Fall Play Guide
Indoor play. Outdoor play. Sensory play. Fine motor play. All kinds of play!
We’ve rounded up our favorite fun & functional toys to play with and seasonal books to read. Engage with baby and toddler both inside and outside, and be sure to check out the fall-themed sensory play ideas we chose with the help of an Occupational Therapist, too!
Corn Cob Toothbrush: A great first toothbrush for baby before their first tooth erupts. It’s easy to hold as it has two little handles, and the bristles (and corn kernel bumps!) provide nice texture to baby’s oral sensory system. I recommend introducing between 3-6 months of age, help baby hold at first, and then let them play and mouth it!
Pop-Up Toy: This fun wooden toy has four figures that baby can push down and watch pop up! It helps baby understand cause and effect and works on hand-eye coordination, too. Practice functional language like: push, down, pop, up!
John Deere MEGA BLOKS: A dump truck and large lego-type blocks. Practice reaching and grasping the blocks and putting them “in” and “out” of the truck bed, or work on stacking the blocks! This toy can definitely grow with baby into toddlerhood.
Melissa & Doug Pop Blocs: These cute farm animals pop apart and come back together! Work on strength and have baby try to pull them apart. Play with baby and make the corresponding animal sound, pause and see if baby imitates you. So many ways to play with this one!
O-Ball Apple: This is a classic toy for a little one under 6 months with a fall theme! It supports grasping (a skill we expect to emerge between 3-4 months of age and refine closer to 6 months), and it’s super affordable. The leaf on top encourages mouthing, too!
Silicone Owl Teether: 100% food grade silicone with raised edges and bumpy textures for baby to explore! Its ring shape makes it easier for baby to hold.
Peekaboo Forest Book: This soft book can be taken on-the-go, has silly rhymes, colorful pages and crinkle flaps to keep baby entertained while reading.
Woodland Egg Shakers: A fun, musical toy for baby 6 months and older! Model the word “shake.” As your little one grows into toddlerhood they will continue to play, too!
Fox Taggie: What is it with babies and tags? This toy is great for tummy time once baby can reach or just in the car to keep them occupied! The crinkly sounds and textures motivate them to keep touching it and exploring.
Stacking Cups: These are great for grasping before baby can sit up and once they can sit better, build a tower and have baby knock it down! Use functional language like “on top” as you stack the cups!
Plush Woodland Creatures w/Carrier: Both of Alicia’s boys have so much fun with this. The owl and squirrel both make noise, and the fox and raccoon squeak when you squeeze it. Hide the animals in the house and have fun “finding” them!
Laugh & Learn Camper Walker: Another one Alicia’s boys loved! The activities are fun and creative, and the songs are catchy! Baby can stand at it and play first, then build confidence and push it as a walker.
Fall Stamper Set: For an indoor activity, pull out this 24-piece fall themed stamp set and elevate your coloring time! Practice drawing, scribbling, and stamping. Encourage your little one to use their fingertips to hold the stamp instead of their whole hand. (p.s. - it’s okay if they can’t do it 100% correctly - they’re figuring things out!)
Tender Leaf Toys Botanical Press: Get outside and find leaves and flowers to press and preserve together. Make it a scavenger hunt and ask your little one to find leaves of different colors.
Magna-Tiles Farm Animals: This farm-themed Magna-Tiles set is great for building and pretend play, too. Bring other farm animals that you have into play and add other Magna-Tiles to build other barns and houses!
Lacing Apple: Lacing is another way to develop hand muscles and more precise finger movements. Work on lacing the caterpillar through the holes in the apple. Crunch, munch, munch!
Melissa & Doug S’mores Play Set: Your little one can “build a fire” and roast some s’mores! This is a perfect set if your family goes camping and you want to model the steps of building a fire, etc. Great for imaginative play!
Tender Leaf Toys Acorn Puzzle: Help the squirrel collect his acorns. This puzzle can be used for color recognition and counting skills as your little one grows.
