Everyday Toys to Support Speech Development
Christmas is just around the corner, and our Clinical Speech Pathology Supervisor, Freya, has provided a fantastic collection of suggested gifts.
She often gets asked about fun and engaging toys that can help children develop their speech and language skills. The good news? There’s no need to spend a fortune to find toys that are both fun and educational! Kmart offers some fantastic options under $19 that are perfect for enhancing speech development.
Here’s a breakdown of a few popular toys and how you can use them to boost your child’s communication skills while having fun!
Pop-Up Pirate ($19)
This classic game is great for learning a variety of speech and language skills while keeping kids entertained.
How to Use It:
Requesting: Encourage your child to ask for a specific colour (“I want red!”) or more turns (“More!”), and to ask for help (“Help, please!”).
Adjectives: Practice describing the swords (“sharp,” “pointy,” “long”) and their actions (“fast” pirate!).
Nouns: Expand vocabulary with words like “pirate,” “barrel,” and “swords.”
Verbs: Use action words like “push,” “pull,” and “jump.”
Turn-Taking: Reinforce social skills with “My turn” and “Your turn.”
Prepositions: Incorporate location words such as “in,” “out,” and “on” (“Put the sword in the barrel!”).
Following Directions: Give specific instructions like “Use the pink and green swords.”
Fishing Set ($5)
This toy helps children develop their language skills through play-based interaction.
How to Use It:
Requesting: Have your child ask for a fish (“I want the crab!”) or ask for help (“Help, please!”).
Adjectives: Describe the fish by colour, shape, or size (“The big blue fish!”).
Nouns: Learn new words like “fish,” “whale,” “seahorse,” “turtle,” “crab,” and “jellyfish.”
Verbs: Use action words like “catch” and “swim.”
Turn-Taking: Practice “My turn” and “Your turn.”
Prepositions: Use location words (“The fish is under the water!” “Put the turtle on the boat.”).
Following Directions: Try instructions like “Catch the blue whale.”
Grab yours here
Magnetic tile building blocks ($19)
Magnetic tiles are versatile for learning and developing creativity.
How to Use It:
Requesting: Encourage asking for specific tiles (“I want the blue square,” “More tiles, please!”).
Adjectives: Talk about the colours and sizes (“a big red tile,” “a small triangle”).
Nouns: Expand vocabulary with words like “tile,” “tower,” and “shapes.”
Verbs: Use words like “build,” “stack,” “want,” and “help.”
Turn-Taking: Promote sharing with “My turn” and “Your turn.”
Prepositions: Incorporate “on,” “up,” “down,” “above,” “below,” and “out” (“Put the triangle on the square.”).
Following Directions: Try, “Put the blue tile on top of the red tile.”
Grab yours here
Stacking Blocks
Simple stacking blocks can go a long way in boosting speech skills.
How to Use It:
Requesting: Encourage asking for specific blocks (“I want the yellow block,” “More, please!”).
Adjectives: Use colours and descriptive words (“Crash the big tower!”).
Nouns: Learn words like “block” and “tower.”
Verbs: Incorporate actions like “build,” “stack,” “push,” and “pull.”
Turn-Taking: Promote social skills with “My turn” and “Your turn.”
Prepositions: Use location words (“Put the block under the table,” “Stack it on the tower.”).
Following Directions: Instructions like “Choose a blue block.”
Grab yours here
Magnetic Blackboard
A creative and flexible toy for imaginative play and speech development.
How to Use It:
Requesting: Encourage asking for items (“I want the cow,” “More animals, please!”).
Adjectives: Describe objects by colour, shape, and size (“The big red barn.”).
Nouns: Vocabulary expansion with words like “animals,” “fences,” “pond,” “grass,” and “sky.”
Verbs: Use action words like “jump,” “drink,” “swim,” “fly,” and “eat.”
Turn-Taking: Practice sharing with “My turn” and “Your turn.”
Prepositions: Learn location words (“Put the cow next to the pond,” “The bird is above the tree.”).
Following Directions: Try giving instructions like “Put the horse in the barn.”
Get yours here
Why Use Toys for Speech Development?
Everyday toys are powerful tools for supporting language skills. They provide opportunities for;
Vocabulary Expansion: Introducing new words in a fun and engaging context.
Sentence Structure: Practicing sentences while playing (“I want the blue sword”).
Social Skills: Developing turn-taking, requesting, and sharing skills.
Following Instructions: Encouraging listening and comprehension.
We hope these help with stocking stuffer ideas that are both practical and fun! Happy playing, and happy holidays!
Enquire now to learn more about how we can support you/your child with their development and language skills.
