Toys are a very important part of childhood and growing up. They bear huge significance in kids’ memories and often serve as reminders of carefree playtime when they get older. This is the reason why toys should hold sentimental, entertaining, and educational value.
Kids with down syndrome also require these types of playthings, mainly because they have special needs, and educational tools can further benefit their development.
Numerous toys offer tons of entertainment for toddlers, but certain types can pick their brains, stimulate their cognitive functions, and get their way of thinking to the next level. In the section below, we have compiled a list of some of the best educational toys for toddlers diagnosed with down syndrome.
What is Down Syndrome?
According to the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, “Down syndrome is the most frequently occurring chromosomal disorder and the leading cause of intellectual and developmental delay in the U.S.and the world.” It happens when a person has a full or partial additional copy of a chromosome.
While there are certain physical characteristics of Down syndrome (for instance, cognitive delays and a heightened chance of specific medical conditions), Down syndrome doesn’t specify the individuals that are born with that. Individuals with Down syndrome have satisfying lives, attending school and work, creating significant relationships, unemployment, and contributing to society.
These toys help kids with Down syndrome to come up with language, motor, and social skills while having a blast. Get the best choice of toys for kids with special needs.
Learning Toys For Toddlers With Down Syndrome
1. Maxim Deluxe Wooden ABC Blocks
Made of 100% natural solid timber and stained with non-toxic water-based paint. These ABC wooden cubes are fully tested to the maximum U.S. ASTM toy safety standards–so they are child-safe.
Assist your child with their ABC learning, counting, and simple math for this deluxe collection of 40 engraved timber construction blocks for toddlers. Extra-large 1.8 inches (45 mm) baby cubes are easier to stack, read and comprehend images!
2. Fisher-Price Baby’s First Blocks
Small ones will have a blast for this thrilling gift collection, which includes two legendary Fisher-Price toys: a rock-a-stack and infant’s first cubes! Considering all the bat-at-play along with shape-sorting entertaining, your infant will be occupied as a Bee growing good motor and problem-solving skills.
3. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn with Friends Musical Table Activity Center
The Fun With Friends Musical Table includes over 50 tunes, songs, and musical acts, and four corners full of learning pleasure. For infants and toddlers aged 6-36 months, every corner of this table comes with an interactive, light-up personality inviting infant to research all around the table.
4. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn
The piggy bank presents infant to counting, colors, critters, and sizes through favorable role-play, everything wrapped into an exciting piggy bank motif. With 10 brilliant coins to fall into the Piggy Bank’s slot machine, and also an open doorway to get put-and-take play, it is a toy with a Great Deal of exploration.
5. Fisher-Price Deluxe Kick ‘n Play Piano Gym
Smart Stages technology allows you to alter the learning material to best match your infant’s age and period, while actual piano notes promote your small Mozart to make a song of your own. You can also detach the computer keyboard for musical pleasure on the move.
6. Edushape Play & Sound Mat 40″x40″
It’s great for improving color recognition and fine motor skills in addition to audio/visual stimulator. The crystal tiles make excellent play mats, storage containers, tents, and innovative games. It’s soft, washable, durable, and brilliant.
7. Simple First Words Let’s Talk
By pressing on the buttons and fitting the sounds to the images over and over, kids will efficiently learn simple first words and create their language. Now with much clearer sound!
8. Baby Touch and Feel
This USA Today bestselling board book motivates tiny fingers to explore and develop fine motor skills whilst constructing an early language base. Infants will meet cute dogs, kittens, penguins, and other creatures through the pages of this publication.
9. Bubble Ice Cream Truck Toy
PERFECT MOVING BUBBLE ICE CREAM TRUCK: Bubble Toy Truck Has Running Lights and Audio, Fun Flashing LED Lights, Lights Up While In Use Battery Operated, suitable for Children 3 Years or Older.
