Gift Suggestions for Young Children
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Toys Suggestions
The following is a list of gift suggestions under 15 catergories:
Toys to hear
- bells or balls with bells inside.
- wind-up music boxes.
- rattles.
- lullaby light show with sound.
- squeeze toys.
- musical instruments.
- sound balls - with farm animals, nursery rhymes or transport noises.
- rattles.
- Chinese chime balls.
- balloons with rice, water, beans.
- wooden and wind chimes.
- wind-up musical mobiles.
Toys to feel
- squeaky toys.
- rattles with different bits and pieces.
- hairbrushes and stiff brushes.
- gloves filled with different textures (e.g. cornflour or salt).
- beaded necklace and buttons.
- balls with bells inside.
- metal spoons.
- curlers.
- stickle bricks.
- cellophane balls.
- patterned and rubber mats (e.g. car mats).
- play bag with dolls and teddies.
- bean bags filled with different textured items (e.g. cellophane).
- prickly, pimply, wobbly, clutch, rattle or cane balls.
- tactile story books.
- natural odd bits (e.g. gum nuts, shells, river pebbles).
- woven handle baskets.
Toys to see
- hanging mobiles with balloons.
- foil and tin items (e.g. bird mirrors and silver metal chime balls).
- crystals and prisms.
- Christmas decorations and garlands.
- bright felt or cardboard animals (preferably high contrast colours-yellow, black or red).
- small dolls with white faces and black eyes, nose and mouth.
- black patterns and face symbols on ice cream lids and paper plates.
- metallic, button and wooden beads and bracelets.
- play frame hung with metal measuring spoons and fluorescent toys.
- black and white striped baby bottle cover.
- elastic suspended cord or dowel across cot, hung with cotton reels, bright ribbons and coloured plastic spoons
- mirrors
- textured patchwork quilt with a dark colour on the reverse (good for playing with bright toys due to colour contrast)
- black and white soft ball (e.g soccer balls)
- music box and carousels with lights
- laser discs
- bubble wands and pipes
- baby carrier or Mei Tai (so baby is close to adult's face).
Toys to suck and taste
- squeaky toys.
- bell or bead necklace threaded on strong hat elastic.
- key rings.
- metal, wood or plastic spoons and rattles.
- brushes.
- textured bangles and egg rings.
Toys that move
- push along cars.
- large, bright, tactile balls with sound.
- baby swing.
- jolly jumper.
- hammock.
- rocking horse or rockers.
- water mattress.
- wrist rattles.
Toys to push and pull
- shoe boxes, tissue boxes or tins filled with scarves and fabric, tied together, with a hole through which the fabric can be pulled.
- small handheld cars.
- large playing blocks (these can be made from boxes, covered with coloured paper or contact).
- ride-a-long tricycle.
- small pram, trolley, wheelbarrow, rockers, tractors & carts
- tyre swing.
- ball in a stocking suspended from ceiling or doorway.
- balloons on strings filled with rice or beans.
- small broom.
- ball toys with holes to push objects through.
- punching bag.
- wooden toys .
- scooter board.
Toys to fit together
- Duplo type blocks and Duplo sets (e.g. animals, people).
- Stickle bricks.
- stacking cups.
- peg rings and boards.
- shape sorters.
- wooden puzzles with large knobs.
- large pop beads.
- magnets, magnetic trains and blocks (e.g. Imaginetics).
- threading toys (e.g. cotton reels).
- construction toys (e.g. Mobilo).
- Pop-up people.
Toys and objects for fingers
- hair brushes and toothbrushes.
- curlers.
- links or chain of rings, laces or keys.
- wooden rattle with holes.
- bell balls, budgie balls and Koosh balls.
- metal and plastic 'Slinky'.
- kitchen items.
- peg boards.
- telephone dials.
- knitting cones.
- finger puppets.
- sleigh bells.
- play dough.
Toys and objects for real life play
- cars, trucks, trains sets and tractor toys - which are Matchbox or friction driven, that can be wound-up, switch operated, ridden in or pushed-a-long, which use steering wheels and gear sticks.
- animals - soft toys with sound, plastic or wooden farm or zoo sets (e.g. Lego or Duplo type animals), hobby horses, puppets, push -a-long animals, felt animals, picture books, animal song tapes, real pets, farm visits and zoos.
- cleaning items such as mops, sponges and buckets.
- housekeeping items - table and chairs, tea sets, kitchen equipment,
- saucepans, cutlery, beaters, mixers, play dough and pastry cutters.
- doll's clothes to wash, hang out and ironed.
- doll's bath, bed, high chair, pusher, furniture and telephone.
- doll's house, pram, cooking, cleaning, washing activities.
- food - plastic fruit and vegetables, packets of food, egg boxes, milk cartons, cereal packets and soup tins.
- play cooking activities- can use pasta for sorting and threading
- shopping- visits to shops to buy particular item and cook
- clothing dress ups - easy to manipulate dolls clothes or used sets of children's clothing including shoes, boots, hats, and adult dress up.
- gardening tools - child's size carpentry sets.
- Match-a-Balloon (Ravensburger) compares shapes and colours.
