Toys can play a big role in promoting speech and language skills in children. They encourage real world interaction and hands on play with loved ones, as well as offer rich developmental benefits, build vocabularies, teach problems solving and cause and effect.
The American Speech – Language – Hearing Association (ASHA), shares some great toys to promote speech and language skills.
Building Vocabulary
Going back to basics with traditional toys that are open ended in nature can help fuel language and vocabulary skills. Such as blocks, legos, nesting cups, balls, tool sets, play kitchens with food, baby dolls, and play dough.
ASHA explains how they help: “Such toys help children learn basics like colors, shapes, and numbers, and also more advanced language concepts—prepositions (that block goes on top of this one, the blue ring is under the red one), comparative adjectives (this tower is taller than that one), and action words (the ball is rolling, throw it to me).”
Producing Speech Sounds
Toys such as vehicles, trains, farms sets with animals, musical toys, singing songs, and action figures, encourage children to practice speech sounds. Banging on pots and pans with a wooden spoon in the kitchen can be great fun.
How they help: “Naming objects, animals, and people as well as the sounds they make (tractor goes vroom vroom, cow goes moo, farmer says move it here) aids in learning sounds and meaningful associations. The songs families play and sing together will also create lasting skills and memories.”
Practicing Problems Solving
These types of toys should increase in difficulty as they age. Starting out with simple matching games, sorting toys, pretend money with a cash register is always popular. Then move on to knob and wooden puzzles.
How they help: “Kids develop and hone their problem-solving skills through trial and error with these toys. They also help introduce children to number concepts, shapes, size, and comparative words (big, bigger, biggest).”
Toys That Get Kids Moving
It’s important for children to move around and be creative. You don’t even have to buy specific toys to build tunnels and forts. Blankets, pillows, and cardboard are great for thinking outside the box. There are a variety of ride on toys and balls that are safe to play indoors.
Check back with us next week as we discuss more toys that promote the development of speech and language. Until then, if you have any questions or concerns, contact First Words Speech Therapy.
