Tactile

This section includes toys, games and activities to provide tactile stimulation.

Walls and panels provide stimulation and different sensory experiences including those which provide tactile sensation.

Mats and flooring are available in a range of textures and colours. They can assist children to develop exploration and tactile recognition and perception (discriminating between different textures). Some are made up of panels that can be linked together on the floor to make various shapes, or different sized mats.

Games and activities that have various textures, shapes and surfaces to encourage children to explore and compare, such as puzzles, dice, counters, mazes and games such as matching pairs of tactile balls.

Blocks and tiles are available in a range of shapes, colours and textures which children can explore and compare. They can be used for developing recognition skills, tactile perception (discriminating between different textures), increasing hand-eye coordination and encouraging children's communication and interaction.

Boxes that have various textured surfaces inside a box for gross or fine tactile discrimination. They are usually open on one side which children can access with their hands or their feet. Children can feel and compare the textures inside the box. This can be a fun way of training basic tactile skills.

Toys for tactile stimulation include beanbags, water snakes, animals, wooden blocks and vibrating tubes. Each can present a different tactile experience as they build, sort, stretch, squash, squeeze, compare and explore shapes and textures.

Shape puzzles/games 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).