Choosing a Skill Building Toy

Choosing a Skill Building Toy - Page 17

Skill Builder Categories Defined - Page 4

Keeping Calm During the Holidays - Page 9

Tips for Busy and Crowded Holidays - Page 13

10 Free iPad Apps that Teach Cause & Effect - Page 3

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Table of Contents

Learning About Specialneedsgifts.Com 2

10 Free Ipad Apps That Teach Cause & Effect 3

Skill Builder Categories Defined 4

Top 10 Toys For Infants To 4 Years Old 7

Keeping Calm During The Holidays 9

Top 10 Toys For 5 Through 9 Years Old 11

Tips For Busy And Crowded Holidays 13

Top 10 Toys For 10 Through 15 Years Old 15

Choosing A Skill Building Toy For Your Special Needs Child 17 STAFF Editor in Chief: Missy Ward Graphic Design: Karen Ward

SpecialNeedsGifts.com 522 Hunt Club Blvd. #411 Apopka, FL 32703

Articles in this Skill Building Holiday Gift Guide are the opinions of the authors and may or may not reflect the views of the website or its owners. SpecialNeedsGifts.com always welcomes opinions of an opposite nature. For more information, please visit us online at SpecialNeedsGifts.com

© 2013 SpecialNeedsGifts.com and Individual Authors.

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Learning About SpecialNeedsGifts.com

SpecialNeedsGifts.com offers hand-picked, reasonably-priced gifts that help kids with Down syndrome, Autism, ADD, SPD, Cerebral Palsy, Sensory Integration Impairment, developmental delays and other special needs. Why should you trust us to help you with this important decision? This is my nephew, Mason. Don’t let his gorgeous face fool you. He is one tough kiddo! Mason fought his way into this world on September 15, 2012 with an unexpected birth diagnosis of Down Syndrome and several related health issues. Let’s just say it was an interesting year for

first-time parents (my sister, Jenny and brother-in-law, Nick) as they quickly got up to speed on best ways to care for Mason and get him well. The best remedy for a developmental delay may be the right toy. Playing is more than just a popular childhood pastime. It is the mechanism through which children learn about their world and hone their skills. The gifts and toys included in this gift guide have been hand-picked by parents and relatives of children with special needs and they are designed to specifically develop fine and gross-motor skills, communication, speech, imagination, cognition and social skills.

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Get your children involved with technology at any age. How about a special case for the younger ones, or dedicated FREE apps as they get older. Cause and effect Apps are great for cognitive thinking, creating positive self-awareness and predicting. They're always big hits as reinforcers as they involve the child doing something to get a reaction. Here are 10 iPad apps that are great for children who think more literally and are very soothing to children who don't like changes in their routine.

Pocket Pond Create relaxing ripples while you enjoy the sounds of nature. Interact

with the fish, scare them, feed them, and watch their schooling behavior.

Finger Paint with Sounds Explore touch with color, sounds or music. A chance to finger paint without the

mess! Finger Paint with sounds offers a fun alternative to help children with special needs and others to practice their first interactions with touch screen.

Peekaboo Barn Lite A little bouncing barn, friendly farm animals are waiting to pop out and

surprise your little one. Try and guess who they are; tap the doors to find out!

Play Lab Let the whole family enjoy playing with shapes, colors, and numbers. Kids

can learn the basic concepts of shapes, colors, and numbers while developing sensitivity and creativity.

FingerPiano Lite It allows you to play the piano with your forefinger.

Christmas Piano Play or sing along to Christmas carols on a real piano right on your

iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch! Giraffe’s Matching Zoo This is a vibrant and exciting mind development game

designed for children, but fun for all ages. Every adorable animal makes a unique and entertaining sound.

Tiltoria Tiltoria is an animated light show, music visualizer and psychedelic

paint box all in one to sooth and excite at the same time.

Make Shrek Roar Use Butterpants to help you annoy Shrek. Punch the button, and the little

boy will badger the big ogre and cause him to bellow out his enormous ogre roar.

