This is the Ultimate Guide to help you find the best gift for your child that will help them grow and learn new skills while guaranteeing that they will have fun! These toys, books, and development tools are used in our clinics every day, so we know they are kid-approved. 

targets colors, counting, cause/ effect, turn-taking, hand-eye coordination, intentional grasp and release, visual and spatial perception, and tactile and visual exploration.

Targets color recognition, shape, size, comparison, bilateral coordination, counting, turn taking, pretend play, memory, stacking, visual focusing, 

Targets grasp and release, finger isolation and pointing, motor planning and control, hand eye coordination, color identification, counting, making choices, following directions (“press, pop, put in, roll”), 

This Toy targets bi-manual hand use or bilateral coordination, hand strengthening, visual perceptual skills, color identification, counting, sorting, cause/ effect, and turn-taking. It can be used on windows, refrigerators, and bathtubs in a variety of environments. 

Targets constructional praxis with building, imagination, counting, color identification, copying patterns, turn taking, problem solving, cause and effect play, sensory tool to help with concentration, attention and focus

 : These spoons are great to promote self-feeding skills. Their flat shape allows purees and other textures to stick easily, allowing your baby to practice holding the spoon and placing it in their mouth without losing food in the process. 

 : These spoons have a shallow spoon bowl, allowing your baby to easily clear foods from the spoon using their lips. They also include a guard to help prevent gagging by sticking the spoon too far back in their mouth. 

 : This cup is great for teaching straw drinking! This cup allows you to squeeze liquid through straw to help teach the concept of straw drinking. These supports can slowly be faded to only squeezing liquid halfway up the straw until your baby is sucking independently. The straw is also silicone, which can be cut down to make it shorter in addition to helping prevent mouth injuries. 

 : This silicone cup is great for transitioning from straw cup to open cup. It also has handles that can make it easier for your baby to hold independently. The silicone is also great to help prevent mouth injuries. Great price! 

 : This suction plate is perfect to encourage self-feeding without the mess. The dividers help your baby with scooping while also giving parents a visual reminder to serve 1 fruit/veggie, 1 carbohydrate, and 1 protein at each meal. These are also available to purchase with lids, which are great for leftovers! 

 : These bowls are nice because they have suction, come with lids for easy storage, and also have measuring lines so you can easily know how much your baby ate. 

 : These are great when transitioning from smooth purees to soft solids. You can place fresh, soft pieces of fruits or vegetables inside to teach your baby to chew, and it will come out of the small holes as purees into your baby's mouth. You can also place frozen fruits, vegetables, or even breastmilk inside to help ease teething pain. This comes with different size pouches and a freezer tray mold with spill-resistant cover.

 : These are similar to the silicone feeders, but offer a different texture. The mesh makes it easier to control the bite size and shape to ensure your baby is able to chew, rather than just suck. Mesh is more difficult to clean, however dishwasher safe!

 : This teether is designed by an SLP and perfectly shaped for your baby to hold onto and place in their mouth. This promotes jaw strengthening, munching, and tongue lateralization (side-to-side tongue movement needed to move food in the mouth). 

 : This oral motor tool, designed by an SLP, has 3 different branches to chew, each providing different sensory input and helping your baby to tolerate different textures. These are also frequently used to support jaw strengthening, jaw stability, chewing, and decreasing oral sensitivities. 

Toy recommendations from a Physical Therapist

The best gift you can get for your child is a book. Books are ALWAYS a great way to use language and teach new vocabulary while also fostering a connection with your child. So get all snuggled up with your little one and enjoy these speech therapist recommended books. 

Happy holidays from your friends at Marshall Pediatric Therapy! 

Therapist-Approved Christmas Gift Guide

Setting up & Navigating the Parent Portal

. It offers significant benefits for children with developmental delays or neurological conditions.

Children with a wide range of conditions can benefit from intensive therapy, including:

Intensive therapy focuses on providing a high dose of therapy over a shorter period. This approach can 

accelerate progress and help children achieve goals that might otherwise take much longer with traditional weekly therapy sessions.

What are the benefits of intensive therapy?

How does intensive therapy compare to traditional therapy?

Unlike traditional therapy, which often involves weekly or biweekly sessions, intensive therapy provides a more concentrated approach with 

Is intensive therapy covered by insurance?

Insurance coverage for intensive therapy can vary depending on your specific plan. It's important to 

check with your insurance provider to determine your coverage.  

Can you share an example of how intensive therapy has helped a child?

Absolutely! A 2-year-old child with hereditary spastic paraplegia participated in an intensive therapy program. Initially, the child relied on army crawling for mobility. 

After three weeks of intensive therapy, the child was able to independently crawl on hands and knees, transition from sitting to standing, maintain standing while holding a push toy, climb onto 2' high surfaces, and demonstrate improved balance and coordination.

 This intensive approach significantly accelerated the child's functional gains in a short period.

Ready to learn more about intensive therapy for your child?

If you think intensive therapy could be beneficial for your child, we encourage you to:

If you want to learn more about intensive therapy and have specific details you can call us at 

To schedule an evaluation with a therapist specializing in intensive therapy, use the link below. One of our intake specialists will contact you to set up a time that works best for your schedule! 

By taking these steps, you can learn more about the potential benefits of intensive therapy and determine if it's the right choice for your child.

Is Intensive Therapy Right for Your Child?: A Q&A for Intensive Therapy

The start of a new school year can be a mix of excitement and anxiety for children. As a pediatric mental health therapist, I understand the importance of strong parent-child bonds in supporting children's emotional well-being during this transitional period.

Creating a supportive home environment is crucial for children's mental health. Here are some strategies to foster a strong connection with your child:

Back to School: Fostering a Connection With Your Child

As the new school year begins, the weight of your child’s backpack can become a significant concern. Improperly packed or worn backpacks can lead to discomfort, pain, and even postural issues. At Marshall Pediatric Therapy, we understand the importance of proper backpack use for your child’s well-being.

By following these simple guidelines, you can help ensure your child’s backpack is not causing unnecessary strain on their body. If you have concerns about your child’s posture, backpack-related pain, or overall physical development, please don’t hesitate to contact Marshall Pediatric Therapy. Our team of experienced therapists can provide an evaluation and develop a personalized plan to address your child’s specific needs.

From Our Experts

Therapist-Approved Christmas Gift Guide

Setting up & Navigating the Parent Portal

Is Intensive Therapy Right for Your Child?: A Q&A for Intensive Therapy

Back to School: Fostering a Connection With Your Child

Back to School Tips: Backpacks!