So just for parents, each year I create a new gift guide to help them find that perfect toy to delight their child during the holiday season. I don't always choose a theme, but this year I saw so many great ideas that I decided to focus on creativity and movement. I hope these ideas are helpful and bring you and your child many hours of enjoyment.

Games & Motor Toys:

1. The Nobbie Gertie Ball
Kids will love to touch this tactile ball that's easy to throw, catch and kick. Its lightweight material makes it ideal for indoor play plus it introduces textures and encourages active play.

2. The Floor Basketball Set is portable and designed for people who play while sitting. It's durability and comes with an easy grip ball in a bright, engaging color.

3. The Fun Hop. I have to admit this is a personal favorite at our house. My youngest daughter fell in love with this toy a few years ago and has literally spent hours on it. It has an easy grip, built-in handle and can hold a child up to 100 pounds. My favorite feature is that your child can use it indoors (on the carpet) while they are developing their balance and control and then take it outdoors when the weather is warmer. Plus it is an EXCELLENT way to burn off excess energy!

4. Tangle Original with Texture This tactile toy features five different textures for fingers to explore while manipulating the never ending tangle puzzle. Textures include tire treads, bumps, ridges, dots and smooth sections. This toy encourages creative exploration with stimulating textures for kids with sensory impairments and is perfect for keeping active hands occupied if your child has an attention deficit disorder.

Imaginary Play:

5. If your child's creativity leans more toward imaginary play, then he or she will love the Learning Resources Jumbo Jungle Animals set. It comes with a realistic mat to help "set the tone" and a wonderful set of 14 dinosaurs that are easy to grasp and encourage interactive play with other kids. If dinosaurs arent "in" at your house Animal Planet also offers sets of sea life, bugs, farm animals, wildlife, horses, and reptiles!

Creative Expression:

6. The Mozart Magic Cube by Munchkin
This colorful block lets your child add and subtract 5 different instruments with a simple touch as they listen to classic Mozart tunes. If your child enjoys music this is a great way to develop their understanding of cause and effect and the music of Mozart is believed by some experts to actually stimulate the brain.

TIP: Tuning your child into music can also have an added benefit! If your child can remember the words to their favorite song then it is very likely that you can set academic facts and information to simple tunes and help your child memorize them much more quickly and easily!

7. Looking for a more open ended way to encourage creativity? How about pairing basic art supplies with some great art ideas.

Then just fill your gift box with all the goodies any young artist could want. You can build a personalized collection of jumbo chalk, Texta pens, pencils, clay, and no spill paint pots at most craft stores or opt for one of the many young artist gift sets available. The Amazing Art Duffle is available online at Amazon.com

10. Trying to draw out an older child? A preteen or teenager with special needs has lots on their mind just like any other child their age. If the young person in your life needs a safe place to express him or herself, consider this terrific creative writing journal. "Creative Writing for Individuals With Disabilities" is designed like a workbook and offers "idea starters" to help your child move beyond the dreaded blank page. If you are facing the transition from school to adulthood within the next few years it's really important for you to understand what your child's dreams and values are. This is a perfect way to begin that process.

Creative Writing for Individuals With Disabilities is available online from Ideal Lives at:
http://www.ideallives.com/v01/creative_writing.html

I hope these ideas have sparked your creative juices for family fun.

Copyright 2003, Lisa Simmons. All Rights Reserved
Connecting Advocates to Answers at http://www.ideallives.com

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