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:
- one small and one large
- castle-shaped
- square and round
- animal faces
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!!
