Toys to Increase Your Child's Language Skills

Using toys is a fun way to introduce new vocabulary and concepts in a playful way. I have listed a few suggestions of toys and how to use them to create a meaningful learning experience with your child… all while having fun together. For more ideas and information regarding speech and language development, please see my website: www.rothspeechtherapy.com.

Building Toys

Blocks, Lego Duplo, and cardboard bricks lend themselves to turn taking when making a tower, requesting to knock it down, and using concept words such as ‘down’, ‘up’, ‘on top’.

Farm Set/Doll House

A good old farm set or doll house has endless opportunities for talking! Animal sounds are easy to imitate and contain early developing sounds. Using words like ‘eat’, ‘drink’, ‘sleep’, ‘run’, ‘in/out’ and ‘open/close’ are functional words to learn for every day talking.

Kitchen Set

A kitchen set not only whips up creativity and pretend play, but a great time to increase communication skills. Play restaurant or take turns making silly food creations. There are so many verbs to learn and say: mix, stir, pour, eat, bake, drink, cut, spill! You can also practice following directions: “Can
you put the milk in the refrigerator?”

Crafting Supplies/Play-Doh

Having fun creating and sharing a finished product can be a fun activity to share in with your child. This is perfect to practice requesting skills, such as “I want crayons”. Describing words can be targeted too: color words for play-doh and paper, shapes, size, how items feel or look. These items benefit fine motor skills as
well.

Pretend Play Kits

Melissa and Doug have many quality pretend costumes such as a fireman, policeman, doctor, and chef. These costumes along with their props open the door to new opportunities in pretend play and language development. You can familiarize your child with the vocabulary of the costume, props, and the job performed by that person. Act out what that person might do to target verbs: “climb the ladder”, “listen to your heart”. You can also target feelings and following directions.