Tis’ the season of gift giving and receiving! This year when picking out gifts for your little one, this post can help guide you in finding fun and educational toys that are on the self, or amazon’s website.

Benefits of Social Emotional Learning Toys and Activities: 

Children have opportunities for emotional growth while playing with friends, siblings and caregivers in many environments. Each child develops his emotions differently, but promoting play can assist the child to grow, learn and develop emotions. “Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive and emotional strength,” as stated in the American Academy of Pediatricians report, The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds. 

When children play, they promote their social competence and regulate their emotions. During play children can practice their verbal and nonverbal communication, body language, release of emotions and build self-confidence. 

Playing with others can also help children respond to their peers’ feelings, conflicts and points of view which all encourage emotional development. “In our play we reveal what kind of people we are.” Ovid (Roman Poet 427-347 BC). 

Emotional development provides children with the abilities they need to explore and interact with the world around them and develop the independence to understand, process, and work through their feelings appropriately as they grow into adulthood. 

Below is a list of fun and educational toys your preschooler will love!

• Constructive Playthings CP-039 Expression Babies Plush Dolls
• See My Feelings Mirror
• Playkidz Super Durable Pound A Ball
• Melissa and Doug Scoop and Serve Ice Cream Counter
• Melissa & Doug Birthday Party
• Melissa & Doug Pull-Back Vehicles
• Toddler Musical Instruments Ehome
• Melissa & Doug Pizza Party Play Set
• Learning Resources Farmer’s Market Color Sorting Set
• Melissa & Doug School Bus

Below is a list of fun and educational toys your kindergartener will love!

• Chalk and Chuckles Monkey Expressions Feelings Puzzle
• Learning Resources Conversation Cubes
• Social Emotional Learning Games
• Peaceable Kingdom Monkey Around Game
• Peaceable Kingdom Friends and Neighbors
• Melissa & Doug Wooden Pizza Counter
• Melissa & Doug Get Well Doctor’s Kit Play Set
• Melissa & Doug Slice & Stack Sandwich Counter
• Melissa & Doug Star Diner Restaurant Play Set
• Play Kitchen Accessories Toy Pretend Sink Playset

Fidget Resource

Benefits of fidgets: 

• Creates a sense of movement  
• Offers deep pressure, which is calming and grounding  
• Gives tactile input, which can help keep the brain engaged  
• Can offer repetition, which can also be grounding  

 Happy Holidays and happy shopping!

Visit our Gift Guide page to see our other gift guides, created by our Occupational, Speech, Behavior, Developmental, Physical, Feeding, and Social Work therapy teams!