2021 Stocking Stuffers and Small Stuff Guide

This is always one of my favorite gift guides to put together because I feel like we are always looking for small gifts for kids whether it be an add-on to a larger gift or to be used as a motivator or prize for a job well done. There are some gifts on here that make the list year after year (Thinking Putty, chopsticks, on-the-go craft kits) but most of these are new this year. There are so many clever gifts out there that can be used for therapeutic purposes without the kids even knowing. I tried to include gifts for various ages and many of these are appropriate for kids of all ages and are not age-specific. 

1. Magnetic Connect 4-saw this and thought it was a fun game to play on a fridge or some other kind of magnetic surface. The goal of the game is the same as the original but you can work on increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills while also working on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning, problem solving and organizational skills. For you city dwellers, the added bonus is that you don't have to figure out where to store another bulky game with lots of pieces. 

2. Nee-Doh Dohjee-squishy balls are all the rage these days and these have been a huge hit with my friends at the gym. What I love about these are that they come with a mini nee-doh ball and an outside animal/creature covering that you can mix and match with other Dohjees you collect. Great for increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills, improves bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination in addition to having a small little fidget that will help calm down during stressful times. 

3. Silicone Bracelets With Charms Set-fun set of plastic bracelets that kids can personalize with a variety of charms (you must buy both separately). I am actually planning on ordering a bunch of these for the kids to make as a holiday gift from me this year. Great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills and also works on improving bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination. I like that you can easily swap the charms out of your bracelet so if the child's interests change or they want to coordinate with the outfit of the day, they can. 

4. Tiny Ice Cream Kit-my sister bought my daughter the tiny baking kit and it was a huge hit with her and her friends. The kit comes with all the mini-sized tools you will need and an instruction book with 15 different tiny ice cream ideas. A great gift for an older kid (definitely suggest 8 or older like recommended on the packaging) who has decent frustration tolerance. This adorable set works on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills and is a fabulous way to encourage executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and organizational skills. In the end, they have some adorable and tasty creations to show off. 

5. Busy Ideas for Bored Kids (Outside Edition)-after the last crazy 20 months, I am finding that so many kids don't really know what to do when they aren't on a device or being told exactly what to do. I am trying to encourage my own daughter to get outdoors as much as possible while the weather is still nice but oftentimes she will say she is bored or doesn't know what she should do. This deck of cards will help children choose fun activities to do outside with their peers. Hopefully they will use the cards as suggestions and add their own adventures to the suggested activities. 

6. Whatchamadrawit Game-this fast-paced drawing game encourages creativity, imagination and thinking outside the box. All you need is a paper, writing instruments and your imagination. This can definitely be played during family game night and I think the more players, the better! Before each round a judge is chosen....a card is picked and everyone has 60-seconds to draw what is on the card and the judge will pick his/her favorite and the winner gets the card. The person with the most cards at the end is the winner. Such a fun way to work on improving drawing and graphomotor skills and working on kids, especially those more rigid ones, to think outside the box and have fun. 

7. DIY Air Dry Clay Kit-I love using clay with my kids at work because it's such a great way to work on improving grasp strength and fine motor and manipulation skills but they often get upset when their creations get ruined. I have avoided using the oven bake clay since I don't have an oven to bake it at work and when I try and bring it home to cook, I end up ruining it. So I am loving this air dry clay from Ooly and how easy it is for kids to manipulate. Kids can make a creation (or practice making letters, numbers, shapes, etc.) and by the time they return the following week it's dry and ready to take home. 

8. On-The-Go Play Again Sticker and Game Set-reusable stickers can be a hit or a major miss but these sets from Ooly are an all-time favorite. There are three different sets to choose from: Daring Dinos, Sunshine Garden and Workin' Wheels and each set features a simple board game, a match and learn game, tic tac toe and a scene board where kids can use the stickers to use their imagination and create their own picture. These are so awesome for developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye coordination works on developing focus, attention, organizational and problem solving skills. The best part is that everything is easily stored within in the packaging so it's easy to take on the go to keep kids entertained while traveling. 

9. Dimple Pops-I love when a toy fad ends up actually being therapeutic and fidget toys have made a really big comeback since Covid. I'm not gonna lie....when I was doing a majority of my sessions remotely, I found myself needing something to keep my hands busy so I started using a fidget to help me focus. When I first saw all these pop-toys, I was instantly obsessed. I love that they have expanded and have kids of all ages in mind. What young kids don't realize is that while they are playing with this new fad toy, they are working on developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, visual motor skills and so much more. These Dimple Pops are really great for the little hands who are working on finger isolation. 

10. Loopy Looper-this is a fidget toy for older kids (or grown-ups) and the fun thing about this particular one is that there are four different options with different challenges. 

Edge: Place your marble inside and find the perfect speed to keep it sticking to the rail.
Flow: Spin as slowly as you like to, taking time to feel the marble flow around the loop. Helps with focus, concentration and getting creative juices flowing.
Hoop: relax with a simple spin around the loop or launch into a quick-fire challenge by trying to land the ball inside the hoop! 
Jump: this Loopy Looper requires skillful spinning to get the marble through the gap. Once the child figures out the method, they can keep going as fast as they can. 

These are great for developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improve hand-eye coordination and encourages concentration, focus and a sense of calm. 

11. Mega Construx Pokéman-it's funny how Pokéman are still a thing today after all these years. I'm loving these construction sets that work on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, increased grasp strength, improves focus, attention, planning and organizational skills. There are 6 different characters to choose from or you can collect them all. 

12. Crazy Aarons Thinking Putty-I love everything about this putty but most love that the founder hires adults with special needs and trains them to have meaningful jobs. There is a giant variety of colors, styles and even some that smell! Putty is a great way to work on increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills and is also a great fidget for those moments when your child may have to return to remote learning. I like to hide small beads, coins or little animals in the putty to make it more motivating for tired little hands. 