AlphaBaby Free Touch the screen to show and hear letters and shapes. Flick them to send

them flying across the screen. Press them and the letters shrink and grow. Record your own voice for the letters and shapes. Add your own images from the camera or photo library, and record captions to match.

10 Free iPad Apps that Teach Cause & Effect

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Fine Motor Skills Fine motor skills allow your child to perform precise movements such as picking up a tiny object with their thumb and index finger or drawing a picture. These skills rely on the child's ability to concisely control their muscles, bones, and nerves in order to make small movements. Fine motor skills develop slowly over time, and they can be fostered by the right toys including blocks, art supplies, and anything else that encourages the child to practice coordinating their mind with their small muscles. Fine motors skills allow us to eat, dress ourselves, write, draw, and more. Gross Motor Skills Gross motor skills refer to the coordinated use of large muscle groups and whole body movements

like walking, running, and jumping. Babies start to develop gross motor skills very early in their lives, and the skills are typically

developed in a head to toe order. That means that babies develop head control, core stability, and walking in that order, and the child continues to develop these skills into their early childhood. Toys that encourage your

child to use their arms and legs like balance games, racing games, or outdoor sports equipment are perfect for promoting gross motor skills. Language and Speech Infants begin to develop language and speech skills well before they utter their first word. However, these skills can only be measured as the child begins to use language. In order to use language effectively, children must develop receptive and expressive language abilities. Receptive abilities refer to the child's ability to understand the messages that are being communicated to them. For a young toddler, this may mean

understanding simple phrases like "all gone", and for an older toddler, this may mean developing the ability to

understand simple requests. Expressive abilities refer to the child's ability to use language to express themselves. This ability first presents itself in gestures. In fact, many parents find sign language to be a helpful tool in promoting

Skill Builder Categories Defined

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language and speech development in children who have difficulty with expressive language. Eventually, expressive language skills become the ability to speak in sentences and tell complete stories. Toys that boost a child's vocabulary or encourage them to work through a story can help to promote these skills, especially for children who have a developmental speech delay. Social Skills and Self Esteem Humans are naturally social creatures, and the development of social skills happens naturally as children spend time with other people and get to

know their environment. Until the age of three or four, most

children prefer to play on their own in parallel play, but as they get older and develop the necessary social skills, they become ready to play with others in cooperative play. Toys that promote cooperation, communication, and interaction are ideal for promoting social skills in children. As children play these games, they learn how to handle conflict, how to read other's emotions, and how to interact with others. Through positive social

interactions, their self-esteem also has the opportunity to thrive. Self-esteem is the way that children think and feel about themselves. Unfortunately, many children who have special needs, in particular, can suffer from low self-esteem, especially if they are teased or harassed by their peers. Toys that allow a child to follow their own interests can boost self-esteem. As a child becomes proficient at something they care about, it can make them feel accomplished and increased self-esteem will ensue. Once a child has an adequate amount of self-esteem, they will have better tools for dealing with their peers and approaching any challenges that come their way. Visual and Spatial Perception Visual and spatial perception refers to a child's ability to see the world around them and make sense of it. Spatial perception refers, in particular, to the ability to gage the relationship and distance between two or more objects. As visual skills develop, they help the child with reading, math, and handwriting. Children who have difficulty with visual perception may have trouble identifying objects or figuring out

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which direction those objects face. Spatial skills help children to identify distances. Children who have not fully developed their spatial skills may struggle to accurately see heights and distances, and this can make them appear clumsy. Toys that promote visual and spatial perception include shape puzzles, nesting toys, and books with mazes or dot to dots. Activities that encourage a child to repeat a pattern can also be useful for fostering these skills. Cognitive Skills Cognitive skills are all skills that are related to thinking, understanding, learning, and remembering. In a very young baby, cognitive skills first express themselves in subtle ways like the baby's ability to track a moving object or focus on a human face. As a child increases their cognitive abilities, they will be able to play with words, seek information, and share descriptions with others. Cognitive skills can be advanced with toys that encourage sorting, sequencing, counting, and memorizing.

