toy

Four Qualities to Look for in Toys to Promote Speech

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Baby holding a play phone next to its ear

Embark on a journey to uncover the essential features that make toys the ideal tools for promoting speech development.

One of my primary missions in my speech and language practice is to educate families on the importance of opening the doors to communication.  Speech is so much more than talking.  It is listening, comprehending, taking turns, gesturing, commenting, asking and answering questions, and requesting to name just a few.  The right toy can set the stage for many of these opportunities.

Throughout the year, parents often ask me for advice on toy/ gift ideas, especially near their child’s birthday and holiday season.  Some toys are better than others, as they contain certain features important for supporting speech and language development. The toys that catch my eye typically have four things in common:

They make HARDLY ANY noise

portrait photo of woman with brown curly hair doing the shhh sign

I am probably not the first SLP to make this comment and I surely will not be the last!  Bottom line is that we want the kids to do the talking.  Sometimes that talking is a sound or part of a word and sometimes it is a word/phrase/sentence.  It’s nice to be able to hear these moments without interruptions. Some of my favorite, quiet, interactive toys are: Critter Clinic Toy Vet Set, Fisher Price Farm House, Stacking Blocks, Ring Stacking Toy that Spins, Barnyard Bingo, Melissa and Doug’s Wooden School Bus, Matchbox Cars, and dolls.

While we are on the topic of noise, do not fall into the trap in thinking that an electronic book option is any better than a noise-making toy.  In my opinion, you should always opt for a quiet interactive book like a lift-the-flap or sensory-enriched option with touch and feel textures if you want your child to progress in his speech and language skills.

Now, having said that, a good, old fashioned single, noise making toy never hurt anyone.  For example, the Elefun makes a whirling sound when activated and I’m okay with that because it motivates kids to request “more”, “go”, and “stop.”  I also love a good ball popper for bringing out some laughter and excitement, which in turns fosters speech and language usage.

The bottom line is: I steer clear of those toys that kids get trigger happy with and all you hear are a million sounds and words all at once.  Not fun.  Personally, I avoided noisy, talkative toys when my son was little and I have lived quite happily in my SLP world for a couple decades without all the noise.

They fit right in with my theme

Christmas decorations

Herein lies my year-round shopping problem.  I’m always looking to add materials to my theme units.  I cannot help myself.  I have to admit that I love bringing out the Fisher Price Thanksgiving sets and Holiday train, Learning Resources camp fire sets, and Super Duper magnetic fish.

One toy that can be used for birthday, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas themes is Mini presents by Learning Resources. First, the client opens a mini box; takes out the object; and then I label it several times while placing it down on a picture of number one.  This continues until we get to three total choices.  Finally, I ask clients to “get/give me” a targeted object.  This super cute set has been fun for my 4-6 year old clients.  You can even target pronouns by using a baby doll and practicing, “She wants a purple gift.”

When seasonal toys are only available for a short amount of time, I think you get more bang for your buck from them.  It’s the same concept of rotating toys in your home so the old ones feel like new when you cycle through them.  For more details on some of my favorite, summer toys, visit my post on seven of my favorites!

They stand the test of time

Baby holding a play phone next to its ear

This rationale is two part: durability and traditional.  I like a toy that can take a beating and clean easily, so I reach for the plastic Velcro foods and walk right by felt food.  If I cannot clean them fast with a Clorox wipe, then I cannot have them in my therapy closet.  While there are always cute, new toys being released, I stick with traditional themes like Mr. Potato heads to work on learning about body parts.  Another great option is any toy that is alphabet-related.  Two of my favorite hits for kids aged 2-8 years old are ABC puzzles and alphabet toys.  What better way to work on letter-sound recognition than with toys?!

You can perform a few different functions with them

baby in a chef hat playing with a toy kitchen in a chef hat

Your child’s speech and language development builds alongside play.  The more opportunities you can create to further communication with your child, the better.  For example, I prefer a small collection Velcro foods over a 100 piece set of foods that are static. 

Having something to do with the object helps you model and teach a functional sequence.  In this case, you can gather all the Velcro foods and sort them to make a salad.  Then, you “cut” each item and put them in a strainer for rinsing.  Finally, you “dry” the slices and transfer them to a bowl.  Modeling these real-life events supports teaching your child to make connections with a sequence he has seen before, which in turns strengthens memory skills.

In conclusion, when it comes to selecting toys for speech development, prioritizing those that make hardly any noise, fit the session’s theme, endure over time, and offer versatility is key. These criteria ensure engagement, continuity, and diverse learning opportunities, laying the foundation for effective speech therapy sessions. By choosing toys thoughtfully, you empower your child to thrive in their language journey while making learning enjoyable and effective.