13. Light Saber Chopsticks-couldn't resist adding these when I stumbled upon them. One of my go-to activities I give parents to do at home to work on improving grasp and manipulation skills is to use child-friendly chopsticks while eating. I still have a lot of older kids who need to work on this skill but want nothing to do with the babyish chopsticks. How much are older kids going to love these light saber/Star Wars inspired chopsticks?!?

14. Speks Geode Magnetic Sets-I picked these up on a whim a few months ago not realizing they would be a huge hit and now I am not sure who loves them more...me or the kids! Think Magnatiles on a much smaller scale. Great for on the go fun while also working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills. There is no right or wrong way to play with them and you can collect all the sets to create larger projects. 

15. Kids Made Modern Unicorn, Shark, Mermaid and Cosmic Necklace Kits-cute little on the go necklace making sets from an incredible company. I've been a huge fan of the quality of the materials that come in each of their kits. These necklace sets come complete with a charm, cord for stringing, 40 various beads and comes in a cute little tin storage case that can be used later as a trinket box or even use it to turn into a homemade ornament once your little crafter completes their necklace. 

16. Scribble Scrubble Pets-another fun little toy that will encourage even the most resistant writers pick up a marker and start coloring. My kids have loved coloring, designing and playing with these but they truly love scrubbing them clean and doing it over and over again. These are great for introducing younger children to coloring but also works on encouraging bilateral and hand-eye coordination, imagination and creativity skills and early writing skills. You can also work on improving tactile sensitivity by having them use soap or shaving cream on the scrub brush when scrubbing them clean. 

17. Mini Jenga Game-couldn't resist adding this to the list when I stumbled upon it. Jenga never fails to entertain kids and now you can take it on the go. Jenga is great for working on hand-eye coordination, focus, planning and organizational skills. If you want to add a fun little twist to the game, you can turn this into an ice-breaker game by writing questions on each block. 

18. Secret Decoder Ring-cute and simple way to encourage kids to work on handwriting in a fun way. Leave your kids messages that they have to decode using this ring. Each letter has a number that it coordinates with. Want your kids to do a chore? Write the message out in numbers and have your kids solve the mystery. Not only is this a fun way to work on handwriting, by twisting the ring you are working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills. 

19. Exploding Hand Soap-do you have kids who are resistant to hand washing? Try motivating them with these water bead like soap balls. They use the little spoon shaped like a hand to take one of the jar and then pop the bead that's filled with soap. Once the color disappears, they know they have washed long enough and can rinse. Love that we can add a little bit of sensory fun to a pretty boring but necessary task. 

20. Peanut Crayons-a great first set of crayons for little hands. These peanut-shaped crayons are a perfect size for early drawers and super well made so there is no fear of them breaking during use. The unique shape of these crayons makes it easier for little hands to grasp for greater ease with coloring. Made from all natural and non-toxic beanwax so parents don't have to worry if they accidently end up in the mouth. 

21. All of Us Crayons-inclusivity is a very important thing, especially in schools. This set of 8 crayons represents all colors of skin and encourages children to see the beauty of all colors and shades of skin. They are a perfect size to encourage a more proper grasp for little hands. Just a fun fact about these crayons: they made it onto Oprah's Favorite Things guide this year!

22. Uno Flip-this is one of my favorite new games this year and my older kids are loving it as well. I mean, who doesn't love Uno? This two-sided Uno game offers the traditional game of Uno with a special card that makes you flip the whole game over for a more competitive side of play with new challenges. Uno has always been a go-to game for me to work on developing executive functioning skills for my kids because it's a fun way to work on focus, attention, organization, planning and problem solving skills. 

23. Water Beads-when I pull these out for my kids, they are so excited! Loving this linked set that comes with thousands of water beads in various sizes. Water bead play is a wonderful way to encourage sensory play and exploration with little mess for grownups to clean up. I always give my kids cups, spoons and other toys to use when playing to encourage bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination and focus and attentional skills. Sometimes I like to hide little plastic animals in the water beads and have them go on a hunt to save them which is always a big hit. 

24. Eraser Puzzles-these come highly recommended by my 11 year old daughter and her bestie. I love when a gift is not only practical but can also be used to reach developmental goals. Kids can work on problem solving, hand eye coordination, bilateral coordination and improves fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills. Each eraser has 5 pieces and you can mix and match. Be sure to check out your local toy stores to see what kinds of eraser puzzles they have....I have picked up the cutest animal and food eraser puzzles over the years for goody bags and prizes for my kids at work. 

25. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza Card Game-not sure if you have noticed but I happen to have a thing for card games, especially ones that will engage the whole family. My speech therapist colleague Jacki Barredo  suggested this game to me and I have been sharing it since. This game sounds more complicated than it actually and can be enjoyed by the whole family. The deck is split evenly between 2-8 players. Each person takes a turn flipping a card face-up on a pile in the middle while saying the words "Taco", "Cat", "Goat", "Cheese", "Pizza" in that order. If the card in the middle happens to match the word being spoken, the players race to slap the deck...whoever is the last to slap the deck must take the whole pile and add to their set of cards. The person who gets rid of all of their cards first is the winner. 

26. Mini Twister Game-this is truly a dream recommendation for an occupational therapist! Twister has always been a favorite of mine because it works on so many developmental goals and this mini version makes me so happy. Such a fun way to work on improving fine motor and manipulation skills, finger isolation skills, motor planning and executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and problem solving skills. 

