From developmental toys that boost fine motor skills to activities that promote creativity and movement, this guide is full of great options!
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Finding the perfect gift for kids can feel overwhelming, but we’ve got you covered with a curated gift guide packed with tried-and-true options!
At The Treehouse (our non-profit organization where we offer developmental play groups for kids), we’ve had the unique opportunity to test countless toys and activities firsthand with kids ages 2 through 5. Our team of pediatric occupational and physical therapists carefully selects tools that support skill-building through play, and all of these picks have earned enthusiastic approval from the kids themselves!
From developmental toys that boost fine motor development to activities that promote creativity and movement, this guide highlights the very best options that the kids beg to play with every single week!
Whether you’re shopping for a holiday gift or looking for something purposeful to add to a little one’s toy collection, these favorite developmental toys will encourage growth, exploration, and fun! Let us help you give a gift that’s not only entertaining but also meaningful—because play is where development happens!
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Top Developmental Toys from our Treehouse Team (and Kids!)
Bubble Machine
This one is a fan favorite of our 2 and 3-year-olds and the kids never lose interest in it!
How we use it:
It’s an instant calming activity when kids are sad or upset and we also love using it to encourage movement by popping bubbles with different body parts or with different actions! “Pop bubbles with your nose! Stomp on bubbles! Jump on bubbles! Clap the bubbles!”
Pop Toobs
These fun fidgets make the coolest sound when you pull them apart and push them together!
How we use them:
We use these to give kids something to do with their hands while they’re waiting their turn for movement activities or obstacle courses. They’re also great for providing heavy work (movement against resistance), which can be calming for many kids! Try playing tug of war with them!
Everyone’s Favorite Puzzle
We’ve nicknamed this one “the world’s most famous puzzle” because every single kid loves it and begs to play with it. It never gets old and the kids take it out to play with it every single week.
How we use it:
This seems to be another calming motor activity that can help to distract kids when they’re feeling anxious or upset. It’s also great for working on fine motor skills, colors, and counting!
Hole Punch
Does a hole punch seem like a weird gift? Trust us on this one – our Treehouse kids are obsessed with this one because they can actually punch holes themselves (it’s easy for little hands to squeeze!)
How we use it:
This is a great tool for working on the motion kids need to cut with scissors. We let them go to town, punching holes in scrap paper and then lacing yarn or string through the holes!
Magnetic Cube Blocks
Everyone’s heard of Magnatiles, but these smaller, cube-shaped magnet blocks have been another favorite addition to our toy shelf and a favorite of our developmental toys for kids.
How we use them:
Our preschoolers and toddlers love building with them on the floor or table, but their favorite thing to do is build with them on our magnetic dry erase boards! There are so many benefits to working on vertical surface!
Racetrack Toy
We discovered this one when our kids at home were younger and it instantly became a favorite at The Treehouse too! Check it out in action here!
How we use it:
This is the perfect toy for practicing teamwork, sharing, and turn taking. Work as a group to get the track set up using cushions, furniture, or even stacks of books. Kids can take turns racing their cars down the track and chasing after them! We also got a lot of use out of this toy outside during the warmer months!
Yogibo Beanbags
These are regular fixtures during obstacle courses and free play with our kids ages 2 through 5.
How we use them:
Many of our kiddos are seeking out an extra dose of deep pressure or proprioceptive input. They love to jump, crash, push and pull! We set up obstacle courses so kids can jump off of a raised surface for a crash landing on the beanbag! We also use these as a “waiting space” during our obstacle courses and movement games where kids have to take turns.
Reindeer Dough Kits
These adorable kits are the perfect holiday gift and earned a HUGE stamp of approval when we tried them out during a recent play group! Side note – these are handmade with love by Lauren & Claire!
How we use them:
Each kit comes with dough and a set of pieces to create the cutest little play dough reindeer! You’ll also get a light-up reindeer nose and a set of cards with instructions for our Reindeer Bootcamp movement activities! Perfect for working on fine motor AND gross motor skills!
Marble Run
This is one of our favorite toys for kids ages 3 and up (and when we say “up”…we mean that sometimes our high schoolers will even pause to play with them when they walk by!)
How we use it:
This is another great toy for working on teamwork and sharing! For our younger kiddos, we often set up a few different marble run structures so the kids can take turns rolling their marbles down. Bigger kids will love building their own creations for themselves!
Scooterboards
If you follow us on Instagram, you know that we use these almost every week for a fun themed movement activity!
How we use them:
Kids can ride them on their bellies or in a sitting position to retrieve puzzle pieces or other objects from around the room! All you need is an open space with non-carpeted floors and you’re good to go. These are awesome for working on core strength, coordination, and more!
Fine Motor Activity Boards
Our preschoolers couldn’t get enough of these beautiful, colorful sets!
How we use them:
Kids can use their fingers or the wooden tongs (included) to place the different colored balls on the board to fill in the picture. The rainbow board was a stand-out favorite! This is a great toy for working on hand strength, visual motor skills, and fine motor coordination.
Rocket Balloons
This is another toy that we use almost every single week to encourage both movement and self-regulation skills! They beg to play with these during every play group!
How we use them:
We typically use these to work on impulse control and self-regulation at the end of play groups. Kids sit with their friends and wait for the teacher to call their name. When it’s their turn, they get to help pump up the balloon using the hand pump and then chase the balloon as it flies around the room!
Lovevery Toys
Hands-down, this is one of our very favorite toy brands because of their durability and beautiful, unique designs.
How we use them:
These are our go-to free play toys. When we have a few of these items out, we can go around the room and work with kids on: fine motor coordination, sharing, turn taking, hand strengthening, and more!
Scribble Scrubbie
These might be the perfect stocking stuffer this season! Our preschoolers couldn’t get enough!
How we use them:
The kit comes with little animals, markers, and a brush. Kids have a blast, coloring all over the white animals and then “giving them a bath” by scrubbing off the marker using the brush. Such a great way to work on exposure to tactile play and bilateral coordination!
Kwik Stix
At first glance, these might seem like a big mess…but trust us – they will quickly become one of your favorite art supplies!
How we use them:
They’re a great option for any art project where kids need to color or paint because they provide some novelty when kids are sick of using crayons and markers AND they’re great because they go on smooth like oil pastels, but dry super quick when you’re done coloring!
Pip Squeak Markers
These kid-friendly mini markers are another awesome addition to your art supply cabinet!
How we use them:
We use these small markers with our toddlers and preschoolers because they can help kids develop a more efficient grasp on writing utensils! Shorter utensils mean that kids don’t have as much room to grasp them using their whole palm, so they naturally begin to gravitate toward a more efficient tripod grasp.
Snackle Box Sensory Bin
If your kids come to The Treehouse, you know that a sensory bin is a weekly play group staple! We start every single group with a themed sensory bin.
How we use them:
Sensory bins are great for supporting sensory processing, hand strength, fine motor coordination, social skills, and more! This version is perfect for use at home or on the go because it can be packed up and stored away easily when you’re done! Here’s how we made it!
