At Beyond Speech Therapy Services we believe that some of the most supportive and impactful therapy is done through play. That’s why we will always ‘play with a purpose’! Our in-home therapy utilizes play therapy techniques that allow kids to work on important developmental skills while doing what kids do best – play!
And as the holidays are upon us and you’re searching for gifts that your kids will love, we’ve rounded up 30 therapist-approved toys and activities that will allow your children to do what we love best – play with a purpose!
We’ve broken the list up by discipline – speech & language, OT, PT, social emotional learning, and nutrition & feeding – while keeping important developmental benefits in mind. Whether you’re shopping for a toddler, a big kid, or someone with specific therapy needs, these favorites will bring joy and help your child build important skills long after the holidays are over.
Let’s jump into this year’s gift guide! 🎁
Speech & Language Therapy Gifts
These toys support vocabulary development, expressive/receptive language, pretend play, and early communication skills.
Melissa & Doug Grocery Store with Play Food
Great for: pretend play, labeling, turn-taking, sequencing
Kids are able to practice real-life language: “I want…,” “Your turn,” “How much?” while building vocabulary and conversation skills.
Fisher-Price Little People Community Helpers Sets
Great for: noun identification, verb tense practice, early speech sounds
It’s very natural for children to narrate as they play (“The doctor is driving!”) and this set supports sentence structure, articulation, and imaginative play.
Kinetic Sand Sensory Set
Great for: descriptive language, following directions
Use this colorful sand set to build adjectives (“soft,” “squishy”, “heavy”), identify colors and practice simple multi-step directions.
Stacking Cups
Great for: first words, joint attention, prepositions
Use these classic cups to practice “in,” “on,” “under,” “again,” and other foundational language concepts. Also wonderful for building color vocab and comparing words – “smaller”, “bigger”, “biggest”.
Usborne “That’s Not My…” Touch-and-Feel Book Series
Great for: early vocabulary, sensory exploration
These beloved board books are perfect for toddlers and early readers to practice repetition and simple adjectives.
Occupational Therapy (Fine Motor & Sensory) Gifts
These toys support grasp strength, hand-eye coordination, self-regulation, and early handwriting skills.
Magna-Tiles
Great for: visual-motor skills, bilateral coordination
A therapy favorite for a lot of reasons but these colorful tiles allow kids to build 3D structures and develop spatial awareness and planning skills. (Lots of good vocab building opportunities, too!)
Squigz (Fat Brain Toys)
Great for: grasp strength, sensory tolerance, creativity
This super fun set of suction toys can be used on any flat surface (in the tub, too!) and allows kids to pop them together and pull them apart – excellent for finger strength and sensory feedback.
Tongs & Pom Pom Sorting Kit
Great for: pincer grasp, color matching, hand strength
A simple but OT powerful craft activity to practice the important pincer grasp. Comes with fun designs for kids to sort and color match!
Melissa & Doug Lace & Trace Shapes
Great for: bilateral coordination, pincer grasp, visual coordination
Another “classic for a reason” activity set! Kids can practice fine motor lacing skills using animal shaped lacing panels and colorful cords.
Liquid Motion Bubblers
Great for: visual tracking, calming sensory input
These colorful liquid bubblers (think lava lamps but for kids!) are perfect for calming breaks and emotional regulation support.
Physical Therapy (Gross Motor) Gifts
These picks support balance, coordination, strength, and motor planning — all in fun, kid-approved ways.
Bilibo Seat
Great for: core strength, balance reactions, sensory input
These fun and durable bowl-shaped seats allow kids to sit, spin, rock, climb — a PT favorite for a reason.
GONGE River Stones
Great for: balance, motor planning, confidence building
The durable, stepping stones can be used to create an “obstacle course” that challenges spatial awareness and coordination.
Hopper Ball
Great for: leg strength, endurance, energy regulation
A classic toy that provides a simple way to build leg and core strength while also releasing some of that indoor winter energy!
Balance Bike
Great for: balance, coordination, lower-body strength
This transitional bike is great for our littler kids as they work on balance and coordination on their way to a big kid bike without training wheels!
Parachute Play Set
Great for: teamwork, upper-body strength, sensory play
A durable play parachute with multiple handles that encourages group play while also working upper body muscles and hand grip.
Social Work & Social-Emotional Learning Gifts
These toys help children identify emotions, practice coping skills, navigate friendships, and increase confidence.
“A Little Spot of Emotion” Book Box Set
Great for: emotional literacy, understanding big feelings
This therapist-trusted book set is a wonderful way for kids to start building effective emotional vocabulary.
Kimochis Feeling Friends
Great for: communication skills, emotional expression
This set of 6 soft and squishy plushies comes with “emotion pillows” that help kids show how they feel when the words for it might be a challenge.
Mindful Maze Boards
Great for: breathing practice, calming techniques
These simple and fun maze boards provide a screen-free way to help kids soothe anxiety, teach coping skills and encourage self-regulation.
Peaceable Kingdom Cooperative Games
For younger kids: Snug as a Bug, Feed The Woozle
For bigger kids: Race to the Treasure, Cauldron Quest
Great for: teamwork, conflict resolution, flexible thinking
When kids can play and win together, it reduces pressure while building cooperation skills and problem solving abilities.
Mindful Matters Card Game
Great for: stress management, self-regulation, cooperative play
This group focused card game is perfect for older kids working through emotion regulation and learning effective mindfulness techniques.
Feeding & Nutrition Gifts (Feeding Therapy)
These gifts for kids will support sensory exposure, oral-motor skills, independence, and feeding confidence.
EZPZ Mini Mat Silicone Placemat
Great for: self-feeding, mess management, sensory comfort
This easy-to-clean placemat stays suctioned to the table to minimize mess while encouraging kids to explore foods safely.
ARK’s Z-Vibe Oral Motor Kit
Great for: oral-motor strengthening, sensory input
This tool is often used in feeding therapy to support chewing and tolerance for textures. Great for kids who seek oral sensory input!
Kids’ Safe Knives
Great for: food prep skills, sensory exploration
Allowing kids to get into the kitchen and help prepare food is an important part of working through feeding challenges. These kid-safe knives are the perfect kitchen accessory!
YumBox Bento Lunch Box
Great for: picky eaters, food variety exposure
These sturdy, stainless steel lunch boxes have small, divided sections that promote bite-sized experimentation without food overwhelm.
Bimi Boo Wooden Feeding Toy
Great for: reducing food anxiety, interactive food play
This cute interactive playset helpsyoung kids reduce meal time anxiety and build confidence in trying new foods.
Thoughtful holiday gifts for kids can do more than provide a bit of fun, they can support your child’s development in a play-based, natural way. Whether you’re looking to strengthen speech skills, improve motor development, encourage emotional growth, or support feeding confidence, these therapist-approved gift picks allow kids to play with a purpose!
And if you’d like to connect with any of our wonderful therapists to find the best support for your child, we are here to help! Reach out to us at Beyond Speech Therapy Specialists today!