Object recognition

This section includes toys, games and activities that help an individual to recognise everyday objects and develop letter and number skills.

Letter and number puzzles include alphabet (upper and lower case) and number puzzles which may have large pieces, brightly coloured pieces, or pieces with knobs for children with reduced grip. Some may talk out loud. They may be suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

Puzzles and inset boards which aim to improve your child's recognition of everyday objects and activities, such as shoes and clothing, food, transport and animals. Most of the puzzles are wooden with large pieces. Many pieces have integral peg handles to make them easier for your child to handle. Some incorporate a sound reward by playing a corresponding noise when a piece is positioned correctly.

Shape puzzles and inset boards that may help a child to recognise and match shapes such as geometric shapes (circles, squares etc), animal shapes and everyday items (e.g. a car, tree or house). Many are wooden boards with brightly coloured pieces and chunky peg handles to make them easier for a child to handle. Some of the products are also designed to encourage colour recognition and counting skills.

Peg boards are used by children to position and match various shapes into boards. The boards and pegs may be wooden or plastic and the pegs may be round, square or triangular and come in various heights and colours.

Shape sorting toys that have holes and inserts into which a child must sort matching, brightly coloured shapes. These are mostly in basic geometric shapes such as squares, circles and triangles. Some of the toys provide a sound reward when a child sorts the correct shape.

Body and facial expression toys are designed to increase awareness of the body, and demonstrate how body parts combine to make the whole body.

Disability awareness toys can be useful for both the friends and peers of a child with a disability, and for the child themselves so they do not feel so different and isolated in imaginative group play activities. Children with a disabled parent may also find them useful in pretend play situations involving adult role play.