Sensory Toys for Toddlers

Before you choose your children’s next sensory toy, consider the core needs of all special kids. Visual and auditory stimuli are incredible tools for any child, but especially helpful for those with sensory processing difficulties (SPD). Not every neurotypical kid can name what they see or hear; many simply ‘see’ or ‘hear.’ For example, some children will tell their teachers that they need to go to the bathroom when they really mean that they saw another student go into the boys' room.

Visual and auditory labeling reduces frustration levels in all kids, but it's critical for those with SPD because words can help them process incoming information more clearly.  Realizing this truth is an important first step toward sensory toy success, but words aren’t the only way to help kids name their world.

Sensory toys can elicit feelings or emotions, and this is an integral component of self-awareness and emotional intelligence (EQ). For example, a child might say “I feel happy!” while spinning in circles; not because they’re dizzy, but because spinning makes them feel good. Kids with SPD might label these sensations as well: “The turtle feels smooth under my hand. I really like it! I think that other people would like it too. It smells different than the wolf… oh look at the cat! It has short fur and I can see little tufts sticking up from its head.”

This child has gone from saying “I feel happy” to using a sensory name for their feelings. That kind of awareness might seem simple, but it can be hard for some kids who struggle with sensory processing and self-regulation.

So how do you pick the perfect toy? There are two ways to go about it: ask your special needs kid what they want or select one based on your own child’s skill set.  Either way is fine because playtime doesn't have to follow any rules! Just remember that no matter which method you choose, the goal is to help your child name what they see and hear in order to process information more clearly.

For example, if your guy loves cars (my son does this one!), start there. If you want to take the name game a step further, ask him what kinds of sounds he hears when he rides in his car. This can be tough for some kids because many SPDs include problems with auditory processing (how the brain processes sound). For these children, it might be helpful to name that sound first. E.g., “You hear the engine revving… now you are listening to the crackle of the exhaust…” These are just suggestions, but they work wonders for my boy!

He has sensory processing difficulties so he really likes receiving tactile input while naming objects and their components is incredibly difficult for him.  I want my son to learn ALL about textures and the things that he is touching and name them to understand how they relate to each other.  I think it's easier for him to do this by giving him a lot of choices where he has control over what he is doing and which object/toy/texture we are interacting with at the moment.

Label the Toys

Name Labeling Sensory Toys could be useful for many kids who struggle with name labels, so I wanted to share!

1) All of our sensory toys can be found here.

2) My son gets tactile input from his name labeled toys because we use words like "velvety" or "soft" to name the texture.

3) The name labels are also visual because he needs pictures or visuals to name objects/items (he can't do it by hearing alone).

4) We name all of the components (i.e., wheels, buttons, parts in the dashboard) in order for him to better understand how objects relate to each other and help him process information in a more organized way.  When we name stuff, it helps him organize his thoughts and feelings about sensory items!

5) He gets proprioceptive input while playing with name labeled toys - i.e., when you roll the car on the floor your muscles automatically tense up in order to stabilize yourself so that you don't fall down.

6) He gets vestibular input by holding the name labeled toys in his hands which makes him want to move them around - i.e., he shakes, spins it, or flaps it in order to name the sensation.  He also loves to name what happens when he drops things because that is how he learns about gravity!

7) We name the sounds of each name label toy (i.e., engine revving, beeping horn) and listen for them while playing with name labels so that my son can better understand how things relate to each other!

8) My son tends to use name labels (i.e., names objects or their components, talks about sensory items), but this isn't true for all children.  The important thing is to meet your sensory child where they are at and help them process information in a way that works best for their individual needs!