12/22/2020
It’s time to finish up those Christmas lists! Here’s my annual roundup of toys that foster development of speech and language skills, and you can snag all these by shopping local too!! 1.)Let’s start with arts and crafts gifts. Sticker books, activity books, play doh, paints- there are so many good opportunities to TALK while you play. Lindsey’s in Demopolis has a great selection of Water Wow paint with water books. These are a favorite of mine- all the fun with no mess! The Mustard Seed in Demopolis has Melting Shark and Melting Unicorn toys that allow you to create and recreate crafty creatures. 2.) books books books- it’s no secret- they’re the best! Look for books that have repetitive phrases such as Eric Clarke’s Brown Bear/Panda Bear/Polar Bear books. Pause while reading and let your littles fill in the repeated words/phrases in these stories. Books with rhyme, like Doctor Suess books, help build phonological awareness which is important for emerging literacy skills. Lindsey’s has a big selection of wonderful books with rhyme and repetitive phrases. Books paired with an associated toy are a plus as you can act out the action and dialogue with the toy. This can help with story retell and with giving a story real life context. The Mustard Seed has several really cute book and stuffed character combos that would be so fun. 3.)Dress up and pretend play- I can’t stress the importance of pretend/imaginative play enough. It’s the best way to build conversational speech and to work on social language. You can get as elaborate as you like with this type of play with costumes and play sets, or you can keep it simple by using items you already have to act out pretend scenes (stuffed animals, toy vehicles, kitchen items). Follow your child’s lead and go with what interests him/her! The Mustard Seed has some really cute dress up options. 4.) Finally, keep it low tech. Choose things that can be played with in a variety of ways and that invite conversation. Narrate your play and that of your child if your child is too young to have conversations. Puzzles, blocks and other “manipulatives”, stuffed animals/dolls, toy vehicles are great for this type of play.
I hope this info can help you finish up your Christmas lists. 🎄🎄🎄
Merry Christmas and happy shopping!