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Wooden Toys for Speech Development

Author: Milton Ashby
by Milton Ashby
Posted: Oct 08, 2015

For many parents, it can be very challenging to come up with ideas for home speech therapy practice. Trying to think about how to incorporate your child’s target words/sounds/concepts into activities with the familiar toys at home can be frustrating.

Never fear, you’re not alone! Your Speech Pathologist will be able to provide you with hand-outs and ideas for games and how to incorporate your targets at home. In the meantime, read below for ideas to fill the gap and know which wooden toys help support speech therapy.

Ok let’s get started! My favourite toys for speech and language development.

Stacking/Nesting Toys

Stacking/Nesting toys are the most favourite toys for young toddlers. The stacking or nesting cups have been the most used toys. Here are just some of the language skills that your infant can learn by playing with stacking/nesting cups:

  • Colour concepts

  • Shape concepts: If you have different sets of cups in different shapes

  • Size concepts: Big, bigger, biggest; small, smaller, smallest; small, medium, large

  • Concepts: Full/empty by filling some cups with other toys

  • Counting skills

  • Problem solving skills: Figuring out which cups stack on others best, or nest within other best

  • If the stacking cups have pictures of animals, numbers or alphabets (A, B, C....) you can teach them vocabulary words

  • Preposition: In/out as he puts the different sized cups; on, under, next to, in front, behind, top, bottom, on, off, and between as he stacks and builds them.

Wooden Blocks

Simple set of coloured blocks of different shapes and sizes, however square blocks with the letters/numbers on them provide the opportunity to also target letter and number recognition and later on, even some word recognition or spelling practice! Your toddler can benefit from wooden kids’ toys, especially the blocks and develop and groom these skills:

Colour concepts
  • Shape concepts
  • Letter and number concepts if you are using blocks with letters/numbers.
  • Size concepts
  • Counting skills
  • Problem solving skills: How to make a tower that won’t fall down
  • Hand-eye coordination/Fine motor skills and visual processing
  • Cause and effect relationship
  • Preposition: On, under, next to, in front, behind, top, bottom, on, off, and between as he stacks and builds with them.
Balls

Balls can help teach so many concepts. Some of the language, cognitive and other skills that your infant and toddler can learn by playing with balls are:

Colour concepts

  • Size concepts: Big, medium, small, biggest, smallest, etc. when using different sized balls
  • Vocabulary: Hard, soft, smooth, etc. try using balls made of various materials
  • Preposition: In, on, off, through, up, down, next to, in front, behind, top, bottom while using the balls in different activities and with other items like basketball hoops, baskets, cups, boxes, etc.
Shape Sorter

Shape sorters can teach many of the same concepts and skills that blocks can, with some added bonuses. They help your kid learn some of the important developmental skills:

Shape concepts

  • Colour concepts
  • Concepts of full and empty
  • Fine motor and motor planning skills
  • Counting skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Preposition: in, out, through

Summary: Traditional wooden toys have excellent educational and speech benefits. They help in the early childhood development of children. The memories of wooden toys can always last long and can be passed on to the next generation also you can give personalised baby gifts to your loved ones.

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Author: Milton Ashby

Milton Ashby

Member since: Oct 07, 2015
Published articles: 1

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