Sensory Processing Through a complex series of brain actions, sensory processing allows a

person to figure out what is going on in their own body and in the world around them. Children who have difficulty with sensory processing may feel overwhelmed by their environment and may need toys that help to calm and relax them. Toys that promote sensory processing or sensory integration encourage a child to process information from their senses and respond to that information.

Oral Motor Oral motor skills are expressed in an infant's very first skill which is sucking. This is one of the four reflexes with which most infants are born. As a child develops the rest of their oral motor skills, they will learn to speak clearly and perform tasks like eating or chewing gum. Children who need help with the development of their oral motor skills may need to get oral sensory stimulation using toys that allow them to chew, bite or blow. Blowing bubbles is a perfect example of this.

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Green Toys Dish Set It encourages pretend play and the development of both gross and fine motor skills as children stack bowls, use the cup handle, or maneuver a fork. This set also provides the framework for learning important social skills and manners. Plan Toy Fruit and Vegetable Play Set Inspires imagination as well as promote children's physical and intellectual development. Play with fruit and vegetables can also be a learning experience in nutrition and good health.

First Years Stack N Count Cups

Counting and stacking work the motor skills and cognitive skills while

allowing creativity in building fun. Balancing the cups can be

quite challenging for children with under developed spatial skills. Lamaze Rainbow Stacking Rings Developmental Toy Problem solving skills are fostered as baby figures out how to stack the rings on the post in the right order. Gripping and stacking strengthens hand-eye coordination while the textures provide tactile stimulation. VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker Enhance role play fun, fine and gross motor skills as your child grows with this toy. Build cause and effect understanding through the multiple buttons and dials with sounds and light effects. Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn: Learning Kitchen Helps baby learn through everyday experiences! Promote understanding of objects, numbers, letters, colors and shapes. Expand a child’s vocabulary in both Spanish and

Top 10 Toys for Infants to 4 Years Old

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English with new words and greetings. Fosters thinking skills and encourage problem-solving with numerous action/reaction activities or make this a social experience through sharing and team development. KidCo Go-Pod Baby Activity Seat The KidCo Go Pod Portable Activity Seat for Baby is smart and fun way to keep your baby active at home or on the go. Five nylon loop toys and drink and snack holders keep your child happy and stimulated. Build fine and gross motor skills as your child practices standing as well as playing. Edushape 4" Sensory Balls

Baby can squeeze, roll, throw, kick and see through these textured play balls. The sensory ball improves hand-eye coordination

and can be used to improve

socialization skills when enjoyed in group play. Sometimes children simply enjoy the soothing nature of holding the textured balls while sitting and drawing or listening to a story. Oball Rainstick Rattle

Encouraging interactive play, this fun rainstick rattles with multi-colored beads makes soothing

raindrop sounds. 30 finger holes make this ball easy for baby to grasp roll on the floor or pass to a friend or parent. Children are enamored by the cause and effect of the balls movement and sounds. VTech - Rhyme and Discover Book Age-appropriate vocabulary and nursery rhymes introduce familiar animal names and sounds. Sing-along songs encourage verbal skills and familiar melodies and sing-along songs promote parent-child social interaction. The twinkling lights and bright colorful graphics attract a baby's attention. Gross and fine motor skills are developed through the turning of pages and sliding of buttons. Nursery rhymes and songs develop patterning and repetition as well as rhythm and memory.

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The holiday season can prove chaotic and nerve-jangling for practically anyone, but children with special needs may find it particularly stressful or upsetting. Whether you spend the holidays at home or visiting loved ones, rest assured that you can make the season calmer and more pleasant for all concerned. Here are five ways to ensure a happier holiday for your special needs child -- and for yourself: 1. Create a "quiet zone." Special needs children may feel their stress levels rising as the level of noise and activity around them increases or continues for an extended period of time. You can defuse this situation by reserving a particular room or area of the house as a designated "quiet zone," a place your child can go to get some much needed peace. The Autism Society recommends that you work out a visual cue or other system that your child can give you when it's time to escape the holiday hubbub. 2. Prepare for presents. According to Friendship Circle, special needs children may face various challenges when it is time to receive and unwrap holiday presents. Children with motor skill limitations may find it stressful and frustrating to get through that elaborately-wrapped gift paper, while autistic children may feel anxious about what lies underneath. Make sure your child's presents are easy to unwrap, or have your child "rehearse" by unwrapping some old favorite