10. Infantino Sensory Press and Stay Sensory Blocks
Here is the perfect initial block set to begin those ancient technology skills. These distinctively shaped cubes are simple to drive together or pull apart, from any angle. No need to completely align them. Eliminates frustration and promotes creativity. Stack them up or perhaps construct sideways.
11. Fisher-Price Go Baby Go! Swirl ‘n Tunes Gumball
Small ones will have a ball for this candy gumball machine and no quarters required! Only load the four vibrant “gumballs” into the machine and then press on the lever to see’em drop, one by one, whereas enjoyable lights and sounds drama.
12. Fisher-Price Bright Beats Dance & Move BeatBo
Even the Fisher-Price Bright Beats Dance & Proceed BeatBo is a cute animatronic pal that encourages baby to get up and proceed – also helps instruct infant, too! Pressing BeatBo’s colorful LED grid stomach or the buttons onto his toes rewards baby with entertaining tunes, learning content, and dancing moves
13. Fisher-Price Little People Fire Truck Ride On
With lights flashing and sirens blaring your small firefighter will speak to headquarters at the detachable walkie-talkie that triggers sounds when eliminated from the dash. They could turn the clicking fire hose to front and pretend to put out the flame. Having a custom fire cage drive bar control bar and under bench storage that this fire truck has it all!
14. ECR4Kids SoftZone Climb and Crawl Activity Play Set
As little ones climb up the ramp, on top of the cubes and above the speed bump they build motor skills and coordination. The five soft foam bits (a rectangular, rectangle, quad, tubing and half-moon) may be organized and rearranged for small pieces to clamber over.
15. Pewi Walking Ride On Toy
PEWI Ybike is the best walker. It will permit your kid to learn to walk into a secure and enjoyable atmosphere. The PEWI contains wheels that spin in 360°, therefore where your child is led the PEWI is right now together.
16. Sportspower My First Trampoline
Today, Sportspower trampolines, swing sets, water slides, playhouses, and all-around play centers encourage and supply fun exercise for kids and adults of all ages. Sportspower stands behind goods and also believes in Looking after customers.
17. Fisher-Price Go Baby Go Poppity-Pop Musical Dino
This cute, prehistoric pal assists make your infant crawling with super enjoyable, ball-popping activity. Take the ball rolling by batting in the roller to listen to eight ridiculous music and sounds.
18. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Double-Sided Tabletop Easel
The Melissa & Doug Deluxe Double-Sided Tabletop Easel is a lasting dry-erase board/chalkboard for children ages 3 and upwards. It is made from high-quality timber which folds flat for effortless storage. The 42-piece set arouses imaginations and ignites hours of pleasure, screen-free play.
19. Disney Pixar Cars Grand Circuit de Floride pour course de voitures
Disney/Pixar Cars movies amuse, excite and hot fans’ hearts. Their persuasive, comedy-adventure stories revolve around teamwork, courage, and friendship, and inspire crowds to do it! The most recent feature, Cars 3, presents Next Gen racers, exciting experiences, and investigates racing’s roots together with Lightning McQueen!
20. Fisher-Price Little People Caring for Animals Farm Set
Little farmers will have a blast exploring all of the exciting tasks on the Little People Caring for Plants Farm. As they assist Farmer Jed care due to their beloved animals, they will hear a lot of fun tunes and phrases regarding caring for others, such as our buddies on this farm!
21. Fisher-Price Grow-to-Pro Junior Basketball
The Fisher-Price Grow to Pro Junior Basketball collection is ideal for novices and beyond. Together with four adjustable height positions and also a detachable Sure score rim to assist the tiniest shooters in catching the ball from the basket, and the pleasure could grow right along with your toddler!
22. Teddy Ruxpin
Teddy Ruxpin is cuter than previously, and brings friendship and magic to story time using interactive technology and attributes! He loves telling stories and singing songs with friends ages 2+, which makes him the ideal companion.
