22 Best Sensory Toys for Kids Who Love All the Feels
Sensory-stimulating playthings for babies, toddlers and preschoolers — many of them are award winners.

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Every toy out there tickles a kid's senses in some way — whether it's with texture, sound or the way it inspires kids to move. But real sensory toys are the ones that put sensations at the forefront of the play experience.
"Sensory toys stimulate the tactile system," says pediatric occupational therapist Shelli Dry. "Visual toys can light up, flash, run in patterns and stimulate color receptors by changing colors. Vestibular toys would be things like swings, rocker boards, scooter boards, and spinners — toys that move. Auditory toys may have music, metronome beats, chimes or bells." Even those ubiquitous pop fidget toys have their purpose, offering a satisfying push-pull for kids with busy hands.
"Sensory toys are beneficial to all ages and abilities," Dry says. "They may be used to activate or to calm, to encourage engagement or hand-eye coordination, and to teach participation or turn-taking." Below are our top picks, including several GH Toy Award winners.

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents.

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