playthings. Teaching children needs children how to give presents may help smooth the road toward receiving them. 3. Decorate differently. Unusual or unexpected decorations can be a source of stress and confusion for special needs children who do not like their regular environment disrupted by sudden change. According to the Autism Society, you can make this aspect of holiday cheer more cheerful by making your child part of the whole shopping and decorating process, and by putting the decorations up gradually. This participation helps put them back in

Keeping Calm During the Holidays

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control of their surroundings and prepares them for the final result. Make sure your child knows how to handle (or not handle) these decorations once they are set up. 4. Get ready to travel. If the line "To Grandmother's house we go" inspires fear rather than happiness in your special needs child, make that journey easier by preparing it with care. Many of the tips listed above will work just as well in someone else's home as in your own. Talk to your hosts in advance and let them know that they can do to make your child's stay more enjoyable. Bradley Hospital advises parents to explain all the trip details to their children as well.

5. Watch your own stress levels. Your child may not be the only one who needs a quiet zone or an easy decoration schedule! Holiday stress can infect any of us, and Friendship Circle warns that this stress radiates outward toward our loved ones whether we're aware of it or not. Reduce your child's stress by reducing your own. Enlist friends and family members to pitch in with the holiday preparations, plan with care, and allow plenty of downtime to catch your breath. Keep in mind that you cannot prevent every little thing that might occur, and don't blame yourself (or other adults) for any bumps in the road you might experience. Focus on the joy of celebrating this time of year with our loved ones, and you're bound to have a happier holiday.

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Top 10 Toys for 5 Through 9 Years Old

Snap Circuits Discovering the wonders of science and building cool electronics can be done in a snap. Develop fine motor skills, creativity and cognitive abilities through experimenting with circuits.

WEDGiTS Deluxe Set The open ended design of WEDGITS stimulates children's perception and reasoning skills as they experience

different ways to stack, nest and align these rhombus and octahedron shaped toys.

The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game Develops matching, sorting, strategic thinking, hand-eye coordination, fine

motor skills and pre-handwriting skills. This game is played with others working on social skills, sharing and taking turns as well.

Plasma Car Plasma Car rewards good hand-eye coordination and fluid movements and provides a fun way for kids to get exercise while keeping occupied. As kids learn to drive faster and more precisely, they will be developing motor skills. This can also be a great way for children to be social with others without the pressure of a structured environment.

Mighty Mind Kids learn about visual and spatial relationships. The colorful tiles provide open-ended play for children to explore creativity, problem solving, patterning and duplication abilities at many skill levels. Battat RainMaker The auditory and visual effects of falling beads can sooth and comfort both children and adults when their surroundings become too much for their sensitive personalities.

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Melissa & Doug Sandwich Stacking Games Inspiring children to burn calories while improving their memory and matching skills will put fun on the menu every time. Let children be creative and expand the play to real life play with making sandwiches or tasting some of these foods for the first time. Lessons on nutrition and balanced eating can also be a part of this game.

Language Builder Photo Cards Picture Nouns The Language Builder Picture Noun Card set is a tremendous tool for teaching key language concepts to preschool age children; children and adults with autism, developmental delay or speech/language delay; or to anyone first learning or re-learning

basic language. The cards can be introduced in groups such as clothing items, vehicles and colors

and you can even track the dates when these concepts or cards were introduced. This can be as structured

or unstructured play as you would like. There are also other photo cards packages on emotions and nouns which can added to expand the child’s vocabulary even more. Perplexus Epic Maze The Perplexus Mazes develop hand-eye coordination and puzzle solving skills for children of many age groups and abilities. Remember, a gentle tap, a quick jerk, or a slight movement may be just what you need to stay on track. These small movements fine tune motor skills while providing a goal for success. Token Board It is perfect for giving children focus and teaching cause and effect lessons. Organization and structure are often very helpful and sometimes crucial for children. Children can be rewarded for completed tasks and learn responsibility and goal setting. Melissa & Doug See & Spell Enable children to discover reading and spelling with the help of sturdy wood puzzle pieces and pictures. Develop fine motor skills and cognitive skills as the puzzles are put

together and then expand the play with use of the letters to spell and read new words and items they see.

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Tips for Busy and Crowded Holidays

The next couple of months are full of nothing but special events and crowds – rough for those with kids with sensory processing issues. The hyper stimulation of the holiday season is hard on even the least sensory sensitive folks, and it can be challenging to navigate events that are meant to be joyful celebrations but often have the opposite effect on your kid.

It is possible to enjoy holiday events with every kid – you just need to take some extra steps to make sure everyone is okay. Here are a few simple tips.

#1. Be careful with noisy spaces.

You can still attend loud events, but prepare your child for the noise, and offer some support. Earplugs can be a great tool, as are noise canceling headphones. It’s also a good idea to stay close to exits to quieter areas, just in case you need to leave quickly.

#2. Create a crowd strategy.

So many fun holiday things involve crowds, and it can be daunting to consider taking your sensitive kid to a busy event. However, if you plan carefully by trying to find less busy times to see the holiday sites it can be done. Be sure to scope out quiet corners at events, as well, so you will have less crowded options. Lastly, call the places you are

going first to see if they offer any accommodations for sensory sensitivities. You might find they already have tools in place, particularly if the event is for children.

#3. Give Your Family Time To Move.

There are plenty of holiday performances and other events that ask kids to sit still for long periods, and that might not work for your kid and your family. If exercise helps, do that before heading out to the event, but also be sure to incorporate opportunities for your kid to move around if they need it.

#4. Let Your Kid Pick Their Clothes.

Of course we all want the lovely holiday photo of our kid all dressed

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up and sparkly for the family photo albums but if your child has sensory issues wearing fancy and uncomfortable clothes can be impossible. It’s simply not worth the fight to get a sensitive kid to both wear the nice clothes and take the nice photo. Choose the one that will make it easier for everyone.

#5. Plan Ahead When It Comes To Food.

Kids with sensory issues often have strong food preferences, and while it would be lovely for every event to accommodate your child’s tastes, it’s pretty unlikely. If you’re eating

out, it never hurts to call ahead and see if the menu has things your kid likes, or if the kitchen doesn’t mind making something. If you can’t be sure, bring food with you just in case.

The biggest key to surviving the holidays is two-fold: keeping your kid apprised about what will happen and when, and making sure you relax yourself. And if it seems too stressful or like it might not be the best day for that particular outing? Give yourselves a break and stay home. Some of the best holiday memories come from the quiet moments, after all.

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Top 10 Toys for 10 Through 15 Years Old

Qwirkle Board Game Qwirkle is as simple as matching colors and shapes, but this game also requires tactical maneuvers and well-planned strategy developing planning, patterning and concentration. Play with friends and family to encourage social interactions or play alone to create patterns and paths. Sequence for Kids Match colors and pictures, develop patterns, and use strategy to creatively play this game at many

ages. Taking

turns and sharing

while learning to win and lose are

often difficult concepts to understand but can be easier when done through game play. Melissa & Doug Suspend Suspend is a balancing game that is as easy to understand as it is difficult to master. This balancing game tests your nerves and helps develop spatial and visual awareness,

cognitive skills, and interpersonal skills. Fine motor skills are rewarded as each person takes their turn. Gymnic / Hop-66 26" Hop Ball Promote body coordination, balance and lymph circulation while getting a fun workout. This ball can also be used instead of a chair for children requiring constant motion and activity often giving enough instability to allow the child to concentrate on their lesson. Spirograph Design Tin Set The simple geared design, allows anyone to draw elegant and artistic designs. Great toy for developing creativity and coordination. The distinctive wheels and rings of the Spirograph cleverly combine the principles of art and mathematics in a way that has inspired and delighted generations. Many special needs children are constantly drawing and the Spirograph set gives them another level of creativity.