27. Animal ABC Stickable Foam Bath Shapes-I've always encouraged parents to make bath-time as meaningful as possible. Whether it be using shaving cream on the wall to practice drawing or writing letters, I believe that kids learn best at a young age through hands-on, sensory based play which is why bath time is a perfect time for early learning. Loving these extra adorable foam animal alphabet stickers that come with a mesh bag for easy storage. A perfect opportunity to not only learn letters, these are great for working on improving fine motor and grasping skills and to expand language skills and learning letter sounds. 

28. Unplugged Play: Grade School Edition-I'm constantly hearing that my 11 year old daughter is bored and doesn't know what to do (even though she has enough to keep her entertained for days on end) if she isn't allowed to be on her phone. I do think that after almost 20 months of everyone relying on technology, kids really are struggling making choices about what to do during their downtime. Since most kids don't want to be told what to do, I am loving the idea of giving them a book like that that has tons of choices for them to make. There are a variety of activities such as indoors vs. outdoors, solo play vs. playing with a friend/sibling but the common factor is that they don't require any technology. Be sure to check out the preschool edition for your younger kids. 

29. Boon Bath Time Pipes-going back to my love of making bath time as meaningful as possible, how cool are these suction cup pipes??? This 5 piece set can be used individually or can be connected to build a chain. Each shape has a unique feature which encourages sensory exploration, hand-eye coordination, bilateral coordination, cause and effect and so much more. These don't only have to be used during bath time....you can add them to a sensory bin with a variety of materials such as rice, beans, water beads and so much more. 

30. Twee Chalk-I love that there are some things that are ageless and timeless but also love that some of those things have become more advanced and exciting. I am totally obsessed with all of the gorgeous chalk creations from Twee (a Philadelphia based woman run company....woot woot). While my 11 year old daughter pretends to not care about these these things, she still get's excited when I buy a set of Twee chalk and insists I do not bring them to work. Living in Brooklyn and having a lot of sidewalk space so we have spent countless hours doing chalk drawing. Sidewalk chalk drawing is great for encouraging creativity and imagination skills and works on increasing upper extremity and hand strength. I encourage parents to have kids practice writing letters, numbers and shapes. 

I have tried once again to link some of my favorite local toy stores whenever I could as I have always found it very important to support our local businesses but even more so now. Many of the items listed above are ones that I have seen in most toy stores I have visited all over the place. And since are all hearing about shipping nightmares and problems with supply chain, why not take out some of the stress and support your local stores where you don't have to worry about toys arriving on time. If you are shopping for family members who are not local, find out their local toy stores and see if you can shop from there. If you are in the NYC area, be sure to check out the following stores: Lulu's Cuts and Toys, Little Things Toy Store, Norman and Jules, Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store, West Side Kids, Stationary and Toy World, Mary Arnold Toys, Kidding Around Toys and Boomerang Toys. 

If you are looking for specific ideas for your kids or kids on your shopping list, please do not hesitate reaching out to me for suggestions. I have so many more thoughts on great gifts for the important toddlers in your life. I am only an email away at otmeghan@gmail.com and love to hear from and help in any way I can. 

2019 Holiday Gift Guide-Stocking Stuffers/The Small Stuff

This is one of my most of all my holiday gift guides to put together. I think there are a lot of people who need to pick up little gifts during the holidays and there are so many to choose from. The problem with a lot of the little gifts out there are that they can be used once which can be really frustrating. In this list, I have tried to put together a variety of toys, crafts and activities that can either be used again and again or when created, can be used for a long period of time. Many of them are great for keeping kids entertained when on-the-go or out and about. All of them were hand-picked because I know that they will help the children on your gift-giving list develop a variety of skills. More importantly, they were chosen because I know that kids enjoy playing with them without knowing that they are actually "working". Below, you will find over 20 of my favorite stocking stuffer/small gifts.

Plus Plus Tubes-these manipulative toys are just awesome and make a great stocking stuffer or small gift for those on your list this year. There are several themed tubes to choose from depending on what your child's interests may be and they are all great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improving hand-eye and bilateral coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on a variety of executive functioning skills. Kids can follow the step-by-step directions and create whatever they suggest or can use their imagination and make their own creation. I love how you can throw these into your bag for on-the-go entertainment.





Scratch and Scribble Kits-another great product from my favorite OOLY that would not only make a great stocking stuffer, but also great for keeping kids entertained while on-the-go. Each of these kits (there are a bunch of different ones to choose from and come in two different sizes) comes with 4 illustrated cards and a variety of blank cards that kids can make whatever designs they feel like creating and a special wooden tool. These are great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and graphomotor skills, improves hand-eye coordination, bilateral coordination, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and encourages creativity and imagination skills.

Gunner and Lux DIY Holiday Ornament Necklace Kit-a perfect little gift for your fashionistas. This adorable DIY Necklace Kit from Gunner and Lux comes with the wooden ornament, beads, tassel, a marker (but you can use any of your favorite markers to complete the ornament) and rope. Kids color their ornament in any way they want, add beads and the tassel and then tie the rope to the desired length. This is a great activity for working on developing fine motor, manipulation and graphomotor skills, improves bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills and encourages creativity while working on developing executive functioning skills.

Squiggle Wiggle Pen-this is something I have loved and used in my therapy sessions for as long as I can remember. The Squiggle Wiggle Writer is a battery operated vibrating pen that allows children to turn straight lines into loops, circles, curves and a variety of other things depending on the amount of pressure you use while drawing. It comes with 5 different color refills that you can switch in and out as you please. While this is a fun writing instrument, it is a great therapeutic tool as the vibrating helps with focus and attention. It is also great for working on developing fine motor and grasping skills and encourages creativity and imagination.





