Guide to choosing toys that can help with speech development

With a large array of toys on the market, how do you choose toys to help with speech development for your toddler? What are some educational toys for speech delay? Read on to find out what kinds of toys do speech therapists use and how toys can be used to encourage speech and language development.

I will be using the ‘Sorting Surprise – Pirate Treasure’ (Brand: Learning Resources) as an example. This is one of my favourite toys that I currently use in my speech therapy sessions with young kids. 

First, choose toys that introduce various learning concepts. For example, this toy can be used to teach: 

• Numbers and counting
• Colours
• Object names: e.g., parrot, octopus, key, treasure chest
• Action words: e.g., open, close, hide

Second, it is about the different ways you can use the toy to help your child learn different skills! Your speech therapist would usually pick specific language goals to target with the toys. For this toy, you can work on:

• Vocabulary (e.g., names of the objects, categories, object function)
• Following instructions (e.g., “Open number 1”, “Take the green key.”)
• Fine motor skills (e.g., coin slotting)
• Play skills (e.g., functional play actions like using the key to open the treasure chest, pretend play skills like wearing the pirate hat)
• Requesting (e.g., “I want yellow”, “I want to open.”, “Mummy, help me open.”)
• Using words and combining words (e.g., for kids with speech delay and are learning to combine two words, some examples include “yellow coin”, “blue hat”, “open red”, “close box”)

Third, if you would like to purchase a toy with a high replay value, think whether you can combine parts of the toy with other toys that you have! For example, you can hide other figurines in the treasure chest. This adds an element of surprise for your child! 

Lastly, the age label on toys serves as a guideline. Factors that are more important are your child’s abilities and what speech and language skills you would like to teach your child! In fact, I do use this toy with my 2 year old speech therapy clients as well because it can encourage them to practise saying many different words (e.g., yellow, red, blue, purple, bird, key, open).

Over at Jubilant Speech Therapy, we invite you to sit in during the speech therapy sessions so that you can see how your child’s speech therapist weave in the speech and language goals during the therapy activities. With your valuable input, your speech therapist can help to incorporate your child’s favourite toys and the activities that are part of your family routines for speech practice too.