Communication is a fundamental skill for any child, and the right toys can make the learning process enjoyable and effective. We will explore a selection of toys that not only promote fun but also support the development of crucial speech and language abilities in your little ones. If your child is still finding their voice, struggling to imitate words, or needs motivation to communicate, these toy recommendations are for you!
Ball Tower
for Verbal Routines:
- The ball tower is a versatile toy for practicing verbal routines.
- Demonstrate predictive routines like “ready…set…GO!” to encourage word production
- Model environmental sounds such as “BOOM” to elicit imitation from your child.
Critter Clinic
for Requests and Language Skills:
- Explore the famous Critter Clinic, a fantastic toy for encouraging requests.
- Use scenarios like opening doors to model requests like “help,” “open,” or “more.”
- Enhance language skills by identifying or labeling animals behind the doors. You may even hide other surprise items that your child loves behind these doors to make it more engaging!
Hide & Seek Pop-Up Animals
for Functional Communication:
- Help your kiddo connect the dots between actions and reactions while having a blast with these toys. It’s like magic – press a button, and something cool happens!
- Cause-and-effect toys are an ideal toy to work on functional communication.
- This is another way you can help teach your child to express needs such as “help” or requests for “more” through play.
Bubbles
for Pointing and Early Sounds:
- Discover the magic of bubbles, a simple yet powerful tool for speech and language development.
- This can help promote imitation of gestures such as pointing, production of requests, and you can even build in practicing early consonant sounds like ‘B’ and ‘P’.
- Create verbal routines such as “pop, pop, (pause) POP!” or “blow the (pause) BUBBLES!” for interactive fun.
As a parent, you play a crucial role in your child’s speech and language development. By incorporating these recommended toys into your routine, you not only make learning enjoyable but also provide valuable opportunities for your child to communicate and express themselves. So, gear up for a world of interactive play and watch your child’s communication skills blossom! Follow us at TEAM 4 Kids for more tips on how to transform playtime into a learning adventure.
Alyssa Silva M.S., CCC-SLP and Gabriella De Santiago SLPA
In the video below, SLP Alyssa shares 4 toys to improve communication skills and make the learning process FUN!