23. Teamson Kids – Little Chef Florence Classic Kids Play Kitchen
Cook up the creation of your life with Teamson Children Play Kitchen. The kitchen knobs that turn to supply like actually working out a stove! The stove opens with a vivid yellow handle and the 2 beers above are a terrific spot to cook tasty soups or day tea!
24. Tomy Lamaze Wrist Rattle and Foot Finder Set
With each wiggle, the garden bugs rattle! Crinkle and rattles awaken auditory awareness. Multi-textured bugs encourage baby to research, stimulating visual sensations.
25. Sassy Tummy Time Floor Mirror
Encourage baby to concentrate on an individual face using the big true-reflection mirror. The connected symmetrical butterfly arouses vision and promotes tactile exploration.
How to Choose the Right Toy for Toddlers With Down Syndrome?
When browsing toys for toddlers with down syndrome, it is essential to pay attention to tiny details and features that will pick their brains and stimulate their cognitive functions.
You should also make sure that the toy is entertaining enough to keep the child’s attention while improving numerous skills. In the section below, we have made a list of some of the most important things to consider when making this purchase.
Ease of Grasping and Weight
Consider picking a toy that a toddler’s delicate hands can grasp. Make sure that the item is not too heavy so the baby can play with it comfortably and with ease. If a toy weighs too much, the child will get tired of it and lose interest very fast.
Educational Value
Pick the toy that will stimulate the child to play often. To do so, you should purchase the one that will pick the baby’s interest but also have educational value. Toys that develop a child’s hand-eye coordination and cognitive functions are always a great idea.
It is also important to remember that the toy should meet the toddler’s learning abilities. If you pick a toy that is too complicated to play with, the child will set it aside and lose interest fairly quickly.
Type of Activity
There are numerous playtime activities that can stimulate a child’s cognitive functions, which is why it is important to choose the toys that will stimulate their thinking in different surroundings and circumstances. Pick colorful toys that will draw kids’ attention and make them move.
This will largely stimulate their motoric functions and teach them to move independently faster. Pediatricians also recommend wooden blocks, rattles, and chalkboards since these toys can improve kids’ cognitive functions as well.
Safety
The safety of children should always come first, so make sure to pick the toys that are not too small. Tiny objects draw kids’ attention a lot, and they just love to put them in their mouth, so in order to avoid any dangers, pick the toy that you can always keep an eye on when the kid is playing.
Sensory outputs
The learning outcome of the playtime with educational toys is really important, so you should pick the ones that will have multiple sensory outputs, and therefore stimulate a child’s thinking and grasping of environments on different levels.
FAQ
What are the best ways to stimulate a baby with Down syndrome?
There are various ways to stimulate a baby with Down syndrome. The best way to accomplish this is through encouragement and activity. Place the toys around the room and motivate the baby to reach them. Playing pat-a-cake can stimulate the development of motor skills.
How do you entertain a child with Down syndrome?
There are ways to both entertain and stimulate a child with Down syndrome. Playing matching games and encouraging them to pick up the objects is a great way to start. Music is a great way to stimulate brain functions, so play some tunes for your baby.
What activities should toddlers with Down syndrome take part in?
Teach your baby to notice the sound in its surroundings. Place the baby in your lap to face you and slowly make soft sounds with exaggerated lip movement. Draw your child’s attention with objects like a favorite toy. Motivating the baby to crawl towards the toy is a great way to stimulate motoric functions.
Which toy is a good gift for a child with Down syndrome?
Various toys can help engage and stimulate the growth and development of children with Down syndrome. Many pediatric experts recommend wooden blocks, rattles, and lasting dry-erase chalkboards as these toys can stimulate different brain functions and entertain toddlers.
Conclusion
I hope that this list can help you with your purchase. Overall children who have Down Syndrome may utilize the very same toys as their average peers, it’s only that occasionally the developmental levels are somewhat different and it’s almost always a fantastic idea to find toys that can excite young minds.
If you are looking for some more ideas for educational toys, take a look at these products from the same price range, that are available right now on Amazon: