The holiday season has officially arrived! Millions of children around the world anticipate new toys and gifts. However, buying toys for kids with cerebral palsy can sometimes prove difficult.
Gift buyers must consider how accessible some gifts are, accounting for a child’s differences in mobility, motor function, and mental and physical abilities.
Around 17% of children have a developmental disability, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Chief among these is cerebral palsy, a type of birth injury and the most common motor-function disability in childhood.
Find out if you qualify for compensation from a birth injury lawsuit, which can help you pay for your child’s medical care and more.
Luckily, there’s a large — and growing — selection of toys for kids with cerebral palsy that are designed specifically to support sensory development, motor skills, communication, and independent play.
If you’re shopping for a child with a disability this holiday season, it’s always a good idea to check with their parents or caregivers to see if they’ve created a wish list.
If not, the updated gift ideas below offer accessible, thoughtful options for children with cerebral palsy and other developmental delays in 2025.
1. Kinetic Sand™
A favorite among therapists and families alike, Kinetic Sand™ offers a unique sensory experience that supports both fine motor development and tactile exploration.
Designed to feel like wet beach sand without the mess, it sticks to itself rather than hands and surfaces. It stiffens when squeezed and loosens when released, allowing children to mold, stack, and reshape it easily.
Sensory toys for cerebral palsy that promote this sort of hands-on play can help strengthen hand muscles and improve coordination, making it a particularly beneficial gift for children with CP.
Recommended Age(s): 3+
2. Pop Blocs Farm Animals
Developed by Melissa & Doug®, Pop Blocs Farm Animals come in a pack of five soft, plastic animals and are intended to be mixed and matched.
These adorable farm animals can be snapped together, pulled apart, mixed up, and combined in unique and exciting ways.
The Cerebral Palsy Foundation (CPF) recommended the toy for:
- Encouraging sensory development
- Promoting tactical strength
- Inspiring creativity
If you have a creative child who would appreciate one of the most innovative sensory toys for cerebral palsy, consider Pop Blocs Farm Animals this holiday season.
Recommended Age(s): 1-3
3. Fat Brain Toys Dimpl™ Duo
The Dimpl™ series by Fat Brain Toys remains a top pick for sensory play and early skill development.
These toys feature soft, silicone bubbles that can be pushed and popped through sturdy frames. Children enjoy the satisfying tactile feedback, while caregivers appreciate how the toy builds foundational motor and cognitive skills.
Dimpl Duo toys can help:
- Strengthen motor function
- Promote shape recognition and early language development
- Provide a calming, repetitive activity that many children find soothing
Also in the Dimpl series are Dimpl Duo Stack Bundle and Dimpl Pops. Fat Brain Toys offers many different sensory toys for cerebral palsy.
Recommended Age(s): 1+
4. Inclusive Children’s Books Featuring Disabilities
Books with positive disability representation play an important role in helping children feel seen, understood, and confident. Many modern children’s books now feature characters with mobility differences, sensory sensitivities, or communication challenges.
Some great choices for young children include:
- “The Adventures of Bessie Bunny” by Karen Bunney
- “Adventures of the Sensokids” series by Reema Naim
- “To the Top” by Annette Bay Pimentel
- “Little Senses” series by Samantha Cotterill
- “We Move Together” by Kelly Fritsch and Anne McGuire
- “What Happened to You?” by James Catchpole
For older children who have started reading on their own, representation of disabled characters remains important so they can continue building confidence.
“The Amazing Edie Eckhart,” which is often suited for children ages 8-12 years old, is just one example of a book featuring a main character with a disability.
If you need more book recommendations, try visiting your local library or asking a bookseller at a bookstore nearby.
Recommended Age(s): Varies
5. Munchkin® Mozart Magic Cube
The Mozart Magic Cube continues to be one of the most popular musical toys for babies and children with disabilities. Each side plays sounds from different classical instruments, including piano, harp, violin, flute, and French horn.
Musical play supports sensory processing, hand-eye coordination, concentration, and fine motor development. The cube’s bright colors, easy-to-press buttons, and engaging sound combinations make it a wonderful gift for a child with cerebral palsy.
Recommended Age(s): All ages
6. Adaptive Remote Control Vehicles
Adaptive remote control vehicles are designed for children who may struggle with small buttons or standard controllers. These toys feature large, easy-to-press buttons, simplified controls, or switch activation, so children can easily guide cars, animals, or robots.
Enabling Devices offers several adaptive remote control vehicles, including:
- Stunt Cars: A durable car with a simplified remote, allowing kids to drive, spin, and perform tricks with minimal effort.
- Space Shuttle R/C: A joystick-powered vehicle that resembles a NASA space shuttle and can be driven around a room.
- Racing Track with Switch Compatibility: The track can be paired with adaptive switches, so children can start and stop vehicles independently, making the toy accessible for multiple skill levels.
These adaptive toys for cerebral palsy increase visual attention and tracking while teaching cause and effect.
Recommended Age(s): 3+
7. Elefun
Elefun by Hasbro Gaming® is a children’s game featuring a motorized elephant that produces music and other fun sounds.
Armed with a net, each player attempts to catch floating butterflies as they are blown out of the elephant’s 3-foot trunk.
For children with cerebral palsy, the game is excellent for teaching hand-eye coordination and helping children develop fine motor skills as they move about the room collecting as many butterflies as they can.
Recommended Age(s): 3+
8. Stan the Weighted Starfish
Stan the Weighted Starfish remains a trusted comfort companion for many children with sensory needs or cerebral palsy.
From the textured bumps covering the starfish to the smiley face, many aspects of Stan the Weighted Starfish will bring comfort to children, whether it’s used passively or during playtime.
This toy can provide support for children with CP in areas like:
- Mood and attention
- Tactile seeking
- Transition and travel
Since Stan the Weighted Starfish is 3 pounds, children shouldn’t sleep with this toy. During waking hours and with an adult present, the toy is safe for kids with cerebral palsy or other special needs.
Recommended Age(s): Intended for children who weigh over 30 lbs.
9. Suction Construction Toys
Suction-based construction toys stick to smooth surfaces like tables, windows, bathtubs, and wheelchair trays, allowing children to push, pull, twist, and connect flexible pieces without worrying about parts sliding away.
These toys are especially helpful for children with limited grip strength, coordination challenges, or reduced range of motion.
Popular suction toy options that can be found online include:
- Silicone Suction Builders by Mushie
- Squigz by Fat Brain Toys
- Textured Suction Bath Building Toys by BunMo
These suction building and fidget toys support grip strength and bilateral coordination (using both hands together), making them one of the best toys for cerebral palsy.
Because the pieces stay in place once attached, they’re ideal for children who become frustrated when toys slip or fall during play. Open-ended construction also encourages creativity and independent exploration at each child’s own pace.
Recommended Age(s): 3+
10. Montessori Kitchen Playsets
Montessori-style kitchen playsets allow children to practice everyday life skills in a safe, playful environment. Sets may include toy cutting boards, utensils, food items, cleaning tools, and storage compartments designed for hands-on learning.
Montessori kitchen playsets may include:
- A cutting board
- Brooms, dustpans, and other cleaning tools
- Plates, bowls, and utensils
- Pots and pans
- Storage spaces
- Wooden or plastic knives
The knives in these sets are designed for toddlers and may even be capable of cutting fruit, so your child can practice a valuable skill while staying completely safe.
With a variety of options available, these playsets let your child explore imaginative cooking while developing coordination and dexterity in a supportive, playful environment.
Recommended Age(s): Varies by playset
11. Boxer
Developed with children of all ability levels in mind, the interactive robot Boxer takes commands and responds to hand movements and gestures.
For children who are developing fine motor skills and learning coordination between certain muscles, Boxer can both provide motivation and laughs while teaching cause and effect.
Boxer is known for its expressive eyes, catchy sounds, and big personality. Children can teach, watch, and guide the robot as it does tricks, wheelies, and other stunts.
Using scannable game cards, Boxer can also be taught sports like soccer and bowling. In addition to responding to movement, Boxer can also be controlled with a hand-held remote.
Recommended Age(s): 6+
12. Therapeutic Balls & Sensory Play Kits
The Therapeutic Balls Kit by Enabling Devices contains a variety of 30 balls and similar toys designed to enhance your child’s motor skills. Recommended by therapists, these balls feature a variety of textures, weights, sizes, and designs to keep kids curious and happy.
This kit is particularly beneficial for kids with CP because it can help:
- Develop fine motor skills
- Strengthen hands and fingers
- Decrease stress and promote comfort
Whether your child tosses the soft, spiked balls in the air or fidgets with the larger smiley face ball that makes noise, they’ll find hours of fun with the Therapeutic Balls Kit this holiday season.
Recommended Age(s): 3+
Making the Holidays Special for Children of All Abilities
As a national cerebral palsy law firm, Sokolove Law is proud to support children with disabilities during the holiday season and throughout the year.
Sometimes the most meaningful gifts are also the simplest — the ones that bring comfort, laughter, confidence, or a greater sense of independence.
For children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities, the right gift can do more than entertain. It can support development, encourage exploration, and make everyday activities more accessible.
“Life with a disability can mean doing things a bit differently and finding creative solutions to everyday challenges,” as stated by the CPF.
Whatever you decide to give this holiday season, it’s always important to remember that there’s no such thing as “the perfect gift.” What matters most is the heart, thought, and intention that go into the gifts you give to others.
Happy holidays from all of our cerebral palsy lawyers, registered nurses, and staff!
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