Toys for Speech Development

Toys are a fun and engaging way to support speech and language development. While speech therapy with toys may look like play, children are practicing important communication skills through every interaction. Toys create natural opportunities to build language, encourage social interaction, and make learning enjoyable. With toys children can work on a variety of speech and language skills, including:

• Prepositions

• WH questions 

• 1 or 2 step directions

• Identifying colors, numbers, shapes, & body parts

• Social skills

• Pronouns

• Adjectives 

• Verbs

• Joint attention 

• Problem solving 

• Requesting & commenting

A list of toys commonly used in speech therapy includes: 

• Pretend play toys 

  • Fake food

  • Dolls & doll houses

  • Action figures

  • Animals 

  • Farm sets

  • Cars 

  • Mr Potato Head

• Building toys

  • Blocks

  • Legos

  • Stacking cups

  • Magna tiles

• Cause & Effect toys

  • Pop up toys

  • Wind up toys

  • Light up toys

  • Musical toys 

• Board Games 

  • Candy land

  • Guess who

  • Headbandz

  • Chutes and Ladders 

  • Connect 4 

  • Zingo 

  • Jenga 

• Sensory toys 

  • Play dough

  • Fidget toys

  • Kinetic sand

  • Water tables 

  • Bubbles 

Author: Amber Dowell, SLPA