SEVEN Awesome Summer Toys to Enhance Communication

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Boy playing in the sand at the beach with his father

If you read my post on toy selection, then you already know the four important features that I consider in a toy for enhancing speech and language development.  Since I am a big fan of summer, I thought I would share some of my favorite summertime toys to support communication development for some fun in the sun.  You will find that my recommendations are free of noises, bells, and whistles, so no need to stock up on batteries or worry about recharging something.  

New Sprouts Camp Out 

New Sprouts Camp Out by Learning Resources is most appropriate for children between 2-5 years old.  Here are some suggestions for building communication:

  • Expand your child’s pretend play skills while “roasting” a hot dog and marshmallow and then blow on these as they get “hot”.
  • Pack up all the goodies in the carry bag and bring it outside the next time you are going to roast marshmallows to help your child build longer play sequences and imitate actions.
  • Build comprehension by asking “Get/Give me” for designated objects.
  • Work on answering WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE questions such as, “What do you do when you are hungry?”
  • Make comments about each item to model expanding speech development like, “I love eating roasted marshmallows!”

Smart Snacks Alpha Pops 

Smart Snacks Alpha Pops from Learning Resources is appropriate for children 2 years and older. This toy collection contains a rainbow of make-believe frozen, Popsicle treats with uppercase & lowercase letters for learning matching, color recognition, fine motor skills and imaginative play.  Below are some additional suggestions to foster fine motor and speech/language communication:

  • Pull apart all Popsicle sticks and hide them under dry beans, water beads, or any filling of your choice.  Then, have your child build hand skills by pushing the pieces together as he/she locates matches.
  • Build phonemic awareness by asking your child to find the letters that make the sound “Buh.”
  • Increase speech skills by modeling sounds.
  • Talk about words that start with the targeted letter.

Pop up Pirate

The Pop up Pirate game is suitable for 3 years and older as there are some small parts.  I typically incorporate a pirate-theme sometime in my summer speech and language lessons while we talk about the ocean and the beach.

  • Build sharing and taking turns by having children use a gesture, sound, or word to make a request for “Me,” “My turn,” or “It’s my turn.”
  • Ask questions with “yes” or “no” answers such as: “Did the pirate pop?” or “Is that a red sword?”
  • Increase following directions with “Take two swords” or “Get a yellow sword.”
  • Practice simple to complex speech by modeling “pop,” “more pop,” “I want more pop!”

Hydro Hoops 

Hydro Hoops is a new water play toy that I have been using in my speech and language pool group sessions this summer.  Recommended ages are for 5 years and older, but I have used it with supervision with children as young as 3 years old.

  • Practice turn taking and sharing during pool play.
  • Model making appropriate comments when children make and/or miss baskets.
  • Build social comprehension by asking a child to throw the ball to another.
  • Role-play initiating asking to join a game with others.

Ocean-colored Water Beads

Ocean-colored water beads!  While the recommended age for these is 3 years and older, I have used them with children through 10 years.  These make a great filler for sensory bin exploration!  Here are some suggestions for objects that you can hide in a container of these delightful beads:

  • miniature ocean animals
  • Learning Resources Alphabet Popsicles
  • seashells
  • colored fish

Buckets

Using buckets in summer activities with young children not only provides entertainment but also serves as an effective way to develop comprehension and language skills. By giving children commands to place objects either inside or on top of the buckets, parents or caregivers can create engaging and interactive learning experiences. This activity allows children to follow simple to complex instructions, enhancing their ability to understand and express language while also promoting fine motor skills and spatial awareness. You can even build on this activity by using a variety of buckets such as:

Bubbles by Gymboree

I’m not going to even try to sugar coat my feelings here, you NEED Gymboree Bubbles!   These bubbles last longer, require less solution, and float on water, providing both entertainment and physical activity for children. The one downfall is that you can’t offer your bubble wand to little ones for sanitary reasons so they can work on some oral motor coordination.  However, children can still try and blow the bubbles in the air, which often is a good starting place for toddlers trying to learn how to blow a bubble anyways. Once you break open the bubbles, here are some speech and language suggestions:

  • Ask if your child wants a “big” or “small” bubble to work on concepts.
  • Count the bubbles as you pop them with your finger.
  • Sing a song about bubbles to build rhythm and prosody (intonation) for speech.
  • See if your child can round his lips to blow the bubbles in the air.  If not, then squeeze those cute, little cheeks in a bit to help him.

While I have deemed these toys to be ones you can use in the summer, all the above suggestions could be used year-round.  There are no definitive rules when it comes to play, except of course to have fun!!

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