Toys for
Speech & Language Development
Toys play a pivotal role in nurturing a child's speech development. These seemingly simple objects are powerful tools for the acquisition of language and communication skills. When children play with toys, they are not just having fun; they are also learning valuable lessons in vocabulary, syntax, and social interaction.
Interactive toys like dolls or action figures encourage imaginative play, where kids can engage in conversations between characters, expanding their vocabulary and honing their storytelling abilities. Construction and building toys, such as blocks or puzzles, promote the use of descriptive words and spatial concepts, fostering a deeper understanding of language. Board games and puzzles encourage turn-taking, sharing, and communication, providing practice for critical social skills.
As you can see, toys become the foundation upon which a child builds their linguistic abilities, ultimately paving the way for more effective communication and self-expression as they grow. So what toys do speech & language therapists recommend for supporting your child’s communication development?
take a look at our picks for speech & language development...
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Talking Flashcards
What we like: These flashcards are so fun! And kids seem to agree. These flashcards support vocabulary development and with a little help from parents, storytelling skills. Children are able to interact with the card reader and choose the pictures they would like to hear read aloud. Then parents, caregivers, or therapists can help bring the word to life by identifying examples of the word in their natural environment, repeating the word to increase verbal imitation, or using their creativity to develop fun, engaging stories.
Skills to target:
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Vocabulary
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Speech sounds
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Narrative skills
Surprise Party
What we like: The party’s here! Learning Resources toys are a big hit with many developmental therapists. Their toys offer the opportunity to support imaginative play by using unique, fun objects that are designed just for kids. These presents can be used for vocabulary development, labeling, and requesting. Sing Happy Birthday as you take turns opening each present or play “guess the gift” by giving your child some clues about what is in the present before they open it. There are limitless possibilities for support language development with these creative toys.
Skills to target:
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Requesting
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Vocabulary
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Inferencing
Toy Microphone
What we like: This is a low-cost, high pay-off toy for developing speech and language. A toy microphone (or phone) is great for encouraging late talkers to start using verbal speech. Show your child how fun it can be to talk and make noises into the microphone. Describe the sound – quiet/loud, smooth/scratchy, short/long. And take turns, encouraging your child to make their own noises in the microphone to hear their voice coming out loud and clear!
Skills to target:
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Verbal imitation
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Social play skills
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Early speech sounds
Barn and Animals
What we like: Animal sounds are great first “words” for children struggling with speech & language development. These sounds are usually only a few combined sounds (e.g., moo, maa, baa, neigh, etc.) and are so fun for children to say. Children can practice basic concepts like color, size, and space by choosing animals and putting them “in/on/out/in front/behind” the barn. Barns and farm animals can also be used for answering questions like “what does the cow eat?”, “where does the horse go?”, or “why is the pig muddy?”.
Skills to target:
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Early speech sounds
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Basic concepts
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Asking/Answering questions
Our favorite:
Wind-up Toys
What we like: Another inexpensive and versatile toy for developing communication skills! Wind-up toys are available for virtually any interest you child may have – bugs, vehicles, animals, holiday themes, etc. Plus, these toys can be used for young children and older kids. They offer a great opportunity to target requesting for help since younger children usually need assistance when winding up the objects. In addition, older children often enjoy racing their wind-up toy against another. Parents can teach vocabulary for verbs and adjectives by describing the objects and how they move.
Skills to target:
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Requesting help
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Labeling verbs and adjectives
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Social play skills
Dollhouse
What we like: A dollhouse can provide the perfect opportunity for practicing social skills and storytelling. Narrate the characters actions and label the rooms and furniture as you and your child explore the house. Give your child some directions while they play – “put the daddy upstairs”, “sit in the chair”, or “look in the fridge” – does your child follow the direction? Ask questions and encourage your child to answer – “what is he doing?”, “where is the mommy?”, or “when should the baby get a bath?”. So many ways to play!
Skills to target:
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Asking/Answering questions
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Labeling nouns and verbs
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Following directions
Our favorite:
Building Toys
What we like: Construction and building toys come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you have a classic set of wooden blocks or a fresh new brick block set, you can use these toys for supporting your child’s language development. Blocks are great for teaching basic concepts, following directions, and problem-solving. Show your child how to stack the blocks to make a tall tower, just to knock it down on the count of 3! Work together and use problem-solving skills to construct a small city with all the parts – a house, zoo, post office, and grocery store. Or, practice following directions to build a master piece – “put the blue block on top of the square block”. With a little creativity, you can create anything!
Skills to target:
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Following directions
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Basic concepts
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Problem-solving
Our favorite:
Potato Heads
What we like: Obviously, Potato Head toys are great for teaching body parts and clothing vocabulary, but there are lots of ways to use these toys for developing language skills. Practice following directions using basic concepts like, “put the blue eyes on the top” or “let’s add a mustache under his nose”. Plus, Potato Heads are great characters to use when developing narrative stories. After creating Potato people, use creativity and imagination to develop a story about what they will do. Help your child learn to create a story with characters, settings, problems, and solutions.
Skills to target:
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Vocabulary
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Basic concepts
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Narrative skills
Play Kitchen
What we like: What we like: What’s not to like?! Play kitchens and food offer a wide variety of options for targeting speech and language skills. Everyone can find something they like to play with a kitchen and food, right? Talk about the types of foods you will cook and the steps you take to make the meal. “Let’s make spaghetti! Get the pot, fill it with water. Now, let’s stir the noodles.” While you’re playing, describe the foods – hot/cold, sweet/sour, yucky/yummy. Kids love to make the [yuck!] face.
Skills to target:
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Labeling nouns and verbs
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Following directions
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Adjectives and describing words
Our favorite:
Vehicles
What we like: Cars, trucks, and automobiles have been a playtime favorite throughout the generations. Every parent knows how to play with vehicles! Roll them back and forth to teach cause and effect. Create an obstacle for the cars (and your child!) to navigate. Or, target verbs and adjectives as you give directions for the vehicles – “go fast”, “slow down”, “stop!”. Take turns with you child, sharing the cars and trading so that they can practice early social play skills.
Skills to target:
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Cause and effect
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Verbs and adjectives
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Social play skills