- Find-It (Galt) for looking and talking.
- Distinguish (Creative Toys) - card game.
- brightly coloured finger paint - add a variety of textures and smells
- chalks and crayons.
Toys and objects that change shape
- pieces of rope, chain, chicken wire or hose.
- rubber gloves filled with rice or cornflour.
- balloons with water, cornflour, rice or sand.
- bean bags made from bright plain fabric or large bean bags to crawl onto and cushions
- orange bag netting with marbles, buttons, cellophane, stones, gumnuts.
- balls which are felt, rubber, vinyl or squeaky.
- flexible plastic figures (e.g. Gumbies and Simpson dolls).
- water play toys such as water wheels, sieves, plastic bottles, cups, tins, dishes and sponges.
- play dough, clay, scone or bread dough with rolling pin, cutters, garlic press and pastry wheels.
- slime.
- shaving cream for finger painting.
- soft brushes, sponge brushes and sponge hair rollers.
- teddies, soft dolls and reversible dolls.
- wooden rattles with string attached balls.
- activity centres and boards (home made), with door hinges, light switches, moving handles, doorbells.
- Slinky.
- Pop-Beads and bead frames.
- Pop-Up-Pets.
- fold-up pusher or pram.
- simple puzzles - remove and reveal inside of object (e.g. doll within doll).
- magnetic toys such as 'fishing games' and train sets.
- string and threading toys.
- bubble pipes, vinyl tubing, pipe cleaners and trumpets.
- sand making tools- scoops, buckets, rakes and sieves .
Books and tapes for listening
- Large print picture books with clear contrasting illustrations.
- Nursery rhymes (e.g ABC nursery and play school rhymes).
- Family photo album and story (e.g. the family with clear close-up photographs).
- Colouring activity and texture books.
- Nursing mother resources.
- Wilderness society tapes and bird symphony sounds.
Equipment to play with, on or in
- baby rollers.
- water mattress.
- textured mats and quilts.
- hammocks, swings, see-saws and rockers.
- tyre tubes.
- cubby houses, boxes.
- sand pits.
- large containers filled with variety of tactile material (e.g. balls, wheat, dry leaves) for children to sit or stand in.
- bikes and ride-on toys.
- playground equipment (e.g. swing, monkey bar, rope ladder, slides, trapeze and rings).
- paddling pools.
- crawling tunnels and barrels.
- trampolines.
- scooters.
Toys for pretend games
- kitchen equipment (e.g. scourers, gloves, spoons, egg whisks, metal and wooden pots, pans, canisters and pouring jugs) and filling containers with different textured dry foods (e.g. beans, rice, wheat and large nuts).
- eating using cups and spoons for pretend food and drink (eg. teas sets)
- cooking using play dough and shaping tools, forks, rolling pin and biscuit cutters.
- large boxes for sitting or climbing in (could have cut out port holes) as well as boxes for shop play and mailing packages.
- scarves from translucent to heavy material for peek-a-boo games.
- water pump and spray guns.
- clothing for dress-ups, using jewellery, beads, brushes, hats, bags, packing and unpacking suitcases.
- secretarial games using the telephone and old typewriter.
- old cameras.
- tool box for handyman games.
Toys to share
- plastic figures and people (suitable for use with doll's house)
- plastic miniatures (for example boats, trains, planes, buses, emergency vehicles, animals and trees)
- playsets for circus, train, jets, farms, fire station, family house and caravan sets.
- flexible and life-like dolls, babies, high chair, cradle
- cleaning and ironing sets (including cleaning appliances, vacuum cleaners, broom and ironing sets)
- glow in the dark characters
- cubby houses and boxes
- bikes (also tandem three-wheeler)
Suggested reading
- Children's Stages of Development (birth to 2.5 years): Joan Faragher with Janet McLean. TAFE Publications Unit, RMIT Ltd, Collingwood, Victoria, 1983.
- Children's Learning Experiences (birth to 2.5 years): Joan Faragher with Patricia Crockford. TAFE Publications Unit, RMIT Ltd, Collingwood, Victoria, 1983.
- Living and Learning (A Guide for Parents and Educators of Young Visually Impaired Children Who Have Additional Disabilities): Deborah Fullwood, Laine Harvey and Glen White. RVIB School, Burwood, Victoria 1988.
- Space and Self: Active Learning by means of the Little Room: Lilli Nielsen. SIKON, 1992.
- Australian Guide to Good Toys: Don Lewis Second Edition: Hampden Press 1987.
- Toys & Playthings: John & Elizabeth Newson, Penguin 1979.
Contact us
Call: 1300 84 74 66
TTY: 02 9334 3260
Fax: 02 9747 5993
Website: www.visionaustralia.org
Street Address (State Head Offices)
NSW and ACT: 4 Mitchell Street, Enfield NSW 2136
Queensland: 373 Old Cleveland Road, Coorparoo Qld 4151
Victoria: 454 Glenferrie Road, Kooyong Vic 3144
Vision Australia is a living partnership between people who are blind, sighted or have low vision. We are united by our passion that in the future people who are blind or have low vision will have access to and fully participate in every part of life they choose.
This page last updated: 20 February 2007