My Favorite Things: Pediatric PT & Mom-Approved Tools for Purposeful Baby Play
Introduction: Less is More When Supporting Baby Development
As a mom of three and a pediatric physical therapist, I know how overwhelming it can be to navigate the sea of baby gear. Here’s the truth: you do not need all the things. Often, less is more when it comes to purposeful play and developmental support.
Some of the best tools for movement and milestones are already in your home:
A laundry basket can become a ride for core strength and vestibular input.
Pillows create a crawling obstacle course to challenge balance.
Rolled towels help babies build postural control during play.
That said, I’ve rounded up the tools I return to most often—both at home and in my pediatric PT sessions. These items support strength, balance, coordination, sensory input, and connection, all while keeping play fun.
Movement & Play
Play Mat: House of Noa Tumbling Mat or Toki Mat
Benefits: Support safe, comfortable floor play to encourage rolling, crawling, and early standing.
I love these mats for how they make floor time inviting—for both babies and parents. The gentle cushion protects from tumbles while still providing the firmness needed for motor skill development. They’re beautifully made from non-toxic, high-quality materials that blend seamlessly into home spaces. My go to for home and clinic!
Use Toki Mat link: https://tokimats.refr.cc/default/u/MoveveryPT?s=kls&t=cp
The Nugget Couch (or any Modular Couch)
Benefits: Encourages creativity, full-body strengthening, and imaginative play through climbing, tumbling, and building.
I love modular play couches because they invite movement in such a natural, playful way. Toddlers can climb, balance, crawl over obstacles, or build forts—all while working on strength, coordination, and confidence. It’s one of those open-ended tools that grows with your child and supports endless purposeful play.
Milliard Peanut Ball / Physio Roll
Benefits: core & global strengthening, balance, bouncing, weight shifting.
I bring this out when we're working on full-body movement, especially when we want to add some fun and bounce. It's a great way to explore balance, shifting weight, and core activation through play.
Exercise Yoga Ball
Benefits: Tummy time, supported sitting, bouncing, gentle movement.
This one often becomes part of every session. I also use it to practice head lifting during tummy time, build core control during seated play, support developing lateral protective reactions, and explore early standing. It’s especially helpful for opening up the front of the body and engaging babies who crave movement or need a little extra input to stay connected—whether that’s through gentle bouncing, rocking, or adding movement to tummy time.
Squigz Suction Toys
Benefits: Core/shoulder strength, balance, postural control, fine motor skills.
These suction toys are always a favorite during play sessions. I often use them on windows or tubs to motivate purposeful reaching and pulling. As babies engage with them, they naturally work on staying upright, activating their core and shoulder muscles in a fun, dynamic way.
Bubbles
Benefits: Balance, coordination, sensory input, visual tracking, fine motor skills.
These are always a hit for all ages! I love using them to invite tiptoe reaching, standing on one leg, popping with one finger, or visual tracking as bubbles float and drift. It’s playful, engaging, and sneaks in so much movement.
Suction Spinners on a Mirror (Sassy Wonder Wheel)
Benefits: Reaching across midline, tummy time engagement, weight shifting, crawling prep.
I stick these on a mirror to encourage purposeful reaching and turning during tummy time or side sitting. It’s one of my favorite ways to keep play going longer.
Tummy Time Wedge
Benefits: Early tummy time support, head lifting, shoulder activation, visual exploration.
This can make tummy time feel so much more doable—especially in the early days. The gentle incline brings the world into view and supports more comfort and lift while building shoulder strength. An alternative option includes placing a towel roll under your baby’s chest.
Mirror (Wooden or Soft)
Benefits: Sidelying play, back play, visual engagement, early self-awareness.
This is a must-have during those early weeks. High-contrast mirrors promote early visual development and can help extend tummy time sessions. The bold images and baby-safe mirror draw in attention—little ones love looking at themselves, which makes early play both meaningful and fun.