Learning Resources Farmer’s Market: A farmer’s market set for fall! These are great for toddlers just getting interested in colors. Practice sorting the produce by color! Doubles as pretend play food! Great quality - Paul plays with this all the time.
John Deere Hayride Musical Tractor: This musical tractor comes with a farmer and other animal friends to pop in the back for a hayride. Add it into your other farm toys for more pretend play.
Melissa & Doug Lantern: As the days grow darker sooner, this lantern is a fun toy to grab! The lantern light can change colors and it plays different sounds like a crackling fire, flowing stream, and more. Build a fort and pretend you’re camping out!
Leaf Puzzle: As you’re putting the puzzle together, talk about the colors of the leaves. Which are orange, which are yellow? Lay puzzle piece close to its spot on the puzzle board and help your little one problem solve fitting puzzle pieces into slot. Help them slide pieces into their appropriate spot if needed.
Tender Leaf Toys Woodland Gnome Family: The cutest little woodland gnomes! Use the toadstools and leaves to create a little home for them and let your little one’s imagination run wild. Great for pretend play!
Le Toy Van Apple & Pear Crate: The sweetest crate of apples & pears to use in the play kitchen and bake up some fall pies. I love the felt leaves! This company makes other market crates with different food groups to make your own little farmer’s market stand at home!
Melissa & Doug Farmyard Cube: My daughter loved this one! Baby can do hands-on play with crinkle pages, mirrors, and listen to melodies. Plus, the big cube is great for new sitters as they find their balance. They can lean a little on the cube if they need help getting back into a fully upright position.
Melissa & Doug Latches Barn: This barn is great for combining fun and learning! Hide the animals in the barn and watch your toddler work at the different latches and locks to bring the animals outside. Great for working on problem solving and building dexterity.
Tender Leaf Toys Chicken Coop: The cutest little chicken coop to add to your farm collection! The coop comes with a ramp, chickens, a rooster and chick, fresh eggs, and plenty of opportunities for pretend play.
Melissa & Doug Jumbo Knob Farm Puzzle: Hold up puzzle pieces one at a time and label the animal and their sound. Hand puzzle piece to baby and wait for them to model animal sound back to you. Use hand-over-hand to help baby put puzzle piece back into puzzle.
Fisher-Price See ‘n’ Say: One of my favorite toys for imitation! Have fun with mimicking animals noises and sounds, and pair signs with spoken language.
Plush Animal Farm: Soft and cuddly barn animals that make sounds when squeezed. These are great for labeling animals and mimicking their sounds and for pretend play, too.
Melissa & Doug Sound Puzzle - Farm: Model taking puzzle pieces off of puzzle board with pincer grasp. These types of puzzles are great to work on pinching (15 month milestone) and motivating your little one to imitate!
Melissa & Doug Fold & Go Barn: A barn with a handle and folds up! Barns are a fantastic pretend play toy, and since pretend play skyrockets around 15 months and onward, this is a great toy staple. Label the animals, prompt your toddler to imitate animal noises, and create play scenes together.
Melissa & Doug Old MacDonald Sound Puzzle: Work on animal sounds with this interactive puzzle. Say, “The cow says…” then pause and see if your little one fills in the phrase with “mooo.” Then find the cow puzzle piece to hear the cow moo. Repeat with other animals.
Melissa & Doug Farm Friends Hand Puppets: These are great for imaginative play and storytelling. Come up with names for the cow, pig, horse, and sheep, and tell your own farm story!
Matching Eggs: These are great for color and shape recognition and fine motor skills, and can also be used for pretend play. Your little one can make you breakfast after collecting eggs from the chickens.
Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Barn: A barn with endless possibilities! Use the farmer and animals for pretend play, or practice “shape sorting” them. The handle on the barn makes it portable.
Farm Tails Soft Crinkle Book: This book has only one picture per page, bright colors, and fun animal tails to draw baby’s attention.
