- Samantha Goldman
Holiday Gifts to Buy for Kids Aged 3-5 Years Old
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It is officially holiday season in our neighborhood. This past weekend decorations, lights, and the holiday spirit magically appeared!
With Black Friday approaching this week, parents are starting to plan their holiday gift lists. And we are here to help!
These past couple weeks I released gift guides for:
Today, we’re going to talk about gifts for 3-4 year olds and 4-5 year olds!
Let’s talk about some milestones during this time period. Depending on your kid’s personality and development, some of these milestones may overlap, or happen sooner/later. Additionally, many of the toys recommended overlap between ages.
Between 3-4 years old, kids learn to:
Kick a ball
Throw a ball overhand
Imitate lines and circles
Snip with scissors
String beads
Continue to stack blocks higher
Makes shapes with blocks (like a train)
Use a better grasp
Identifying letters
Between 4-5 years old, kids learn to:
Use a tripod grasp
Cut on a line
Copy plus and square
Tie knots
Draws a person
Learning to write letters
Gifts for Kids Aged 3-4
This is one of my absolute favorite toys to play with. Most kids are so excited when I pull out this set of fruit. It allows a fun way to work on bilateral coordination and cutting skills. Kids also get to play pretend and imitate their parents with a kid friendly knife!
Learning to open different types of latches can be difficult for little ones. Especially when you only encounter it intermittently. This board teaches kids 6 different times of latches that they can practice so they can do it in the real world!
At this age, kids a learning to start lacing beads. These big hole inside these beads give kids extra room while they learn and refine their skills.
Who remembers slice and bake cookies? I know I do, and that makes this toy extra fun! This toy helps kids continue to work on bilateral coordination and fine motor skills while they pretend to open, cut, and “bake sugar cookies.
Messy play helps your little ones explore, learn, and get used to different sensations. This one can be especially helpful for picky eaters who have difficulty eating different textures.
Things have obviously been different this year during coronavirus. Parents have had to find new ways to get their kids moving, and a pop up tunnel is an easy addition to any obstacle course or play room!
At this age, kids are learning their numbers and improving their fine motor/visual skills. Since numbers are a new shape, it will challenge kids to try and figure out where they fit and remember them in order!
Stickers can be used for so many different activities with kids. I love this big sticker pad because it has something for everyone! Stickers also help kids improve fine motor skills and get them used to “sticky” textures.
Now is a great time to get kiddos involved in the kitchen! Using cookie cutters is a safe way to let them engage and play with different kinds of foods. For example, you can have them cut their sandwich or veggies into different shapes.
Does your kid always need some time to run around at night? Red Light Green Light works on impulse control and direction following, while making it fun!
Melissa and Doug Fridge Groceries
Kids want to open all their own packages and containers, but usually make a biggg mess. These groceries give them the chance to practice opening milk containers, yogurt containers, and deli meat without the mess!
Using this toy, you can work on improving your kid’s hand strength and bilateral coordination while feeding their frog friend.
When kids start to watch mom and dad do work around the house, they usually want a set of their own. This little toolbox lets them learn how to twist and “drill”just like their parents.
Work on your kids fine motor skills and color matching by picking up the little bumblebees with the tweezers and dropping them back in their hive.
Gifts for Kids Aged 4-5
Easel At this age, kids are starting to learn to hold writing utensils using a tripod grasp. By writing or panting on an easel, kids have to lift their wrist which helps promote this grasp in a more natural way.
These triangle crayons also help promote the ideal tripod grasp with their flat sides, making it easier for kids to hold.
This is around the time that kids start to learn to stand and hop on one foot, making it the ideal time to start playing hopscotch! I love hopscotch because it works on numbers, throwing, hopping, and following directions.
Practice your kids upper body coordination and throwing with this cute turtle game.
Who doesn’t love cookies? This is a surefire way to make both letter identification and spelling more fun!
In this game, your kid gets to practice making stacks of pancakes to match the picture (visual-motor skills). You can also use it to work on memory and recall by hiding the picture after they see it.
Play-doh is the perfect toy to work on fine motor skills. You can roll it, push-it, use cookie cutters, or shape it into letters. Kids are usually thrilled to play with Play-Doh, making it a great toy for addressing skills.
Stay tuned for next weeks list as we talk about older kids and teens!
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Let’s make healthy fun,
Sam
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