Mad Mattr Quantum Pods-this is one of my 9 year old daughters favorite things in the whole world. I should mention I am kinda obsessed with Mad Mattr as well. From the makers of Kinetic Sand, Mad Mattr is a non-toxic, oderless dough that flows and never dries out. Made out of a polymer-dough mix, this sensory material can be used to help kids with tactile defensiveness, increase grasp strength and manipulation skills and encourages creativity and imagination. Use it with cookie cutters and other tools (I like to use some of my tools from playdough sets) to encourage bilateral coordination skills. For parents who worry about sensory materials making a mess, this is your thing. This is a super clean sensory material that doesn't stain hands or your furniture.

Build-A-Bot Unicorn Robot Toy-I can't speak for anyone else's kids but my daughter is a big fan of all of the small interactive animal toys out there. We have had more Little Live Pets, and even at almost 10 years old doesn't want to part with them, then I can count. As the mother of a huge unicorn fan, I wish this S.T.E.M. kit had been around when she was younger. Kids can build their very own Unicorn robot. Each kit comes with over 20 pieces and stickers for your kid to build their very own pet unicorn that you an interact with. Great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves bilateral and hand-eye coordination and works on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning, organization and task completion.



Shrinky Dinks DIY Pins Project Pack-I am a long time fan of all things Shrinky Dinks. I love that things from my own childhood are still a thing now and that I can enjoy them with my own daughter. This set comes with some images images of cute animals, food and other things that you can trace onto two types of Shrinky Dinks sheets but you can also trace your favorite book characters or images you like. Cut out the design, color it in and follow the bake and shrink directions provided. Once it is cooled off, you can add a glitter sticker to the back to give it a shiny metallic look, glue on the tie-tack and put it on your favorite jacket, your back pack or anything else you think could use a little extra bling! Great for working on improving fine motor and graphomotor skills, encourages creativity and imagination and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and task completion.

NeeDoh Bubble Glob Groovy Glob Ball-I am pretty much obsessed with any and all sensory/squishy balls. One of the most popular things at my gym is this giant container of sensory balls and tools  and many of them are from the NEEDOH line. Thanks to my monthly subscription to Sensory TheraPlay Box, I have learned about a lot of great sensory tools including the extensive collection of squishy balls from Schylling. Color changing, Snowball, Gumball, Cool Cats.....there are so many to choose from and they are all pretty fabulous. Other than the overwhelmingly good feeling of squeezing them, squishy balls are great for reducing stress and anxiety in children while working on increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills.

Kid Made Modern On-The-Go Drawing Kit-if you don't know about Kid Made Modern On-The-Go kits, you are missing out on some pretty awesome stuff. When my daughter was little, I was always carrying around a bag of random things to keep her entertained when we were out and about. I wish that these little kits had been available to us because we would have gotten so much use out of them. The first kit I will share is the Drawing Kit. This kit comes with a 32-page sketch book with drawing prompts, 12 mini colored pencils and a pencil sharpener which can be stored in the fabric carrying case. This on-the-go drawing set is great for developing fine motor and graphomotor skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills, helps with improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and organizational skills while encouraging creativity and imagination.



Kid Made Modern On-The-Go Jewelry Making Kit-another one of my favorite on-the-go gifts. I actually got a handful of these last summer and brought them to the beach for my daughter and her friends when they needed some down time. Great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination, works on improving focus, attention and organizational skills while also encouraging creativity. Each kit comes with over 100 multicolored acrylic beads and 2 colors of cording which can be stored in the fabric carrying case.



DIY Charms Accessories Kit-this is another great on-the-go crafting kit that works on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye and bilateral coordination, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills, encourages creativity and can help with letter recognition. This craft set comes with 50 assorted plastic letter beads, charms and multi-colored jewels and string to make bracelets, necklaces, keychains and other accessories.





32 Ways to Dress Wild Animals Book-as the mother of a budding fashion designer and an animal lover, I was so excited to find these at Norman and Jules a couple of years ago. This adorable book is another awesome on-the-go activity book that works on developing fine motor and graphomotor skills, encourages creativity and imagination, works on visual motor and visual perceptual skills and helps develop executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and planning skills. This little activity book comes with 32 perforated and removable black and white illustrations with upper bodies and feet/shoes and allows your little artist to draw the perfect outfit for each animal. Can be used with your favorite writing instrument but I highly recommend the ooly Yummy Yummy Scented Gel Glitter Pens  or ooly Sketch and Color Colored Pencil Set.



Kiko + Wakka Game-love this little game that and totally takes me back to my own childhood with our little water games similar to this. The point of the game is simple: there are a bunch of little hoops floating in the water and by pushing the two buttons, you try and get them onto the the spikes. This little hand-held game which you can pick up from Norman and Jules in Park Slope is great for working on improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills, increases grasp strength and manipulation skills and works on developing executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, organization and improves frustration tolerance.

Wikkidoodle Fun-these are another item that has made my gift guide year after year. I recently got a fresh new set of Wikki Stix and introduced them to one of my kids who has been really struggling with learning how to write letters. It was so much fun to watch him twist and turn the Wikki-Stix into letters and shapes and I could see his confidence increasing with this simple multi-sensory approach to learning. The Wikkidoodle Fun kit is another great on-the-go gift to keep kids entertained while in the car, on a plane or at a restaurant. It comes with 36 Wikki Stix and a 32 page doodle pad. The doodle pad doesn't require any crayons or markers, just the Wikki Stix and your child's hands. Kids work on developing fine motor and grasping skills, improving visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination while twisting, turning and bending the Wikki Stix into the shapes they see on the pad. I love how it also encourages creativity and imagination by giving them a prompt with a line or a squiggle and has them turn it into something else.



Disney Princess Magic Clip Dolls-these are easily one of the most asked for toy at my gym and would make your princess loving kid so happy. These little dolls can be purchased individually (I picked up most of mine at Lulu's Cuts and Toys in Park Slope) or in an 8 pack for a larger gift. These tiny little dolls work on developing so many skills such as improving grasp strength and manipulation skills, develops hand-eye coordination, visual motor and perceptual skills and works on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organizational skills. I have been using them with my kids in my social skills group and paired them up with Magna-Tiles, having them build a castle with the Magna-Tiles and then watch them play.

Scribble Scrubbie Pets Beauty Salon and Vet Sets-I picked these up on a whim last week at Stationery and Toy World on the UWS of Manhattan and these are now a new favorite of mine. More importantly, the kids absolutely love them. These adorable sets from Crayola work on developing fine motor and graphomotor skills, helps to improve bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination and visual motor skills while encouraging creativity and imagination skills. Using the special scrubbie markers, kids can color their pets any way they want. When they are done, they can use the little spray bottle to wet the animals down and then scrub them clean with the brush provided. When used in my social skills group, we worked on cooperative play by having them color them together and help each other with cleaning and drying off their pet.



Tiger Tribe Coloring Sets-I have picked up a few of these sets from one of my local stores, Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store in Park Slope, and they have been really wonderful for keeping my daughter entertained in the car and in restaurants. There are a ton of different themes to choose from so you are sure to find one perfect for your kid. Each set comes with a book of 36 coloring pages, 2 handy storage drawers, 3 sheets of stickers 3 double sided markers. I really like the included markers because they are a good size and encourage a tripod grasp. Not only great for keeping kids entertained but also works on developing fine motor and graphomotor skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills and encourages creativity and imagination skills.



Bag of Magic Tricks-looking for something a little off the beaten path for one of the kiddos this year? I love this Bag of Magic Tricks that I have seen at Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store in Park Slope. The set includes over 15 tricks packaged in a fabric bag making it easy to take on the go to entertain people over the holidays. It also includes a 20-page magician booklet so your child can master the magic. This is great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves bilateral coordination and is awesome for working on developing executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, sequencing, following directions, planning and organizational skills. While your kids are mastering these magic tricks, they are building confidence and self-esteem at the same time.

Melting Snowman-this simple little gift will bring hours of entertainment to your children while also working on increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills, improves bilateral coordination and visual motor and perceptual skills while also working on learning about body parts and improves body awareness. This melting snowman kit comes filled with reusable melting putty, hat, scarf, eyes, nose and arms for your kids to make their own snowman over and over again. It is so much fun to watch their delight each and every time the snowman goes from standing tall to being a puddle.





Creatibles D.I.Y. Eraser Kit-another one of my favorites from my OOLY is not only great for working on developing a variety of skills, but also a very useful end product for school age kids. My daughter is constantly on the search for erasers and I have to believe (or at least hope) that she's not alone. This easy make and bake eraser kit helps children use their imagination to make their own erasers. Creatibles comes with 12 pliable clay colors that can be mixed together to make any color they want. Kids can use their hands or tools and their imagination to make their very own erasers. Once they are made, they get thrown in the oven to cook and then they can be used to assist with homework! This kit is great for working on increasing fine motor skills, grasp strength and manipulation skills, improves bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination and visual motor skills and encourages creativity.

Lee Sticker Puzzles-I discovered these awesome sticker puzzles years ago at another one of my local toy stores, Little Things in Park Slope, and have always had a handful of them in my work closet since. These are one of my most recommended on-the-go/travel activities when people ask. There are many different books to choose from and each one comes with 8 puzzles. I love that they start simple with books that have fewer and larger pieces and go up to more challenging puzzles with smaller pieces and higher numbers. This simple book of puzzles works on so many skills including developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, works on number recognition and matching skills, works on improving visual motor, visual perceptual and visual tracking skills and helps with developing executive functioning skills such as focus, attention and organizational skills.




I had so much fun putting this part of my gift guide together. One of the things I thought about when putting it together was how I could support my local small businesses. While I do more shopping online than I am proud to admit, I also do my best to support my local New York City small businesses. I love my local toy stores and encourage you all to support your local toy stores when possible.

If you have any other amazing small gifts/stocking stuffer that the kids in your life have loved, please send them along. If you need some specific recommendations for the kids on your gift-giving list this year, send them along. I am only a click away and love hearing and learning from you all.

2019 Holiday Gift Guide-Crafty Kids!

I think one of the things that I love most about being a pediatric occupational therapist is that I get to play and craft throughout my work day. I love having a job that I get to find products that are not only fun but ones that work on achieving occupational therapy related goals. Crafting with kids can be a fun and effective way of working on developing fine motor skills, increases dexterity, improves hand-eye coordination, boosts self-esteem, encourages self-expression, helps in developing social skills, encourages imagination and creativity, enhances decision making skills and works on developing flexibility.

Discovering new arts and craft activities and projects fills me with such satisfaction. Watching kids play with them and show off their completed projects is another awesome thing to witness. Completed art projects help children feel more confident and encourages them to try more challenging activities down the line.

Below, I have shared some of my favorite craft kits. You'll see that there are a variety of sets intended for children of all ages.


Razzle Dazzle DIY Gem Art Kits-these are a new addition from Ooly and they are an awesome gift for older kids on your list this year. My 9 1/2 year old daughter and her friend spent so much time working on these during a playdate and they look awesome. There are 4 different sets to choose from (Llama, Unicorn, Fox and Lion) and come with all the supplies, including a picture frame to put it in once it is completed, you need. Kids use glue and a little pen to place the different size and colored gems onto the correct letter. This activity is great for working on SO many skills such as improving fine motor and grasping skills, improves visual motor and visual perceptual skills, visual tracking, visual attention, bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination and executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, frustration tolerance and organizational skills.




