Thank you Play Visions for sending samples for my gift guide. All opinions are my own.
Most kids can play for hours with water. Sand, slime, putty, clay, and dough also tend to keep kids focused for long periods of time. Toys like these that provide kids with sensory input just tend to really capture their attention. As you all know by now, after taking some early childhood development classes in college, I realized how valuable opened-ended toys are, and sensory play is almost always open-ended, so I think sensory gifts are a win-win.
Play Visions offers a variety of toys that could be considered sensory play. If you are looking for sensory friendly gifts for kids or open-ended gifts for kids, I’d recommend these!
Bag O’Dirt Play Dirt. This is not actually made of soil, it is man-made and it even calls itself ‘the cleanest dirt on planet earth’. It really looks like dirt though! The Bag O’ Dirt comes with three garden tools to add to that feeling that it really is soil. The bag is re-sealable so you can use it for storing your play dirt between uses.
Floof Dino Babies comes in a bucket. It includes 3 3D dino molds, a dino track roller and a roller handle. This is much lighter and softer than sand. It is advertised as ‘lighter than air’. As long as your hands are dry and lotion-free, it won’t stick to your hands or leave a residue. It doesn’t dry out like certain clays or doughs. It is fun to pretend that Floof is a cloud or snow, seems how it is white!
SANDS ALIVE! is a sand-like material that is softer ad less gritty. It’s called SANDS ALIVE because it appears to move a little bit when touched. I gave a Sands Alive! kit to my niece and nephew a few years ago and they both loved them. It’s easier to clean up than sand and doesn’t stick to carpet or clothing the way that play doughs do. The Sands Alive! Paver Pete set is perfect for kids who like construction vehicles. It includes 1.5 pounds of Sands Alive, a Paver Pete Bulldozer with two rollers, one that is smooth and one that is a ‘rock crush’ texture. It also includes 2 barrel marker molds, 2 cone marker molds, a double-sided stop & go octagon sign, 3 traffic/construction signs and a 16″X16″ play mat.
PlayVisions has a ton of different toys available, sensory and otherwise. Visit the PlayVisions to see what else they have to offer!
Hi there! I am Emily Evert, the owner of Emily Reviews. I am 28 and live in a small town in Michigan with my boyfriend Ryan and our two pugs. I have a large family and I adore my nieces and nephews. I love reading memoirs, and learning about child development and psychology. I love watching The Game of Thrones, Teen Mom, Sister Wives and Veep. I like listening to Jason Isbell, John Prine, and other alt-country or Americana music. I created Emily Reviews as a creative outlet to share my life and the products that I love with others.
What kid doesn’t love to play in dirt? It is awesome this company has found a way to manufacture fake dirt and the world’s “cleanest dirt”. This would make a gift for kids.
Dana Rodriguez
Alice F
Peggy Nunn
Tamra Phelps
The bag of dirt is awesome! What a great idea for winter months, I wish I could have some as an adult.