The holidays feel magical on their own, but choosing gifts that also support your child’s development? That’s the kind of magic that lasts long after the wrapping paper is gone.
Four of our pediatric experts share how parents can use purposeful play to support milestones, build skills and spark connection. Because the toys your child loves most can also help strengthen their growing brains and bodies.
This guide gives you a head start, including insights inspired by Centers for Disease Control & Prevention milestone resources, the American Academy of Pediatrics and FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health experts:
- Jocelyn Lorenzo, MD, pediatric neurologist
- Meaghan Flechas Smith, MD, pediatrician
- Ashley Lummen, MOT, OTR/L, pediatric occupational therapist
- Elizabeth Burleigh, CCC-SLP, pediatric speech-language pathologist
We hope this helps you choose gifts that are fun and developmental.
Why Purposeful Play Matters
The American Academy of Pediatrics puts it beautifully: “Play builds the brain and the body.”
Research shows that play:
- Supports brain structure and function
- Helps form strong neural connections
- Improves brain plasticity
- Builds safe, stable relationships
- Supports developmental milestones and mental health
The CDC’s Milestone Moments and Milestone Checklist also offer age-based guidance on how children learn, move, communicate and problem-solve. Purposeful play supports all of it.
Gift Ideas, By Developmental Skill Area
Below are curated categories inspired by recommendations from our pediatric experts and the developmental skill areas highlighted in widely used occupational therapy guides. Each category aligns with milestones from the CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. resources.
Fine Motor Fun
Fine motor toys strengthen the small muscles that help kids grasp, pinch and coordinate their hands, essential for dressing, feeding, drawing, and handwriting.
Try:
- Play-Doh sets
- Duplo or beginner LEGO
- Large lacing beads
- Do-a-Dot markers
- Button art or simple pegboards
- Basic puzzles (start with 2–12 pieces depending on age)
Why it matters: Supports hand strength, dexterity and early writing skills.
Sensory Play
Sensory experiences help children explore textures, temperatures, sounds and movement, all important for regulation, curiosity and brain-body connection.
Try:
- Kinetic sand or moon sand
- Water tables or sensory bins
- Finger paints
- Pop tubes and simple fidgets
- Foam bath soap
- Musical toys (shakers, drums, toy keyboards)
Why it matters: Builds tolerance for new sensations, supports emotional regulation and encourages creativity.
Imaginative Play
Pretend play promotes language, social skills and problem solving and is strongly supported by both the AAP and CDC as a foundation of childhood development.
Try:
- Toy kitchens and play food
- Doctor kits
- Dollhouses
- Puppets
- Dress-up costumes
- Action figures and small-world play sets
Why it matters: Nurtures story-building, helps children process emotions and strengthens communication.
Movement & Coordination
Big-body play helps children build strength, balance and motor planning, the skills kids use to climb, jump, coordinate movements and navigate playgrounds.
Try:
- Tunnels
- Balance stones
- Mini-trampolines
- Ride-on toys
- Jump ropes
- Simple obstacle-course gear (cones, stepping stones, beanbags)
Why it matters: Supports gross motor milestones and strengthens core stability and confidence.
Language Builders
For little learners developing speech, comprehension and early literacy, certain toys naturally invite conversation and sound play.
Try:
- Picture books (especially interactive or texture-based)
- Story cubes
- Sound puzzles
- Matching games
- Toy telephones or microphones
Why it matters: Encourages imitation, turn-taking, vocabulary and early storytelling.
Problem-Solving & Strategy
Critical thinking toys encourage patience, persistence and flexible thinking, skills that help with school readiness.
Try:
- Simple board games (Candy Land, Memory, Guess Who?)
- Marble runs
- Magnetic tiles
- Building kits
- Beginner logic games (ThinkFun, Skillmatics, etc.)
Why it matters: Strengthens planning, reasoning and cooperative play.
How to Choose a Purposeful Present
Our experts will walk through this at the workshop, but here’s the quick version:
- Match the toy to your child’s developmental stage, not their age alone
- Look for toys that require your child to do the thinking, not a tablet or battery-powered toy that “does the play” for them
- Choose open-ended toys that can be used differently each time
- Avoid overstimulating toys with too many lights, sounds and automated actions
- Pick toys that encourage togetherness because connection fuels development
A Relationship with Your Pediatrician Can Help You Navigate Development
Your child’s pediatrician can partner with you year-round to understand milestones, answer questions, and support developmental concerns early.