Noisy Farm: This book engages the senses with touch and feel aspects and different sounds.
Farm Tails: Different crinkle pages and playful tails to engage baby on each page. Take it along in the stroller or car seat, too.
Poke a Dot - Old MacDonald’s Farm: These books are great for promoting finger isolation and pointing. Label what you see and prompt your little one to imitate you!
Night Night Farm: “The sun is setting overhead, it’s time to put the farm to bed.” We love this book and it’s rhymes. Say goodnight to all the animals!
A Day on the Farm: Follow the Very Hungry Caterpillar to see who he meets on the farm. I love this one for baby because there are only a few words per page! Encourage your little one to flip each page with the tabs.
Barnyard Dance!: Jenna loves reading this book with her little ones! It’s great for imitating animal sounds and more. There are tons of functional language opportunities in this one: stomp, clap, dance, bow, skip, bounce, spin, and more!
Little Blue Truck: These books are great and always have a lesson in friendship, too. We love the illustrations and opportunities for imitation.
Hello, Farm!: This black and white contrast book is great for 0-6 months. It’s short and sweet and perfect for repetition.
Moo, Baa, La La La: A silly one from Sandra Boynton that’s short, sweet, and fun for imitation. On the last page, let your little one do the talking!
Spot Goes to the Farm: Follow Spot on the farm and lift the flaps to see which animal just had a baby!
Funny Farm Animals: With silicone touch and feel animals and bright colors, this book is great for engaging your little one. Practice imitating animal sounds on each page!
Felt Fall Tree Board: This felt board is a great tactile sensory activity and is easy to hang up and take down. Practice reaching and color identification as you and your little one decorate your fall tree, then pull the leaves off and repeat!
Pumpkin Carving Kit: After having an adult carve out the top of the pumpkin, have your little one help you by using the kid tools to scoop out the pumpkin seeds. Encourage your little one to touch the seeds with their hands and talk about what it feels like (gooey, slimy, wet, cold, bumping, etc.).
Sensory Leaves Activity Set: Use the textured leaves to complete sorting, matching, counting, and puzzle activities. Great sit-down activities for preschoolers and older.
Kids’ Rakes: Increase gross motor coordination while incorporating some full body heavy work as your little one helps you rake up the leaves into large piles. Encourage them to run and jump into the leaves and feel the leaves with their hands to complete the sensory experience.
My First Wagon: This kid-sized wagon is perfect for your toddler to get some heavy work in as they fill it up with leaves and pull it around the yard. Practice pulling, pushing, and steering as your little one navigates your outside area.
Fall Leaves Sensory Bin: The acrylic leaves create a hard sensory texture for your little one to explore as they work on color sorting, matching, and fine motor skills. Contrast with #8 to discuss the difference between the hard and soft textures.
Wind Chime Kit: Engage the auditory sensory system by creating and decorating wind chimes. Practice following directions and sequencing before enjoying the beautiful sound your wind chimes will create.
Fall-Themed Sensory Bin Filler Set: The felt leaves & fall colored pom poms create a soft sensory texture for your little one to explore as they work on color sorting, matching, and fine motor skills. Contrast with #6 on this list to discuss the difference between the hard and soft textures!
Harvest Squishmallows: These fall-themed soft and squishy pillows are a perfect addition to a sensory calm down area. Your little one can explore the soft texture of the pillow or give the pillows a big bear hug for some deep pressure sensory input.
Halloween Pumpkin Lawn Bags: So much great full body heavy work and gross motor engagement when filling up these fun leaf bags! Make the leaves ‘crunch’ by having your little one push the leaves down with their hands or help them balance on top of the leaves and stomp them down into the bag.
Light-Up Pumpkin Bubble Blower: Engage the visual sensory system with this light up bubble wand. Perfect for some evening bubble fun!
Fall Sensory Bin: This fall-themed sensory bin kit has many real life textures and items. Use the sensory items to create a scene and have your little one engage in open-ended play with the items.
