful of my favorite monthly subscriptions. This is a new addition to my list and it is something I am really excited about. There are a lot of great ones out there and the ones I included are ones that are ideal for children who may need to work on improving fine motor and sensory processing skills. The fun thing about these subscriptions are that they give kids something to look forward to each month after the holidays are over.

Easel-one of the greatest gifts my daughter got for one of her first Christmas' was an easel. She had it for years so it was certainly worth the investment of getting a really good one. Working on an incline is great for developing upper extremity strength, trunk control and encourages grasping skills. I am going to recommend two different ones depending on what kind of space you have. For those of you have a significant amount of space, this Wooden Art Easel from Crate Kids. One side has a black chalkboard, the other has a white board and there is a place for a roll of paper on the top for painting and drawing. There is also plenty of storage space in the frame to store your paints and paintbrushes. If you don't have quite as much space, Crate Kids has this awesome Table Top Easel which features a chalkboard on one side, magnetic white board on the other, a dowel on the bottom that holds a roll of paper and space to hold four paint cups. The nice thing about this one is that if you don't have the real estate to keep an easel out permanently this one folds up for easy storage.
Here are some of my favorite craft accessories that can be paired with an easel and are perfect for kids of all ages. 
*OOLY Chunkie Paint Sticks
*'lil Poster Paint Pods
*Chroma Blends Watercolor Paint Set
*Mumbo Jumbo Chunky Markers
*'lil Paint Brush Set
*Washable Paint Set

I Can Do That! Activity Books-I am totally addicted to these activity books for preschoolers from Lazoo. Even better, my kids love them and are so motivated to work on challenging fine motor and graphomotor skills. Finding good activity books can be difficult so when I do find them, I love to share them with everyone I know. The books described below are small and can be thrown in a bag, keeping kids entertained while in the car, traveling or when in restuarants.
I Can Do That! Erasable Art-this coloring book is perfect for keeping kids entertained on the go. The pictures are simple but of familiar objects.
*I like to have my kids use these neon gel highlighters from Ooly. Not only are they great for kids who might have decreased grasp strength because it doesn't require much pressure for the colors to show up, they are easy for kids to erase. The bonus for the kids is that they smell delightful!
I Can Do That! Origami-this super simple cutting and folding projects for preschoolers helps develop cutting skills and folding skills which are great for developing fine motor and grasping skills. There are a bunch of activities with no more than 3 steps where kids can turn pictures into something else.
I Can Do That! Stickers-this is another favorite of the kids at work. I mean, anytime you include stickers in a project it's sure to be a big hit! Kids not only work on developing fine motor, grasping and coordination skills, they can work on problem-solving, early math and reasoning skills through the simple activities. Another great thing about this is that the stickers are reusable so it isn't a one and done kind of thing.

Wooden Magnetic Earth Tiles-I am a huge fan of Magna-Tiles and have given them as first birthday gifts countless times. However, I love the idea of non-plastic options so when I found these, I was psyched. Earth tiles are made from a durable, sustainable wood with magnets hidden inside so they easily stick to each other. These open-ended building toys encourage creativity and imagination skills, help with developing fine motor and grasping skills, improves bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination and visual motor skills. At the same time, young children can learn about shapes with these triangular and square shaped blocks.

Squigz-a holiday gift guide wouldn't be complete without mentioning Squigz. For younger kids, be sure to check out pipSquigz and the Suction Kupz. These oversized suction cup toys will keep your kids entertained for hours  while helping develop fine motor and grasping skills (and can even help with giving some relief when teething). Each one of the pipSquiz is a different shape, has a different tactile experience and a different sound. The Suction Kupz come in a set of 6 and can be used to put other little toys in, house snacks or just be used as a toy to explore. They are both perfect for keeping kids engaged while sitting in their stroller or high chair or even while getting bathed. For older kids, there are a whole series of Squigz from Fat Brain Toys. These open ended toys are great for working on developing grasping skills and bilateral coordination, improve hand-eye coordination, focus and attention and encourage kids to be more creative and imaginative. These are great to keep in your bag for long car trips as they can stick to windows and provide your child with hours of entertainment.

