01/23/2026
Toy cars = powerful language builders 🚗💬
Here’s how to use car play to support language at home:
➡️ Following Directions
Give simple directions and show your child what to do (include pointing!)
Examples: “Find the red car,” “Put it on the slide,” “Drive under the bridge.”
Pairing words with actions helps kids understand directions more easily and builds receptive language.
➡️ Naming
Label what your child sees and uses. Encourage them to name things, too!
Examples: “Car,” “green car,” “fast car,” “big wheels.”
Hearing repeated labels during play helps children connect words to meaning and grow fringe vocabulary.
💡 Helpful tip
Try not to overload play with questions like “What’s that?”
Kids learn language more effectively by hearing it used.
Instead, model phrases like “It’s a car” or “I see a…”
Pause before the word to give your child a chance to jump in!
➡️ Requesting
Model simple words your child can use to ask for what they want.
Examples: “Go,” “more,” “again,” “my turn,” “all done.”
This supports expressive language and functional communication using core words.
➡️ Commenting
Talk about what’s happening instead of asking lots of questions.
Examples: “Wow!” “Boom!” “Uh oh!” “It went fast!”
Comments match your child’s focus, support understanding, joint attention, and keep play pressure-free.
🧠 FYI: Sounds and exclamations (like “vroom” or “uh oh”) count as words — they carry meaning and are often early building blocks of language.
➡️ Storytelling
Add simple problems and stories during play! 💭
Examples: “Oh no, the road is blocked!” “Should we go around?”
Story play supports flexible thinking and longer language.
✨ And most importantly… make it fun!
Play is a powerful tool for early language growth.
Save this for your next car play session 🚗
