The joyful language toolkit: Strategies for connecting with your child through play
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The joyful language toolkit: Strategies for connecting with your child through play

ByLondon Speech and Feeding

As parents and therapists, we all want to help our children communicate. But sometimes, the process can feel like ‘work’. If I had a penny for every parent saying ‘I find it so boring!’… Ok hang in… what if I told you the most effective therapy happens when it doesn’t look like therapy at all?

My approach centres on connection, enthusiasm, and multi-sensory engagement. We don’t just teach words; we teach the joy of using them. These strategies can be used whether your child is speaking, using a core board, or communicating in his or her own unique way.

Some of my favourite strategies

Today I want to share a few of my favourite strategies to turn everyday interactions into powerful communication opportunities regardless of why or how big a delay your child is having.

  1. Facial expressions & exaggeration: Use an exaggerated facial expression to show surprise (wide eyes!), excitement (big smile!), or confusion (a crinkled brow!). Your face is a powerful teaching tool. I am always talking like a clown in my sessions. I can announce that I have also a normal speaking voice outside my clinic room! 😊
  2. Using your voice with intonation: Your voice is music! Use a singsong or ‘tuneful’ repeat to make words stand out. For example, ‘It’s a BIIIG ball!’ or ‘Let’s GO-O-O!’. Again think: clown!!
  3. Hands and body to show: Use gestures, hands, and body movements to demonstrate. Say ‘OPEN’ while pulling your hands apart, or ‘UP’ while raising the toy high above your head.
  4. Elongating our words: Stretching out key sounds or words gives them emphasis and more time for your child to process. ‘Criiiinkley’ ‘tiiickleyyyy’
  5. Core board & language modelling:
    • Model the core board with joy: Don’t just point: point with energy!
    • Model the core board repeatedly throughout the activity, showing genuine excitement. This demonstrates the board is a joyful tool, not homework.
    • Pointing to the core board: When you say a core word, point to the corresponding symbol. You are showing your child, ‘My words live here, and your words can too’.
  6. Describing it for your child: Help your child build his or her vocabulary by providing rich sensory language. ‘It’s squishy’, ‘It’s very noisy’, or ‘It’s so smooth’.
  7. Catchy phrases: Repetitive, positive phrases create a sense of shared fun. Use them consistently: ‘Oh, that’s a nice one!’ or ‘We like that!’
  8. Following your child’s Interest: Put down your agenda and follow your child’s lead. If they pick up a block, talk about the block. This ensures they are engaged and ready to learn.
  9. Allowing for pauses: This is critical! After you made a comment, allow for a significant pause (count to five in your head) for your child to fill. The silence creates a powerful opportunity for them to initiate communication.
  10. Copying your child’s sounds: If he or she makes a sound (‘buh!’), you make the sound back! Copying your child’s sounds shows him or her ‘I hear you, and your communication is important’.
  11. Lots of repetition: Hearing a word many times in meaningful contexts is how we learn! Repeat key phrases and core words throughout the activity. Repetition is the key to retention.
  12. Getting turns: Explicitly teach and celebrate getting turns in a game. ‘My turn! Your turn!’ This is a foundational social and communication skill.
  13. Using tidy up as a teaching activity: Turn cleanup into a fun game! It’s a goldmine for core words like PUT IN, ALL DONE, HELP, and MORE. For example, ‘Let’s PUT IN the red block! Yay!’
  14. Using exaggerated repeats: When your child tries a sound or word, give it back with exaggerated, tuneful repeats.

Try out all or even just a few of these strategies, and I can promise you, you’re not just encouraging language; you’re building a joyful, reciprocal relationship based on genuine communication!

Which strategy are you excited to try first? Let me know in the comments!

If I can help you with any of the above, if you want to practise these a bit more, I would love to help you!