Lalaboom Pop Beads-I love when I find a traditional toy that has been given a bit of a modern update to it. I can remember playing with the Fisher-Price pop beads as a child and still recommend pop beads to parents who are looking for developmental toys for their babes. I was killing time at the beginning of the year and scouring Fat Brain Toys when I stumbled upon the Lalaboom beads. These snap together beads are a great way for young children to work on increasing grasp and upper extremity strength, improves bilateral coordination, motor planning skills and hand-eye coordination. What's nice about these beads are that they each have a different texture on the outside making it an opportunity for sensory exploration. The other great thing about them is that each bead is actually two parts and can be screwed apart and they can mix and match beads. So as kids grow, the way they can play with this toy changes and becomes increasingly more challenging.

Bright Basics Peg Garden-peg boards are so great for developing fine motor and grasping skills, hand-eye coordination and focus and attention in children as young as 1 years old but are oftentimes so simple that they don't always hold the interest of children for long. Educational Insights has a way of making this important toy more fun for kids. Last year, I featured the Learning Resources Peg Friends Stacking Farm set (which I still use multiple times per week at work). I am in love with this garden themed pegboard which comes with 15 flower pegs and 12 different insects that they can place on top of the flowers. This is great for improving hand-eye coordination, visual motor skills and focus and attentional skills. What's nice about this pegboard set is that it can be graded to work on different kinds of skills such as sorting the flowers by color, matching the bugs, counting and color identification.

Yeti, Set, Go!-this new game from Play Monster is a mix between Hungry, Hungry Hippos and Yeti in My Spaghetti and has been a huge hit with my kids at work. This goal of this four player game is to be the first player to get all of your meatballs on the mountain ledges. Kids put the meatball on the Yeti's foot, aim in the right place and push the head down. The trick is that if you hit the head to soft the meatball won't go anywhere and if you push too hard it will fly across the room! This game is great for working on hand-eye coordination, visual motor skills, focus, attention and self-regulation.

Googly Eyes Game-finding games for older children can be a challenge. How many times do kids roll their eyes when parents suggest a game night? The key to this not happening is finding a super fun game. Googly Eyes is just that. Players pick a card with a word on it and have to draw a picture. The challenge is that they are wearing glasses (three different lenses) that alter their vision making it much harder to draw what they are supposed to. Kids roll the dice, move their pieces and where they land will determine which set of lenses they have to use to draw their picture. This is not only a fun game, it is a great way to work on graphomotor skills without the pressure of things having to be perfect.

Panda Rollers-this game is geared towards preschoolers and is a really fun way to work on improving visual skills such as visual discrimination, visual tracking and visual motor skills. Kids shake the dice and race to be the first player to match your panda face cards to the colors of the dice shown. The first one to correctly make their panda face receives a reward tile. The person with the most tiles is the winner. This game is also great for working on improving social skills such as being a good winner/loser and turn taking.

Bop-It-I have to admit I am a bit of a sucker for toys that were popular when I was younger. Bop-It was one of those toys that always provided me with that just right challenge and I now love using it with my kids at work. It is one of my go-to toys to work on developing executive functioning skills and to help with increasing frustration tolerance. While there are quite a few to choose from these days, I think the original is the best, especially for kids who might have decreased frustration tolerance or difficulty with focus and attention. In addition to being great for working on executive functioning skills, it is a fun tool to help develop fine motor and grasping skills, improves hand-eye coordination and improves bilateral coordination.

Simon Game-another oldie but goodie and a great game for older school age children who are on your list this year. This is another game that I encourage parents to get for their kids who need to work on improving executive functioning skills. The Simon game is an electronic game where the players have to watch a light sequence and then repeat it in the correct order. The more they can repeat, the higher their score is. In addition to working on executive functioning skills, playing the Simon game also works on hand-eye coordination, visual motor skills, sequencing and can work on increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills.