Collapsible Crawling Tunnel: It fans out to be a big toy, but folds up to fit in the closet! This is a great toy to motivate baby to crawl. Pop some toys in there and encourage baby to get them and “bring them back.”
Gardening Tools: Little ones love to help, so encourage them to get dirty in the planting beds with their own set of gardening tools. Talk about what each tool is used for and model action words related to gardening (e.g., “scoop,” “dig,” “rake”).
Gardening Tool Set: Great for the little gardener! Practice pouring, digging, raking, etc. Push the wheelbarrow to do some heavy work as well. A great outdoor pretend play set for 2 years +!
John Deere Sand Toys: These can be used indoors and outdoors and have great reviews. A tilting dump bed and lifting front loader make them function realistically at an affordable price.
Green Toys Dump Truck: I absolutely love the durability of Green Toys. Model words like “bumpy, scoop, dump, go!” Practice functional language by loading things “in” and dumping things “out” of the truck! Great for crawling baby and well into toddlerhood!
Melissa & Doug Binoculars & Compass: Get outside and explore on a crisp fall day! Go for a walk and practice taking turns looking for birds in the trees. Use the binoculars to play I Spy and spot “something red” or “something flying.”
Bubble Leaf Blower: This is fun for the little one that loves to help in the yard. Let them engage in pretend play and “blow the leaves” while also having fun with the bubbles. Perfect for a seasoned walker, so 18 months and older!
Green Toys Wagon: Practice filling it up and pulling it around - indoors or outdoors! Talk about what you’re putting IN and taking OUT, and even have your little one practice cleaning up and putting things away. Great for heavy work!
John Deere Tractor: Our neighbor has this ride-on tractor and it drives really well. Paul was finally old enough to get on it at 2 years, but needed help driving it. Perfect for 3 years and older, as your toddler has to push the pedal and steer! Love the wagon attachment to haul things!
John Deere Sit’n Scoot: This is a super cute ride-on toy and can grow with your little one for pretend play in the future. After you’re done cutting your own grass, take them outside to finish the job!
Toddler Slide: A great starter slide, and I love that it folds up for easy storage. Rake the leaves and let your little one slide into them!
Kids’ Rake Set: Have your little one join in with the outdoor chores! Raking is good heavy work and they will feel a sense of pride in contributing.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s First Fall: Who doesn’t love Eric Carle’s illustrations? Join the Hungry Caterpillar and explore the wonder of fall.
Biscuit Visits the Pumpkin Patch: Follow Spot on an adventure to the pumpkin patch. This one is fun to read in the lead-up to carving pumpkins!
Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin: This book has short, simple sentences and follows Duck & Goose as they search for a pumpkin.
Baby Loves Fall: We love a Karen Katz book! Colorful illustrations and lift the flaps on each page.
It’s Pumpkin Day, Mouse: In this book, Mouse paints pumpkins and each one has a different emotion/expression - happy, sad, surprised, etc.
Little Acorn: How does an acorn become an oak tree? This book explains it!
Fall: A touch and feel book with one word and picture per page all about fall!
You’re My Little Pumpkin Pie: We love all the books in this series! The cut outs in the book make it more interactive and the storyline reminds little ones how much they’re loved.
Lift a Flap Surprise Autumn: Not only does this book have lift the flaps, but pop ups, too.
I Love Fall!: This book is a sensory experience with touch and feel aspects and different “sounds” of fall - crunch in the leaves, crinkle the pie tin.
Where is Baby’s Pumpkin?: Baby searches the house for her pumpkin. Lift the flaps and follow her to find it!
Touch & Feel Fall: Another great touch and feel book with one image per page.
Just for fun!
These are our favorite fall-themed jams for the season. All 100% cotton and super cute, too!
For more of my favorites for littles, check out my Amazon Storefront! I have favorite toys, books, feeding utensils, and more - all organized!
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