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Rubiks Cube This is a stimulating and challenging puzzle developing problem solving skills and motor skills. Some special needs children have high levels of spatial awareness leading them to enjoy the hands-on puzzles. The Ultimate Fidget Fidgets are often used to calm and redirect a child’s focus. By keeping the body muscles busy, the mind can be allowed to absorb the lessons being taught. This fidget is so small that it fits in a child’s/teen’s pocket to provide self-assurance while not attracting attention. Fidgets can

instantly relieve the stress and anxiety of almost any situation. They are also used

as manipulators to encourage fine motor skills. Bop It XT This is a great game to work on hand-eye coordination, concentration and memory. Fun music and irreverent commands make the Bop-it XT game interactive while keeping the play lighthearted and fun. This is a game for all ages and skill levels which can be played alone or in

groups. Its versatility will provide lasting play. MindWare KEVA Contraptions Fostering unlimited creativity and experimentation, KEVA planks build an early understanding of proportion and balance, while teaching the basic

principles of physics and engineering. Build fine motor skills and problem solving the ball track

structures go from

basic to complex as the child’s skills develop. Upper Bounce Trampoline and Enclosure Set Jumping can be creative and soothing for the overly energetic. Develop gross motor skills and social skills with the ability to jump with friends and family. The trampoline enclosure provides a safe environment to relieve stress and inner energy and allow a child to re-focus.

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Regardless of the unique challenges your child faces, the right toy can help them develop and hone essential skills. Fine and gross motor skills, sensory processing skills, language development, spatial awareness, and a host of other skills can be encouraged with the right toys.

Playing is the work of childhood, but it shouldn't ever feel like grueling work. The most successful toys are ones that capture the interest of your child. A child will return to interesting toys again and again until they have mastered the skill in question. If you are having trouble selecting a skill building toy for your special needs child, let the following criteria guide you.

Matching Developmental Age

When shopping for any child and especially a special needs child, it is more important to match the toy to their developmental age than to

their actual age. If a seven year old is working on their fine motor skills, they don't necessarily need a toy that has been designed for a seven year old. Instead, they need one that has been designed for a preschool age child who is also working on fine motor skills.

Finding Sensory Appeal

Toys that are tactile or visual can help a child improve how they process and interpret sensory information. Flashing lights, music, and textures can all play a role in the sensory appeal of a toy, but keep in mind that what is appealing for one child may be over-stimulating for another child. Encourage your child to slowly develop sensory relationships with the world around them using toys that develop their sensory perception rather than toys that overload it.

Choosing a Skill Building Toy for Your Special Needs Child

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Challenging

While a toy that is too difficult may discourage or frustrate a child, a toy that is just challenging enough will motivate and inspire them. Look for toys that provide several layers of challenges or toys that can be adapted for varying skill levels. A set of blocks can initially be stacked in short towers of two or three blocks, but as the child gets ready for something more challenging, those same blocks can be transformed into an elaborate castle. Simplicity and versatility are key if you want to find something that will challenge your child through several developmental stages.

Promoting Inclusion

Inclusive toys promote group interaction and social skills. If you want to foster cooperation, look at games or activities that are designed for groups of children. If you are trying to promote social skills and self-esteem, look for toys like scooters or bikes that make it fun for special needs kids to join

other kids.

Versatility and Adaptability

Toys that are versatile and adaptable foster creativity and self-expression. By using a single toy in multiple ways, your child will hone their problem solving skills and advance their language skills.

Engaging

Children will constantly use and repeatedly return to toys and games that are interesting and engaging to them, but they may shy away from or even refuse to play with toys that have been forced upon them. If your child isn't interested in the toy you have selected, leave if for a few days and introduce it at another time. By letting your child actively seek out the toys that interest them, you encourage them to work on the skills they are most ready to develop.

By keeping toys fun, you will make learning fun, and remember to celebrate every skill development no matter how large or small!