Toys to Promote Communication

With the holiday season rapidly approaching, people everywhere are beginning their search for the perfect gift. While there is a plethora of children’s toys on the market, finding the correct one can be challenging. Do you need some ideas of toys and games to promote learning while also keeping your child engaged? Here are some toys and games that can be helpful for supporting communication.

• Nesting/Stacking Toys: These toys are very useful for infants and toddlers. Not only do these toys last a long time but children are often very interested in them because they are highly interactive.
• Wooden Blocks: Blocks come in all shapes, colors, and sizes and are particularly useful to teach children important concepts. Some blocks come with numbers and letters on them as well and help teach children the alphabet and counting.
• Toy Cars, Trucks or Trains: Toddlers and young children always seem to enjoy things that go! Vehicles also provide opportunities to help your child develop language skills.
• Dolls: Dolls are great for promoting pretend play skills and teaching social language.
• Animal Farm Set: Teach your children animal noises using a fun playset. Animal sounds are some of the earliest sounds to develop, as they are simple to produce. You could also work with your child on following directions and understanding spatial concepts, by having them place the animals in various locations.

• Kitchen Set: A kitchen set is a great activity to promote speech and language skills. The child can role-play being an adult.
• Books: Reading is a fundamental skill for every child to learn. For infants and toddlers, books with pictures and vibrant colors encourage both visual and cognitive stimulation. Older children can have books that are more engaging and also appropriate for their reading level.
• Balls: Get your child up and moving. Balls can be a great way to work on back-and-forth play, as your child learns to catch the ball and return it to you. 
• Art Supplies: Coloring books, clay, paint and other art supplies help children to learn and develop their fine-motor skills. Using their imagination to build and create also encourages innovation, imagination and communication. 

If you have concerns about your child’s language development, the Speech-Language Institute (SLI) offers an array of services. Speech-language pathologists can assess your child’s language skills and create a customized treatment plan to help improve communication. Schedule an appointment with an expert at SLI today by calling 215.780.3150.

Looking for more ideas? Click here for more suggestions on Low-Tech Toys That Can Boost Children’s Language and Learning from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.