Dr. Cherina Williams Therapist Approved Toy and Gift Ideas

Dr. Cherina Williams

Pediatric Speech and Language Pathologist

Cherina received her undergraduate degree in Speech Communication at Clark Atlanta University in 2006. Upon completing her degree, she worked in academia before enrolling in graduate school to pursue a master’s degree at the University of West Georgia in 2008. Throughout her tenure in graduate school, Cherina continued to establish herself as a pediatric speech and language pathologist, taking advantage of various externships in the Atlanta area.

Once she completed graduate school in 2011, Cherina worked at Children’s Hospital & Research Center, Oakland (now CHRCO & UCSF Benioff) in their outpatient clinic as a Pediatric Speech and Language Pathologist under the supervision of Robin Violette. In 2013, Cherina started a private practice, I Heart Speech Therapy, where she subspecialized in serving the birth to three population.

Understanding the unique needs of serving this age, Cherina learned the value of finding the balance between educating parents, teaching parents how to generalize therapeutic goals, and creating effective avenues to ensure client goals were met. Cherina learned that parents wanted answers on how to be an asset for their child’s growth and development, so she began writing the most frequently asked questions to try and serve the broader audience.

Cherina’s ultimate goal is to help families maximize their relationship with their child using play as a medium

Visit her at www.iheartspeechtherapy.com

Watch Me: Connecting to Your Child Through Play

Top 5 Under the tree items:

I wanted to select toys that promote sensory sensitivity and togetherness during play. It was also crucial for the selected items to encourage building receptive and expressive language skills. The final quality I was looking for was whether the toy could be used in various ways. I try to steer clear of one-dimensional toys. Teaching and modeling play variation with a singular toy is a special skill. If the toy is not multidimensional in use, it is just as important to practice different developmental tasks (e.g., following directions, turntaking, choosing a preferred item, imagining during play, fine motor skills, attention/focus).

SmartMax My First Series (ages 1-5)

My First Animal Train

My First Dinosaurs

My First Vehicles

My First Farm Animals

My First Safari Animals

Rationale: This series stimulates matching, labeling, and imaginary play. The My First Series grows with the child, so you can discuss and expand complex play topics as they grow (habitats and modes of transportation). They are compatible with other sister sets to expand more complex play skills (pretend play, imaginary play, role-playing).
via. Smartmax

MagBuilder (ages 2+)

Rationale: This brand sparks early play and connectivity! With the variety of pieces, toddlers and parents can create together, build together or separately, and showcase their creations. Because they are magnetic, it makes structures less susceptible to falling. You can also expand your play into imaginary play and encourage sharing and labeling. If you are building a structure together, “my turn” and “your turn” language can be used. Choices can also be made to model language, “Which one? The red cone or the black wheel?” This toy also has a combination of creation guides, but you can also allow your early learner to create their own designs (I find most toddlers prefer that method)

Play Intelligente Fanta Color (ages 2+)

Rationale: Introducing tabletop activities to toddlers starts the building blocks of focused play that will later be required in academia. Play Intelligente Fanta Color encourages attention to details and color identification without the drill (e.g., “What color is that?” versus “What color do we need next? Red? Yellow? Green or Blue?” Additional skills promoted are turn-taking (e.g., “Your turn, my turn,”), choices (e.g., “Which peg next? Red or Blue?” and fine motor skills. The variety of sheets and compact size make it great for on-the-go as a replacement for tablets. via.Quercettistore

SpinAgain (ages 1+)

Rationale: Stackable rings will always be a go-to for early play skills. This one has a unique spin on it, literally. Each colorful ring spins down the pole before it lands in place. You can encourage turn-taking and early focus on activity beginning and completion. Once you grow weary of stacking, this toy is great for racing rings, building structures, and playing “hide the rings.”
via. Fat BrainToys

Ombee Cube

Rationale: The Ombee Cube is a great play on the shape sorter I used as a clinician. This one is a bit more exciting for both the child and the parent. The small, attached ropes make losing the shapes almost impossible. This is a win for parents who have previously found shapes everywhere but with the actual cube! The next win is the texture. These shapes are much more pliable, which can encourage sensory-sensitive kiddos to engage a bit longer during play. The shapes rest on top of the mold, so you no longer must surf for them.

This could also be a lose if you are trying to build attention and focus or if your little one attempts to remove and replace the same shape. My suggestion to alleviate this issue is to rotate the completed shapes to encourage activity completion. Now, I really like this shape shorter because you can turn-take, label items, elicit requests, make choices, and teach shapes and colors without the drill (e.g., “Do you want the orange circle or the purple square?”)

Top 5 Stocking Stuffers:

1)Safari LTD Toob Animal Varieties

2)PlayDoh™

3)Sensory Balls

4)Toobs

Top 5 Book Stocking Stuffers:

1)Peter’s Chair (Ezra Keats)

2)Goodnight Moon (Brown/Hurd)

3)I Spy Little Book (Marzollo/Wick)

4)Dr. Seuss Board Books

5)See, Touch, Feel (Priddy Books)

Top 5 Books:

Sign and Sing Along (Child’s Play)

2)Chicka Chicka Boom

3)Five Chirpy Birds

4)The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Winter

5)Polar Bear, Polar

https://www.parentingspecialneeds.org/article/early-intervention-therapists-perspective/

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This post originally appeared on our November/December 2022 Magazine