Lovevery Play Kits
Benefits: developmentally aligned toys that support motor skills, sensory exploration, and cognitive development.
These thoughtfully designed play kits grow with your child. They are always in our toy rotation at home. I also often pull from them in sessions—their simplicity, versatility, and purpose make them an intentional addition to playtime.
Wooden Stacking Blocks
Benefits: Encourage fine motor control, coordination, and core strength through stacking, reaching, and strategic placement during play.
These wooden blocks are a go-to at my house and during sessions. They’re so versatile—perfect for building balance, creativity, and refined movement. I love how they grow with children, offering endless opportunities for purposeful play from early sitting to imaginative toddler stacking towers.
Mushie Stacking Cups
Benefits: Build fine motor skills through stacking, coordination through nesting, and postural control through intentional toy placement.
I love using these cups for so many things! They’re my go-to when babies are learning to bang toys together, reach in standing to practice squatting, or knock them over while sitting to build balance and core control. Simple, durable, and endlessly engaging—these always make their way into playtime. Bonus: they’re BPA- and phthalate-free.
Baby Einstein Take Along Tunes Musical Toy
Benefits: Encourages visual tracking, sensory engagement, and prolonged distraction when working on lifting the head in tummy time or head rotations.
It’s a go-to for keeping little ones captivated during play or transitions, and its portability makes it perfect for on-the-go connection. The lights and music naturally encourage babies to follow side to side, promoting head turning, rolling, and engagement with their environment.
SmartNoggin NogginStik Light-up Developmental Rattle
Benefits: Promotes visual tracking, sensory awareness, midline skills, reaching and grasping.
I love how this rattle encourages babies to follow the light side to side, strengthening neck and eye coordination. The easy-to-hold handle and gentle rattle sound make it a perfect first toy for tummy time, early reaching, and exploring cause and effect.
Seating & Positioning
Upseat
Great for: Promoting upright sitting, core activation, and pelvic alignment.
Designed by physical therapists, the Upseat encourages proper posture and active sitting—great for short, supervised seated play once your baby has head and trunk control.
Use Code: MOVEVERYPT10 (www.theupseat.com)
Stokke Tripp Trapp Chair
Great for: Supported sitting, foot stability, and posture during meals and play.
This adjustable chair grows with your child and offers the alignment and support little bodies need at the table—from infancy through childhood.
Oral Motor & Teething Tools
O-ball
Benefits: Grasping, midline play, bilateral coordination, oral exploration, shaking.
This shows up in nearly every baby bag for a reason. It’s easy to grab, shake, mouth, and explore—a perfect way to bring hands to midline and invite movement in a way that feels simple and natural.
Manhattan Toy Atom Rattle & Teether
Benefits: Supports grasp development, oral exploration, and hand-eye coordination through its lightweight, flexible design.
This is one of my go-to’s for working on midline skills, along with reaching and grasping. It’s supportive for early oral motor development, durable, and easy to clean—perfect for little hands exploring new movements and textures during early play on the floor or in supported sitting.
Pacifers
Ninni Co. Pacifier
A Movevery favorite for good reason—this pacifier mimics the breast, supporting natural sucking rhythms, wide latch patterns, and proper tongue posture. It’s designed to fall out once baby stops actively sucking, giving the tongue a chance to rest. Made in the USA with medical-grade silicone that’s free of BPA and phthalates.
Use code: MOVEVERYPT10
Silicone Teething Tubes
Benefits: Oral motor exploration, tongue movement, sensory regulation.
Other favorite teethers:
These tools support oral coordination, sensory play, and early feeding prep while encouraging cause-and-effect learning.
Dr. Nicole’s Tips for Purposeful Play
Use everyday items—laundry baskets, pillows, and rolled towels provide effective developmental play.
Rotate toys to keep play engaging and encourage new skills.
Encourage movement across positions—tummy, back, side, and supported sitting all matter.
Prioritize quality interactions—face-to-face play, talking, and singing support brain growth alongside toys.
