With the holidays coming up, I look for toys and presents that are both entertaining and educational when choosing them for my kids. I usually choose things for my daughter that appeal to all of her senses. I’ve put together a list of educational and entertaining toys that would be great for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. I’ve found it’s important to select items that encourage different senses and foster cognitive development. When choosing toys, it’s critical to take into account each child’s age, interests, and developmental stage.
Birth-3 Years Old
The focus for this age range is on toys that provide multi-sensory experiences, encourage motor development, and support early language and communication abilities.
- Baby Einstein Ocean Explorers Sensory Splash Water Mat, for Tummy Time or Seated Play, Ocean-themed, tummy time mat engages baby’s senses through mess-free water play and encourages fine motor skill development as baby bats or pushes 3 floating creatures.Baby Einstein Ocean Sensory Mat
- Bright Starts Press & Glow Spinner Cause and Effect, Songs play along with the lights http://Bright Starts Press & Glow Spinner Cause and Effect
- Melissa & Doug Wooden Rainbow Stacker – This classic stacking toy helps develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Rainbow Stacker
- Yookidoo Crawl ‘N’ Go Snail Toy with Stacker- This toy promotes crawling and walking. Musical Crawl Snail
- Melissa & Doug Wooden Alphabet Blocks- These tactile blocks with large print letters and images aid in letter recognition. Wooden Alphabet Blocks
- Baby Einsteins Magic Touch Piano- The piano plays melodies and lights up when the keys are pressed. It engages sight, sound, and touch. Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano
- Hape Rainbow Xylophone- The vibrant colors and sounds generated by striking the keys helps build an understanding of music and rhythm. Hape Rainbow Xylophone
- B Toys Grab ‘n’ Glow Light Up Baby Ball- This multisensory ball has different textures, glowing lights and rattling sounds. Grab ‘n’ Glow Light Up Baby Ball
- All About Me! Photo Book All About Me! Photo Book
- Uncle Goose American Sign Language Blocks -These blocks are hand crafted. Sign Language Blocks
Preschool
The focus for preschoolers is on toys that build early academic skills, fine/gross motor abilities, and social-emotional development through multi-sensory, hands-on play.
Here are some great educational toy recommendations for preschool-aged deaf children:
- Osmo Little Genius Starter Kit for iPad and iPhone- This kit uses physical games that interact with iPad, blending hands -on and digital learning for subjects like letters, numbers, and coding.Osmo- Hands on Learning
- Melissa & Doug Wooden Latches Board- This activity board helps kids build dexterity. It also helps build fine motor skills. Wooden Latches Board
- MAGBLOCK Magnetic Blocks- Magnetic tile toys for toddlers- This kit is good for developing color shape recognition, creativity, imagination, exploration, sorting and patterning.Magnetic Blocks
- Jumbo Magnetic Letters & Numbers -Helps children learn letter recognition, phonics and early math. Jumbo Magnetic Letters and Numbers
- Melissa & Doug See-Inside Alphabet Peg Puzzle-These transparent blocks with embedded letters and numbers are great for tactile learning. http://Melissa & Doug Letter Puzzle
- My feelings and Emotions ASL Cards- These cards develop language communication through the use of simple and clear illustrated flashcards. My Feelings and Emotions ASL Cards
- PlanToys Sign Numbers 1-10 and Sign Alphabet A-Z These numbers and letters tiles allow kids to trace with their finger to improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Sign Alphabet Tiles Sign Number Tiles
- Duplos 3-in-1 Treehouse set. This set includes a minifigure with a hearing device. Duplo 3 in 1 Treehouse
- Lottie Doll Wildlife Photographer Doll Mia with Cochlear Implant Doll with Cochlear Implant
Elementary
- American Girl Doll -Joss Kendrick is a surfer whose hearing aid doesn’t slow her down. She has a book and accessories. American Girl Joss
- Barbie with Hearing Aids Barbie with Hearing Aids
- Thames & Kosmos SunBots: Discover real life applications of solar technology while you build and experiment with eight unique solar powered robots.Sunbots
- Lego Boost Creative Toolbox combines building with programmable robotics. Lego Creative Tool Box
- Discovery LED Tracing Tablet Drawing Tablet
- Osmo Genius Starter Kit -very visual-Osmo Genius Starter Kit
- Let loose Moose Hover Soccer Ball -This hover soccer ball set has bright colorful LED lights to attract kids attention. Let Loose Moose Hover Soccer Ball
Middle School
- Snap Circuits Jr. Electronic Discovery Kit- This hands-on kit allows kids to build different electronic circuits and projects, teaching STEM through tactile and visual learning. Snap Circuits Jr.
- ThinkFun Gravity Maze Marble Run Brain Game -This game is great for developing logical reasoning, spatial reasoning, and planning skills. Gravity Maze Marble Run
- Sphero Mini- Coding Robot Ball – Kids can create and customize games and code Spherp Mini programmable robot. Sphero Mini Coding Robot
- National Geographic Break Open Geodes -Cracking open these geodes reveals crystal formations, sparking interest in earth science.Geodes
- Lego Boost Creative Toolbox combines building with programmable robotics Lego Creative Tool Box
- Discovery LED Tracing Tablet Drawing Tablet
- Charlie & Frog- A Mystery by Karen Kane- While staying with his grandparents in Castle-on-the-Hudson, Charlie stumbles upon a mystery but must learn American Sign Language to keep up with Frog, a Deaf girl who wants to help solve it. Illustrations throughout the book are by deaf comic creator Carlisle Robinson. Charlie & Frog
- El Deafo -Going to school and making new friends can be tough. But going to school and making new friends while wearing a bulky hearing aid strapped to your chest? That requires superpowers! In this funny, poignant graphic novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her subsequent experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful–and very awkward–hearing aid. El Deafo
- Wonderstruck- Having lost his mother and his hearing in a short time, twelve-year-old Ben leaves his Minnesota home in 1977 to seek the father he never knew in New York City, and meets there Rose, who is also longing for something missing from her life. Ben’s story is told in words; Rose’s in pictures. Wonderstruck
The key is finding toys that engage multiple senses – sight, touch, movement – to make learning fun and accessible for deaf children.
Happy Holidays!