Scratch and Scribble Art Kits- t-another fun little arts and crafts kit from from Ooly that work on developing fine motor, graphomotor skills and visual motor and perceptual skills. There are 8 different sets to choose from (dinosaurs, unicorns and dogs are just a few of them) based on your child's interests. Each set comes with 6 scratch and scribble sheets, 4 with designs already on them and 2 blank ones for them to come up with their own designs. These are also great for on-the-go entertainment as they are small and lightweight enough to throw in a bag.

Klutz Make Your Own Puffy Stickers-this is another big hit with my daughter and some of my older clients at work. It's funny how happy a sticker can make even older kids. This set comes with all of the materials to make 60 puffy stickers. There are many designs for them to color in but also comes with some that are already colored in. Using a special tool and following the easy to understand directions, kids will make their own stickers. Great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, encourages graphomotor skills when you color the sticker in and great for executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, planning and organization.






Kid Made Modern Arts and Crafts Library-while some children really benefit from structured art projects with a definite beginning and end to it, others do much better with more open-ended and creative kind of activities. This amazing collection of art materials comes in a sturdy carrying case and features all kinds of materials (including glue and scissors)  that encourage creativity in children age 7 and up. Some of the fun materials you will find in the box are feathers, felt pieces, buttons, pom poms, beads, googly eyes and SO much more. This kit encourages children to use their imagination and be creative while also encouraging the development of fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills and improves executive functioning skills such as organization, planning a project and completing it.

My First Arts and Crafts Library-I love that Kid Made Modern realized that younger children would benefit from different kinds of materials and created another arts and crafts library that is better suited for 4-6 year olds. Just like the original Arts and Crafts Library, this kit offers children the opportunity to use a variety of art materials that encourages creativity. The pieces in this kit are a bit larger and easier for smaller hands to manipulate. Kids will use straws, stickers, buttons, pipe cleaners, beads and so many other materials to create. This kit encourages young artists to use their imagination while developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills.

Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics-these make my gift guide every year and for good reason, they are awesome! There are a variety of sets for both toddlers and big kids with themes ranging from unicorns and rainbows to dinosaurs and sports. Sticky Mosaics are great for working on a ton of developmental skills such as color and number recognition, improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills and works on a variety of visual skills such as visual tracking, visual attention, hand-eye coordination and visual motor skills. Kids gain confidence and self-esteem as they match the coordinating colored stickers with the number on the picture. When they are done, they have a piece of art they can display at home. Be sure to check out your local toy stores as they tend to have a large selection of these kits.

Klutz Clay Charms-Klutz has made making these cute little charms for a charm bracelet easy by providing simple step-by-step directions. Kids get to work on improving fine motor and manipulation skills, increase grasp strength, work on following visual directions and improve focus, attention, planning and organizational skills when making their charms. Each kit comes with a clay shaping tool, special glaze, 9 bright clay colors, the supplies needed to turn each clay creation into a charm bracelet, a charm bracelet, a display stand and a detailed instruction book.

Unicorn Smile Kit-my daughter never got into the whole slime thing (which I have always been grateful for), but I know it continues to be a big thing with a lot of kids. I love that this kit comes with everything you need, including a sturdy storage box, to make tons of different slime. The kit includes glue, unicorn beads, ink, different kinds of textured materials to put in the slime, slime containers, scents and so much more. It also comes with different slime recipes for your kids to try out. Making slime is great for working on improving fine motor and manipulation skills and works on executive functioning skills such as planning and organizing, task completion, following directions and focus and attention. The great thing about slime is that it can be used to help build grasp strength when they are playing with it.

Aaron's Thinking Putty Mixed By Me Thinking Putty Kit-like
slime, I find putty to be another big hit amongst kids of all ages and I couldn't be more excited about this kit from Crazy Aaron's. Kids can create their very own color changing Thinking Putty in this newest addition to their line of Mixed by Me kits. Each kit comes with 5 tins of clear putty, three Chiller concentrates, three Thriller effect putties and a mat that has all the directions to make a heat sensitive Thinking Putty. The cool thing about this kit is that it comes with a variety of recipes for different ages. This kit is great for working on increasing grasp strength, improves fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills and encourages executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, motor planning, task completion and organizational skills.



Trading Card Kit-I discovered these DIY when my daughter became obsessed with making her own Pokeman cards. While she was making those, I thought about what a great activity it would be to have kids make their own trading cards during sessions. This awesome kit from Kid Made Modern comes with 36 blank trading cards, 12 gel pens, 3 foil bags (for those kids who love to open blind packs, this will be a huge hit) and a sticker sheet. There are so many fun things you can do that encourage creativity while working on developing fine motor, graphomotor and visual motor skills with this kit. Here are some ways to use these cards:
*have kids create a trading card with a picture of themselves on one side and all their important information on the other side
*have kids make their own superhero cards. Draw pictures of their superheroes on one side and then have them fill in important information about them on the other side
*if they have trading cards that they love to collect, have them make their own. Baseball cards, Pokeman Cards, etc. Encourage them to think about things that they love and make their own unique trading cards.

Rainbow Weaving Kit-Kid Made Modern has done it yet again with this fun weaving kit for kids 5 and up. As a child, I remember learning about weaving by making pot holders with those stretchy cotton bands and those plastic looms. I was introduced to this kit when shopping at Stoopher and Boots on the UWS last spring and they were a huge hit with my kids at work. Each kit comes with enough materials to make 4 projects. The frames have double sided tape on the edges so there is no glue necessary. Kids can choose their colors or you can encourage them to make a pattern for an added challenge. This is a great activity to work on improving fine motor and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye and bilateral coordination and works on improving executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, task completion, planning and organization.

Classic Friendship Bracelet Kit-this is another awesome craft kit for some of the older kids. I feel like the older I get, the more nostalgic I get about things from my childhood coming back. I have vivid memories of my collection of embroidery thread and all of the friendship bracelets I made. It makes me so happy that kids today still get enjoyment out of this activity. Not only is it amazing that we have physical ways to show how important friendship is, it is such a great activity to work on developing fine motor and manipulation skills, improves bilateral and hand-eye coordination and encourages executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, task completion, planning and organization. This kit from Purl Soho includes 5 spools of Chinese Knotting Cord, a safety pin and the pattern to make 9-18 friendship bracelets and comes in 6 different color schemes.

Olli Ella Playpa Coloring Rolls (Forest Coloring Roll, Fairytale Coloring Roll)-these came highly recommended to me by the owner of one of my favorite Park Slope toy stores, Norman and Jules and she has never steered me wrong. I've always been a fan of large coloring posters as they are great for kids to work on together and to be used as a bit of a long term group project. Kids can work on developing visual motor and visual perceptual skills, work on grasping skills and develop hand eye coordination and improve focus, attention and organizational skills. I love that you can hang these on the wall with the coordinating paper roller and then you add the benefit of being able to work on increasing upper extremity strength.






DIY Monster Kit-another great craft kit for children 8 and older. Using just a few simple materials, kids can create their very own monster. If you have kids who are interested in sewing and creating, this is a great gift for them. The kit includes a small cushion, two yes, a felt ball, an embroidery hook, needle and strands of acrylic and wool in a variety of colors. Kids work on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improve planning, organization and task completion, work on bilateral coordination and hand-eye coordination. Additionally, this is a great craft kit for encouraging creativity and imagination and when they finish their monster, giving them increased confidence and self-esteem.

Tots Art Start-this is such a great starter art kit by Alex Jr. for toddlers who are still acquiring fine motor skills and working on the ability to focus and complete tasks presented to them. This kit comes with all the materials needed for 6 activities...shaped paper for decorating, shredded paper for adding to collages, doilies, colored tissue papers, triangle-shaped crayons (great for encouraging a proper grasp), stickers and two frames around peel and stick center areas. This art kit is great for working on developing fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills in toddlers, works on building focus, attention and task completion and encourages creativity and imagination using a variety of different materials and offers sensory exploration in toddlers which is essential for the development of a variety of skills.



Putting this list together was a lot of fun. Personally, I love doing crafts with my own daughter and was so happy to find some new craft kits that even she at 9 1/2 years enjoyed doing. So many kids prefer to spend time in front of some kind of screen but if you find the right art and craft project, you may be able to tear them away for a little while.

If you are looking for some other kinds of ideas when it comes to arts and crafts, don't hesitate reaching out to me. If you have some favorite craft kits that have been a huge hit with your children, I would love to hear about them. I am only a click away and love hearing from you all.

On The Go Fun

Summer is here and with August right around the corner, I know a lot of families spend a lot of time traveling. August also ends up being the time of the year where (some) parents begin to panic about the lack of work their kids have been doing all summer and not being properly prepared for the upcoming school year. Traveling is a great time to practice the whole "make learning fun" concept by packing the right kinds of toys. It can be so easy to just occupy their time by giving them some kind of device, which is fine, but there are so many ways to keep kids entertained without having to be looking at a screen. Below, I share some of my favorite products out there that are easy to take along anywhere. They aren't bulky, heavy or take up a lot of space which is a crucial thing when you are traveling.

Car Seat Travel Tray-I haven't used this but wish I had had something like this for my daughter when she was younger. When she wasn't sleeping, she wanted to be drawing or playing on our long car rides and there was never an easy solution. This travel tray can be attached to your car seat (also can be used in a stroller or when out at a restaurant) over your child's lap and helps in keeping everything your child might need in their reach. This comes in especially handy if you are doing any kind of traveling without a spouse or someone who can be that person who can pick up dropped objects. This particular travel tray has sturdy walls and a raised front edge, has multiple storage areas and the waterproof tray is safe for your child to eat on. Be sure to stock your child's travel tray with their favorite art supplies, manipulative toys, stickers and anything else that will keep them entertained.

OOLY Play Again Reusable Sticker Sets-these are one of my favorite new discoveries of this year. OOLY never disappoints me so when I saw these reusable sticker sets a couple of months ago, I bought them all. Think Colorforms reinvented for kids today. Choose from four different sets: Dragon Racetrack, Space Critters, Mermaid Magic and Princess Garden. These incredibly well made sticker sets come with over 60 reusable stickers with a double-sided trifold scene board and can be stored in the sturdy case they come in. Great for throwing in a bag to keep your kids entertained while traveling. These sets are great for working on improving grasping skills, bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination while encouraging creativity and imagination.

Teebee Play and Store Box-I have loved this storage box since I first saw it on Kickstarter years ago and my own daughter has used it when traveling to keep her Legos all in one place or keep her arts and crafts supplies from going all over the place. The box has a great design with two hinged lids that fold out to create play trays that can rest over your child's legs and a handle for kids to be able to carry from the car to anywhere else. There is also another tray that can be removed to fit on the front edge of the box. If you want to use it for Legos, it comes with a brick plate that you can place in one of the lids. The Teebee box can be used for whatever you want, especially those open-ended toys like action figures, Squigz, beads, etc..  The Teebee box is a great place to store products that will work on increasing grasp strength and manipulation skills while also encouraging creativity and imagination skills.

Squigz 2.0-I've been a fan of Squigz since they first came out years ago and not only use them at work all the time, I gift them to kids almost as much! These open-ended suction cup building toys are as much fun for the grownups as they are for the kids and are so great for working on a variety of developmental skills. Just like the original Squigz, you can push them together to build creations. When you pull them apart, you get the most satisfying Pop sound! The Squigz 2.0 have been updated so that they can not only stick to each other, but the new flat centers allow them to connect in more places. Not only do they stick to each other, they stick to a variety of surfaces (think car window, airplane trays or tables when eating out) making them a perfect on-the-go toy. Squigz work on improving fine motor skills such as grasp strength and manipulation skills, encourages spatial reasoning, creativity, imagination and visual motor and perceptual skills.

