Janod_Shape%20Sorter%20Garden%20TexturesThis year at the Toy Fair in New York City I saw a trend in added sensory experiences in toys, especially tactile features. I wanted to share some of my favorites for adding learning dimensions to your child’s play time:

Janod’s Tactile Puzzle–A Day at the Zoo, Tactile Puzzle–Life on the Ice, and Shape Sorter–Garden Textures all have added textures like a furry hedgehog to pet, slippery, shiny green alligator’s back, sandpapery (is that a word??) tree leaves, and what feels like a real seal’s skin. Kids learn through many dimensions/ modalities and if a parent or caregiver can add language to their play as they explore how something feels, sounds, looks or is the same or different, a child’s language development is enhanced. The beautiful scenes in the puzzles invite talking about the animals in their habitats while the 4 scenes on the shape sorter suggest matching the shaped blocks to drop inside the box.

Go-Go-Smart-Animals-Furry-Animals-Assortment-1024x1024VTech’s Go! Go! Smart Animals Furry Animals Assortment were a big draw with kids as they moved along the floor or participated in one of their Go! Go! Smart Friends sets. We’ve had such fun with the Busy Sounds Discovery Home and I can’t wait to add these pets to the house. Their new Happy Paws Playland is coming out this year and these furry pets will add a realistic dimension to pretend pet play, building language skills.

IMG_0437Corolle’s first talking doll, Baby Bisou, says a few words that spark imitation and responses with kids. I especially like the smack I get for a kiss! These cuddly dolls smell like vanilla, adding to the sensory experience. Now kids learn to listen and respond as part of their pretend play as they care for baby.

Tiggly Shapes Got Talent” is Tiggly’s newest learning app designed in partnership with Herbert Ginsburg, Columbia’s Jacob H. Schiff Professor of Psychology and Education. With the option to use the brightly colored physical shape toys, kids can stamp the correct shape on their device to complete a question or create their own story. Kids are imgres-1drawn right in to Star’s invitation to join his game show, where the best shape can win the STAR-tastic trophy. Sad circle, confident Square, and tough Triangle, are given a series of challenges–which one has the most straight lines? or who can make a seesaw with a plank of wood? Teaching early geometry concepts in the context of building math vocabulary make this a terrific language learning experience.

monarch_3073_3poses_rgbFolkmanis makes fantastic puppets that come alive on the hands of kids and adults. This year their Monarch Life Cycle puppet reveals each stage of metamorphosis from caterpillar to chrysalis to Monarch butterfly with an unzip, tuck and zip times three! A first grade class loved the puppet and the added hands-on and visual reinforcement of the magic of the butterfly’s life cycle, teaching through touch, visual and verbal sensory systems. Live caterpillars arrive soon in this classroom and the kids have a head start on understanding the cycle.