It's that time of the year, where parents and grandparents are often asking what toys or games they can buy that will help their child or loved one that has speech, language and communication needs.
People are searching for the latest toy, flashcard or activity that will help their child to talk.
Although it may be hard to believe, most speech therapists will also tell you not to use flashcards or sets of picture cards. This is because there is a distinct difference in teaching kids new words (labels) and enabling them to communicate. Flashcards can enable children to learn the words (drink, sun, moon) but not how to use them for communication and interaction.
When it comes to toys, anyone who has worked with us will know that for supporting speech and language less is definitely more.
When children have a huge amount of toys available then they tend to fleet between each one, getting distracted by what they see and find it difficult to sustain their attention on one toy or activity.
Too many toys also can have an impact on children's play skills and reduce the amount of imaginary or pretend play. Remember when a cardboard box could be a spaceship, a school, a playground and a house? Often children now have one of each of these and don't have to pretend.
Attention, listening and play skills are critical for speech and language development.
So, what should you do with the toys you have already?
Toy Rotation: This is my favourite. Have a few items out at a time, place the rest away. After a few weeks rotate and bring out some new toys, putting away previously played with toys.
Technology toys: save IPAD/ television/technology for times when a child needs to rest or you need to complete a task e.g. cooking. Limit the amount of time on this and use it wisely.
Encourage people play: Games that you can play without toys are great for language development e.g. peekaboo, hide and seek, nursery rhymes, dancing, tickles.
Have a clear out: Donate unused toys to your local charities. Keep available a smaller range of toys.
Have a place where toys go when the game has finished.
To finish, here are a few of my favourite types of toys to have available in your toy rotation:
Books: A must have for children of all ages
Puzzles: Starting with inset and building up to harder puzzles
Early Cause and Affect toys: Pop up toys, button pressing toys
Pretend/ Role Play/ Small world toys: Characters, babies, dolls, tea sets, doctors
Sensory: Light up.
But truth be told, the most important gift that you can give your child to encourage speech and language development is you. Interaction, play, experiences and social engagement are all key factors in speech and language development.
“Spending time with children is more important than spending money on children.”
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