The best sensory toys for babies

By NewFolks Published April 20, 2021

woman watching as boy plays with toys — Young woman playing with games boy in nursery school room Getty Images / omgimages

Your child’s early years are the most important in terms of development. Through sensory play, kids of all abilities and needs can build the nerve connections that will help them complete more complex learning tasks.

Sensory toys are also known to help calm anxious or frustration in children. While this can important for all young children, it can be especially beneficial to kids in the autism spectrum. The use of sensory toys for autism stimulates the brain, enhances engagement, and promotes social interaction. Let’s take a look at our favorite sensory toys to support early childhood development.

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Sassy Suction Cup STEM Learning Toy

Best value sensory toy

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Toys that promote your child’s development don’t have to break the bank. With the Sassy Suction Cup STEM Learning Toy, you can promote your child’s visual tracking and strengthen their fine motor skills at a great price. The colorful beads inside this toy’s spinning wheels build sound-to-sight connections and strengthen hand-eye coordination.

Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy

Best sensory toy for teething

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Keep your little one entertained and soothe their teething discomfort with the Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy. This soft maze is sure to capture their attention with its colors, design, and pleasing rattle sound. Simply hand wash to keep clean and continue with the fun.

Sassy Developmental Bumpy Ball

Best multitextured sensory toy

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Textures are incredibly beneficial to your growing child. The Sassy Developmental Bumpy Ball features multiple textures and materials to engage your little one and promote tactile sensitivity. Young kids learn how to reach, grasp, and transfer objects from one hand to another safely while enjoying hours of fun.

Sensory toys provide multiple benefits to young children and kids in the autism spectrum. They promote development, broaden their skills, and encourage relaxation. With the toys on our list, children of all abilities and interest can enjoy prolonged periods of entertainment that is as educational as it is fun.

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As much as we like kids to go outside and play, that can't always be the case. Sometimes, Mother Nature doesn't cooperate, and the kiddos are forced to stay inside. Typically, what happens is that children resort to their devices. While those smartphones, iPads, and streaming services will keep them busy, it's not necessarily a healthy way to spend the entire day.

So, to avoid the inevitable cries of boredom when parents insist on powering down on those indoor days, you need to have a menu of games for kids at home. It's always a good idea to have a stash of games to keep the kiddos occupied on those bad weather days or when you simply can't plan an outing on days off from school because of work. We've got a fun list of games to play that will give the kids something fun to do and help you keep your sanity.
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You now have to come up with ways to keep everyone entertained that the kids won't say is boring. Make fun core memories and do all these amazing indoor activities for kids this winter when playing outside is not an option.
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The time has come. You have agreed to let your child invite their friends to your home for a sleepover. Now, you need to figure out how to keep a group of kids entertained for the night. There's no need to start having a panic attack. It can be easy if you break down the activities a bit. If you need help with how to keep the kids occupied, we have a list of things to do at a sleepover, no matter what age group, so everyone is tuckered out by bedtime.
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Make your own pizza
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Put together themed charcuterie boards
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Make baked goods
Have you been meaning to make those cookies for weeks? Well, make it a fun activity for the kids to do at the sleepover. Children love to bake and be in the kitchen, and it boosts their self-esteem, but the best part is everyone gets to enjoy the baked goods. If you have any of those themed cookbooks, let the kids pick out a couple of things to bake from there.
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