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Health Professions Council registered
Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member
Member of ASLTIP

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Great toys and books for our toddlers (around 1–2 years old)
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Great toys and books for our toddlers (around 1–2 years old)

ByLondon Speech and Feeding

As a speech and language therapist, I often get asked by parents what toys and books they should buy for their toddlers. It can feel overwhelming with so many options available! So, I’ve put together a list based on my experience and what I’ve found works well.

Remember, every child is unique!

Observe your toddler’s interests and play style. Some toys that are popular might not be engaging for your child.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Sensory Toys:

  • Stacking cups: These are fantastic for developing hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and understanding size relationships. (Various brands available) Note: You can stack many things you have around the house, like bowls or measuring cups, for a similar experience!
  • Shape sorters: Help with shape recognition, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving. (Melissa & Doug, Vtech)
  • Sensory balls: Balls with different textures (soft, bumpy, squishy) provide tactile stimulation. (Various brands)
  • Push and pull toys: Encourage gross motor development and exploration. (Vtech, Fisher-Price)

Communication-focused toys:

  • Picture books with flaps: Engage curiosity and encourage language development. (Various brands)
  • Talking toys: Introduce new vocabulary and encourage imitation. (Vtech, Fisher-Price)
  • Simple puzzles: Develop hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, and spatial awareness. (Melissa & Doug, Ravensburger)
  • Musical instruments: Encourage exploration of sounds and develop auditory skills. (Bright Starts, Fisher-Price)

Now, let’s talk about books:

  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle: A classic with repetitive text and vibrant illustrations, great for introducing vocabulary and concepts like days of the week.
  • Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle: Simple, repetitive text and engaging illustrations make this a favourite for many toddlers.
  • Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown: A soothing bedtime story with calming illustrations.
  • Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt: An interactive book with textures and flaps to engage young children.
  • Corduroy by Don Freeman: A heartwarming story about a teddy bear who loses his button.

Remember:

  • Observe your child’s interests: Choose toys and books that capture their attention and encourage exploration.
  • Engage with your child: Play with the toys together and read books aloud with enthusiasm.
  • Keep it simple: Start with a few toys and books and gradually introduce new ones.
  • Rotate toys: Keep playtime fresh by rotating toys and books regularly.
  • Most importantly, have fun! Reading and playing with your child should be a joyful experience for both of you.

Also consider the power of open-ended play

In today’s world filled with electronic gadgets, it’s easy to overlook the value of open-ended play. Open-ended toys lack specific functions or prescribed outcomes, allowing children to use their imaginations to explore and create. Unlike toys with pre-determined ways to play, open-ended toys encourage:

  • Creative thinking: Children can use them in countless ways, developing their own rules and narratives. A block can become a car, a house, or a spaceship, depending on the child’s imagination.
  • Problem-solving skills: Children learn to figure out how to use the toys, experimenting and adapting as they go. Don’t immediately rush in and fix things for your little one, let them think for themselves and then communication incentive: let them come and find you!
  • Fine motor skills: Many open-ended toys, like blocks, encourage the development of fine motor skills like grasping, stacking, and building.
  • Cognitive development: Children learn about cause and effect, spatial relationships, and problem-solving as they play with open-ended toys.
  • Social-emotional development: Open-ended play can foster social interaction and cooperation as children play together and share ideas.

Simple toys with big impact

Some of the best toys for toddlers are often the simplest ones. Here are a few examples:

  • Wooden blocks: Building towers, bridges, and forts encourages creativity and problem-solving.
  • Balls: Throwing, kicking, and rolling balls promote gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
  • Fabric: Bits of fabric can be draped, draped, and used for imaginative play.
  • Empty boxes: From cardboard boxes to tissue boxes, these can be transformed into anything a child can imagine: a car, a house, a spaceship!
  • Natural materials: Sticks, leaves, pinecones, and rocks can be used for imaginative play and sensory exploration.

Remember, the key to open-ended play is to let children explore and discover

Step back and observe, allowing your child to use his or her imaginations without too much direction. You might be surprised at the creative ways he or she uses simple toys!

Happy play times with your little one!

Contact me via my contact form.

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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