Feelings and Emotions Peg Doll Set-sometimes vacations can be challenging for the children I work with. Being away from their comfortable place and not following their familiar routines can cause anxiety for some kids and lead to some meltdowns. When a child is in mid-meltdown mode, they can lose the ability to express themselves. I am loving this peg doll set from Hope Learning Toys that can help children get through difficult times by being able to label and discuss how they are feeling at different times. This set comes with 5 peg dolls (sad, calm, angry, happy, worried) and birch discs with the feelings written on them and comes in a bag making it perfect for traveling.

Toy Story 4 Mini Potato Heads-this is one of my favorite new purchases of the summer and they are a huge hit with the kids I work with. First of all, whenever a huge movie comes out, I check out what kinds of toys are being sold as they always end up being really motivating for my kids. With Toy Story 4 being one of the biggest movies of the summer, I was so excited to see they had come out with these adorable set of mini Potato Heads. I have had a pretty large collection of the superhero themed mini Potato Heads and they are a huge hit in the gym. These are a really great on-the-go toy because they don't take up much space and easily thrown into a travel or diaper bag. They are great for working on improving fine motor, grasping and manipulation skills, improves bilateral coordination, visual motor and perceptual skills and works on executive functioning skills such as focus, attention, motor planning, organizational, problem solving and sequencing skills. An added bonus is that there can be some great opportunities for pretend play with these adorable figures.

OOLY Chromoblends Travel Watercolor Palette-just because you are on the road, it doesn't mean your little artists can't keep creating. This awesome travel size watercolor set comes complete with 24 watercolors, two water brushes and a built in watercolor palette. The water brushes fill up so you don't have to worry about cups of water if you are in a restaurant or on a plane/in a car. I love how small the packaging is making it easy to throw into a beach or travel bag keeping your kids entertained without a screen when they need some down time.

Lee Sticker Puzzles-these sticker puzzles will always be a favorite of mine and are so perfect for travel. They come in different sizes making them appropriate for a wide range of kids. Look through the Sticker Puzzle collections and you will find all kinds of books featuring some of your kids favorite television and movie characters. Kids create pictures by placing a numbered sticker on the right place in the numbered grid. These are great for working on improving hand-eye coordination, visual tracking, visual motor and perceptual skills, grasping and manipulation skills and encourages focus, attention and organizational skills. The best part is that each book has 8 puzzles and will take up almost no room in your bags. Sets range from 15-42 stickers.

Orb Factory Sticky Mosaics-another one of my all-time favorite things ever! I discovered the sticky mosaic sets years ago and they have been a staple in my OT tool box ever since. While I encourage you to look for these at your favorite local toy stores if you have that as an option, Amazon has a great collection for you to peruse if you don't. Whether your kid is into dinosaurs or princesses, there are so many great sets to choose from. They get to make a picture using the various stickers by matching colored sticker to the matching number on the picture.Once they have completed their picture, they can hang it up to display which makes a kid feel so confident!

Sticky Mosaics are a great way to work on developing fine motor and grasping skills, visual motor and perceptual skills, encourages bilateral coordination and executive functioning skill such as focus, attention, planning and organizational skills.

Kid Made Modern Beach Bash Jewelry Kit-I happen to have a kid who really loves to create anytime she can, especially accessories! I am kind of obsessed with all things Kid Made Modern. If you don't know about them, you need to! They have this amazing mission to inspire kids (and their grownups) to find and enjoy being creative. All of their products are designed to give kids the opportunity to realize their creative spark, use their imagination and express themselves by providing them with a variety of craft materials. While they provide them with ideas, they also encourage kids to use their imagination to come up with their own creation.
While there are so many jewelry kits to choose from, the Beach Bash Jewelry Kit is one of my favorites, especially for the summer. Each set comes with everything you need to make fun summer related accessories. The durable case comes complete with different colored hemp cords, shell pendants, seashells, wooden and acrylic beds and an instruction guide to motivate your little designer.
These kits are awesome for working on improving fine motor and manipulation skills, bilateral coordination, hand-eye coordination, visual motor skills, encourages creativity and imagination skills and works on improving focus, attention and organizational skills. Another great thing is that as kids complete their jewelry, their confidence and self-esteem rise!

Glow Friends Neon Colouring Set-sometimes my daughter is perfectly content with the coloring pages that you may get a children's menu on at restaurants but most of the time she wants more than a couple of crayons and whatever they give you to color.  This coloring set by Tiger Tribe is a perfect for throwing in your bag, whether you are going out to eat or about to hop in a car or a plane for a long trip.  Each set comes in a sturdy box with a magnetic top and contains 36 coloring pages, 2 storage drawers, 3 sheets of stickers and 3 double sided markers.  Great for working on improving graphomotor skills, visual motor and visual perceptual skills and encourages creativity.  

Take-Along Games-this set by Peaceable Kingdom is great for keeping kids entertained while in a car/plane, at a restaurant or those down times at the pool or beach.  The set comes with 4 games that use reusable stickers (think Colorforms): Tic-Tac-Toe, Four-in-a-Row, Memory Match-up and On-the-Go Bingo.  In addition to keeping kids entertained, these are great for working on improving grasp strength and manipulation skills, improves hand-eye coordination and visual motor and visual perceptual skills and works on executive functioning skills.   



These are just a handful of the awesome things out there that not only make learning fun, they are easy to take when you are on the go. I know there are a ton more out there so if you are looking for specific ideas for your children, let me know. If you have toys, games or activities that are hits with your kids for traveling, I'd love to hear from you. I am always a click away and love hearing from you all!