OT Approved! 2025 Holiday Gift Guide

December 08, 2025 in posts

Tis the season! Holiday shopping is upon us! If you’re like me, you feel like your kids have more than enough. Why not give them toys and games that allow them to work on their OT goals!? See my list with links below:

Holiday Gifts for Sensory Seekers

Pea Pod Sensory Chair - Provides deep pressure input for regulation. The perfect addition to bedtime calming activities.
Weighted Lap Animal - Provides regulating input for calming during still moments.
Sensory Body Sock - Provides tactile and proprioceptive feedback to increase regulation and body awareness.
TalkTools Jiggler - Vibrating oral tool to provide oral stimulation for oral seekers and increase sensory awareness.
Sensory Spinning Chair - Provides rotary vestibular input in your own home. Be sure to spin both ways and use under the guidance of an OT. Too much rotary input can be overwhelming!
Liquid Motion Visual Toy - Perfect for visual seekers who need to focus in one area. One of my favorite additions to a sensory safe space.
Play-Doh Variety Pack - Includes varying types of scented slime, foam, and dough for tactile seekers.
Mini Trampoline - Great for indoor and outdoor use to provide proprioceptive and vestibular input; this makes an amazing alerting activity to add to your sensory diet!

Holiday Gifts for Emotional Regulation

Calm Down Tent - For a calm down corner or sensory safe space.
The Color Monster - Book to help identify emotions.
Roll With It - Emotional Regulation board game focusing on identifying emotions and developing an emotional regulation toolkit.
Lovevery Emotions Book Set - Identify emotions using thoughtful stories.
Spike Bubble Blower - Encourages deep breathing for emotional regulation alongside satisfying visual input.
Expanding Ball - Use the ball for a visual guide to deep breathing.
Mr. Potato Head - Build Mr. Potato head with various eyes and mouths to showcase and discuss different emotions.
Inside Out Busy Book - Watch Inside Out and allow your child to play out the emotions with characters they know and love!

Holiday Gifts for Fine Motor Skills

Push Peel Sensory Fidget - Problem solving, fine motor precision, bilateral coordination, and sensory regulation in one cool toy!
Lite-Brite - My favorite retro toy to focus on fine motor precision and develop grasping skills.
Wiggly Worms - Easily the most popular game in my therapy bag, great for a wide variety of ages (3-10).
Clip Connect Building Blocks - Interlocking blocks great for developing constructive play skills and fine motor skills.
Squigz - The possibilities are endless with Squigz; developing fine motor skills, bilateral coordination skills, and a sensory piece make these so fun!
On The Go Chalkboard - Add this to your car/restaurant kit! I love using small chalk when practicing pre-writing and writing skills because it provides increased feedback. This also includes magnets and a whiteboard for added fine motor fun!
Kumon Let’s Fold Workbook - Folding is a foundational skill. This workbook provides fun folding activities for practice using both hands together and with precision.
Marble Run - Marble runs are some of my favorite toys. They are amazing for constructive play, problem solving, fine motor skills, bilateral coordination skills, and grading force for kiddos with difficulty with sensory processing skills.

Holiday Gifts for Gross Motor Skills

Stepping Stones and Balance Beam Kit - One of my favorite treatment tools to target balance, coordination, and auditory processing skills with a listening game. No obstacle course is complete without this!
Playground Ball - A simple ball is a great gift with endless possibilities.
4-in-1 Toy - Ring toss, rocket launcher, jumping, and baseball in one cool toy! You can easily grade up or down for your child’s skill level.
Peanut Ball - I love this for developing core strength, upper extremity strength, and providing alternative seating. It is always my recommendation before yoga balls because it is closer to the ground and a little safer for busy families.
Cones, Rings and Bean Bag Set - I never take my rings, cones, and bean bags out of my treatment bag; they are a must have! Bonus because this includes a “Hippity Hop” toy for extra strengthening and sensory processing skills.
Scooter Board - Use this scooter board for core and upper extremity strengthening, vestibular and proprioceptive processing skills.
Climbing Toys - Age appropriate climbing toys are a great “big ticket” item.
Pop-Up Tunnel - Crawling is beneficial at any age! Add this for your toddler or big kid as part of a fun obstacle course.

Holiday Gifts for Visual Skills

Spot It - This is a great game for on the go! The perfect stocking stuffer!
Rush Hour - Great for visual spatial skills, kids working on oculomotor skills and near point copying, with an added bonus for problem solving.
Zippy - Visual brain game great for addressing visual perceptual skills and working memory.
I Spy Books - A classic for developing visual figure ground.
Kanoodle - One of my favorite visual spatial and visual memory games.
Q-Bitz - Pattern recognition and construction game. I love this for developing visual spatial skills.
Blink - Card game that addresses visual memory, form constancy, and visual processing skills.
Block Puzzle - Develop visual spatial skills, problem solving skills, and form constancy by recreating block designs as pictured.

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About the Author

Maria O’Farrell, MS, OTR/L, is a passionate pediatric occupational therapist dedicated to helping children thrive through compassionate, play-based therapy. She provides individualized support in home and school environments, empowering both children and their families to learn and grow.