Giant Coloring Posters-these are still one of my favorite things as it is a gift that can last a long time and can be done with friends and family making it a true collaborative project. There are a ton to choose from but my friends over at Norman & Jules have a great selection from a company called Omy that I like the best. Other than the obvious goal of working on improving graphomotor skills, there are a ton of other skills that can be worked on using these giant coloring posters. For example, if you hang it on a wall, kids can work on a vertical surface which is great for building upper extremity strength and shoulder stability and improves core strength. Additionally, it can be a wonderful social activity. We have actually had one one year in my social skills group and it was really fun to watch the kids talk about what they were coloring, what colors they were choosing and having to compromise when someone else might have wanted to color in part of the picture that someone else might have wanted.

Kid Made Modern Arts and Crafts Supply Library-this craft kit is easily one of my most favorite gifts and I actually use it at work on a daily basis. This kit comes with over 1,200 different art supplies including pom-poms, beads, various kinds of pipe-cleaners, googly eyes, felt pieces and SO much more. The best part about it is that it comes in a super sturdy case with compartments for everything. While they give you a simple guide with some ideas of things you can make, this kit is intended to ignite creativity and encourages kids to come up with their own ideas. I have loved seeing how my kids have looked through all the supplies, make a plan and then bring their idea to life. Not only are they working on developing fine motor and grasping skills, they are working on improving executive functioning skills such as task initiation, planning and prioritizing and organizational skills.

Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics-these are a long time favorite of mine and they have recently added a bunch of new sets. Sticky Mosaics are a great activity for working on developing grasping skills, increases grasp strength and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye coordination, visual motor and perceptual skills, visual tracking and focus, attention and organizational skills. As kids complete their pictures by matching the stickers to the correct number, their confidence and self-esteem soar as they see their hard work turn into something that they can hang up and display. Be sure to check out local toy stores for these. I have found that they are in lots of the local small businesses here in the New York City area.

DIY Pin and Flair Set-this DIY kit was a gift my daughter received last year for her birthday and she loved it. Kids can color, cut and then bake (think Shrinky Dinks) 18 different pins or other kinds of accessories. This simple activity encourages kids to be creative and express themselves through their color choices and design while working on improving coloring skills, executive functioning skills and increasing confidence and self-esteem.

Chalk Blocks-if you are a regular reader, you know that I am a sucker for a good set of blocks. I am totally obsessed with this set of wooden chalkboard building blocks. Each set comes with 7 blocks, dustless chalk (which lasts longer than conventional chalk), a set of mini paint brushes and a chalk sharpener. What I love about these are kids can work on handwriting and drawing skills while also encouraging creativity and imagination skills. Building with any kind of blocks is also great for developing executive functioning skills such as planning, problem solving and task completion.

Alphabet Blocks-i'm always on the hunt for tools that make learning and writing letters and shapes more motivating for kids. A few months ago, my friends over at Rose and Rex send me this set of alphabet blocks that has quickly become a favorite of the kids at work. These oversized wooden blocks have hand-painted letters, numbers and shapes on all the sides. What makes these unique is that one side of each block is painted in chalkboard paint which kids can use to practice their writing skills. I have had kids practice writing their names by filling in blank letters or have them fill in missing letters of common sight words. They love that after they are done, they love that they can erase it.

Eeboo Pretend Play Stickers-one thing we know about the holidays is that we end up with a ton of cardboard boxes of different sizes. One of my daughter's favorite things to do to this day is to use these boxes to build all kinds of things with. The hours that were spent making and creating were some of our favorite and most creative hours. When I discovered these pretend play stickers by Eeboo, I was ecstatic. Many of the kids I work with are too young or have trouble with initiating play and these are perfect for them. There are 3 sets to choose from (Car, Kitchen, Spaceship) and each comes with 5 sheets of reusable stickers. In addition to being a perfect tool for encouraging pretend play, creativity and imagination skills, it is great for working on improving fine motor and grasping skills, hand-eye coordination and visual motor skills. It's also a great social skills tool!

Design and Drill-this is a big hit with so many of the kids I work with and I love how many ways it can be used to address therapeutic goals. There are a ton of great sets to choose from depending on what your child's interests are. They have sets that use a battery operated drill or a screwdriver that requires children to use more muscle power but the goal of each of them is pretty much the same. Using the drill or screwdriver, kids fill in the holes with different colored bolts. Kids can either follow patterns provided with each set or create their own designs. Some of the sets have you decorate robots, princess crowns, etc. and others that are just a blank canvas for the kids to fill in. These are great for working on increasing grasp strength, improves visual motor and perceptual skills and helps with focus, attentional and organizational skills.

Buggzle-I like this puzzle game for a variety of reasons. First of all, I like that it is small and can be thrown in a bag to keep kids entertained while waiting for an appointment, while traveling or in a restaurant. Kids pick one of the 40 challenge cards and then have to use the puzzle pieces to make their bug match what is shown on the card. This game is a great way to work on developing fine motor and grasping skills, encourages spatial reasoning, hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, critical thinking, focus, attention and organizational skills.

Sensory TheraPlay Box-this is something I discovered last year and tried out myself for work and I now look forward to the email each month telling me this sensory subscription box is on it's way. First of all, I have been introduced to a countless number of new products that have had been such a positive addition to my practice. It's also given me a ton of tools to be able to recommend to other therapists and families I work with. Each month I receive a box arrives at my door with 5-7 sensory tools hand-picked by the occupational therapist who started this product. I have received fidget toys, special kinds of putty and play doh and home exercise plans to name just a few. While this subscription box was intended for children on the spectrum or for children with sensory processing difficulties, I have been introduced to so many great products that help children of all abilities.

Pipsticks Sticker Club-this is one of my daughter's favorite things she has ever gotten. Each month, she receives an envelope filled with 15 sheets of unique stickers, a pre-stamped postcard (that she often uses to send her cousins or a friend), an activity booklet and a reusable pouch to store everything in. In addition to kids just loving stickers, using them has a lot of therapeutic value and they don't even know it. They are great for working on improving grasping skills, improves visual skills, improves hand-eye coordination and can encourage creativity. I can't tell you the number of hours my daughter and her friends have spent endless hours creating stories and comics using her Pipstick sticker collection.

Mrs. Grossman's Sticker Club-this is another awesome sticker club but one that I recommend for younger kids. Very much like Pipsticks, this monthly subscription comes with at least 15 sheets of Mrs. Grossman's stickers. What's fun about this sticker club is that in addition to getting new stickers, they include classic and not-yet released stickers. Like I mentioned above, using stickers has a lot of therapeutic value and they don't even know it. They are great for working on improving grasping skills, improves visual skills, improves hand-eye coordination and can encourage creativity.

We Craft Box-I have a kid who is really into her arts and crafts but we don't always know what to do with the supplies that we have lying around our house. There are a lot of families out there that would like to be into crafting but don't know where to start. When I discovered the We Craft Box I thought of so many of the kids I work with now who would love to get a box filled with all the supplies necessary to complete 2-3 themed crafts for two children. What I really love about this is that they come with photo directions so kids can follow them independently (with supervision from an adult) when possible. For older siblings, they can help develop confidence and self-esteem by helping their younger siblings to complete their craft projects. This gift that keeps on giving is great for developing fine motor and grasping skills, encourages creativity and imagination skills, works on visual motor, and perceptual skills and SO many other developmental skills.

There is so much more that I could have added to this list! If there is something specific that you are looking for, I have a lot more gift ideas that are great for working on a variety of skills. Just remember, I am only a click away and love hearing from everyone. Don't hesitate reaching out with specific ideas for your children!

The most important thing I look for when I put this list together is that the products don't seem like a therapy exercise for the kids. An added bonus is when they can be something that children of all ages and abilities can enjoy. Sometimes it might mean you have to adjust the rules or expectations for some children to be successful, but those adjustments are simple.