5 Simple Ways to Make Play More Effective

Research has clearly proven the power of play in young children; particularly the impact of play on a child’s first 3 years of life. Play allows children to explore the world, while developing expressive and receptive language, social skills, fine and gross motor skills, and imagination, all while developing new skills and acquiring basic concepts.

When you sit down to play with your child, the direct 1:1 time that you have to spend undivided attention may be limited. So, here are some tried and true techniques to make the undivided playtime you offer to your child to be as effective as possible.
 

1) Follow your Child’s Lead

Let your child be in charge of showing YOU how to play with a toy, or object. Let him lead, as if you were playing follow the leader. Please don’t feel the need to be the ‘teacher’ all the time. Letting him lead the play will peak his interest, keep him engaged, and generally be more fun! Once your child has taken the lead, you might comment on what he is doing in his play with a few simple words. Here’s an Example:
 

Child’s (Leader) Action: Child pick up blocks and begins banging two blocks together.

Parent Response: “Blocks! Bang, Bang!”

Parent’s Action: Parent now picks up 2 blocks and bangs blocks together.

2) Repeat, Repeat, Repeat then…. Wait.

Modeling the sounds or language of play with a very high frequency of repetition is critical to a new language learner. When modeling with repetition, be sure to use inflection in your voice, or make up a rhythm. After modeling a sound, word, or phrase a number of times; wait. Give your child ample time to process this stimuli and have a chance to imitate. Here’s an Example:

Child’s (Leader) Action: Child puts a ball on a ramp. Ball rolls down ramp

Parent Response: “Doooown!” “Doooown!” “Doooown!” “Doooown!” (Each time ball rolls down ramp)

Parent’s Action: Parent holds the ball at the top of the ramp and WAITS; Giving child ample time to  attempt the word “down!”

3) Eye Level Positioning

 

Nothing is more powerful in communication than face to face exposure.  This might mean laying down on your stomach to face your child on the floor, or squatting down to your toddler as he stands. Face to face positioning allows for us to maintain eye contact, for us to ‘read’ one another, see facial expressions, gestures and one another’s general affect. It also allows for the child to optimally observe your articulators (mouth, tongue, teeth, lips) during speech production.
 

4) Read Your Child’s Non-Verbal Cues

 

Learn to be sensitive to his cues to see when he has had enough. It’s just as important to have the balance of being able to calm down and rest, both mentally and physically as it is to play with excitement and fun! This is especially important, as your child may not yet have the words to tell you he has had enough. Signs he is ready for a brake include: Acting distracted, becoming fussy, avoiding eye contact, or rubbing his eyes. Reassure your child you will play again very soon!

5) Special Toys... Not Required!

 

Play can happen at anytime with almost anything during the day! Please don’t feel the need to purchase specific toys, and feel like play can only happen in a perfect environment. Busy parents can learn to incorporate play into daily routines, such as bathtime or other daily chores, such as packing a lunch or walking the dog. For example, during bathtime:

Child’s (Leader) Action: Child splashes bubbles in tub

Parent Response: “bubble!” (splash, splash) “bubble!” (splash, splash) “bubble!” (splash, splash)
 

Even if it is for only a short time each day, your child makes amazing strides with your playful interactions. Through play you are helping your child to increase his self-confidence, brain development, social skills, as well as speech and language development.
 

Your play-time and love makes all the difference in the world to your child.

 

 

5 Easy Methods to Target Irregular Past Tense Verbs with Dollhouse Play

 

Many children exhibit difficulty learning irregular past tense verbs, because they don’t follow the typical “-ed” past tense rule. You might choose to incorporate targeting irregular past tense verbs into your play with your child for just 15-20 minutes each day, or you might repeat the target irregular past tense verbs frequently throughout the day, during conversation or daily routines. Try to focus on only a few verbs at a time (or just one at a time, if your child is exhibiting more difficulty).

5 Play Scenarios that Target Irregular Past Tense Verbs, Using a Toy Dollhouse:

 

1) Mealtime- It’s time to eat! Set up each wooden figurine around the family dinner table, while targeting the following irregular past tense verbs:

 

brought, ate, drank, made, fell, took   

 

2) Bedtime- Pretend putting each family member to sleep for the night. You might model your child's bedtime routine during play in order to practice the following irregular past tense verbs:

 

slept, woke, read

 

3) Outdoor Play- Have the family go outside to play while focusing on the following irregular past tense verbs:

 

slid, ran, caught, hid, swing, threw

 

4) Grocery Store- Pretend the family hops into the car and drives from the dollhouse to the pretend grocery store, focusing on the following words:

 

wrote (list), drove, bought, chose, found, saw

5 Social Stages of Play

Top 10 Toys to Promote First Words

1) Balls

HOW? Target Turn Taking (a precursor to conversation) by announcing turns as you roll, bounce, or push the ball back and forth. Be sure to announce each turn as you roll the ball. i.e “Mommy’s Turn!” “Michael’s Turn!”  Have 1 adult sit behind the child to assist. Passing a ball requires eye contact, learning to ‘wait’ and allows for moments to teach basic concepts like ‘stop’ and go!’

 

FIRST WORDS:

• Ball
• Go
• Stop
• More
• Push

2)  Blocks:

 

HOW? Use blocks to teach size concepts, like big and little, also teach color, quantity concepts. Blocks also naturally lend to encourage social interaction, collaboration and problem solving. Blocks are great for assigning a word to an action, using repetition. For example, build a tower. Each time you place a block on the tower, say, “Up!” Blocks promote repetition and modeling of sounds. Once your tower is ready, knock it down, and model “Ready, Set, …..GO!” Now, do it again, and again, and use this carrier phrase, "Ready, Set…..” and see if your child will fill in “GO!”

 

FIRST WORDS:

• Up
• Down
• Go
• Boom
• Uh-Oh
• Big

3)  A Farm Set

 

HOW? Did you know making Animal Sounds is associated with speech/language development? A Farm set is also great for introducing first verbs, and 1st prepositional phrases. Its excellent for promoting early 2 word combos. Two Word Examples include: Cow Jumps! Or “Duck Sleeps”, “Horse Out” or “Pig In.”

 

FIRST WORDS:

• Bah
• Moo
• Eat
• Sleep
• Hop

4)  Bubbles: Every SLP uses bubbles with kids under 3!

 

HOW?  The words naturally associated with bubble play happen to start with 1st developing sounds, P/B/M/. Bubbles also encourage turn taking, and requesting, while promoting social interaction and eye contact. Take the bubble wand and blog a few bubbles, and then wait. Observe your child, in silence. Model “More?” Repeat. Bubbles are also great for early 2 word combinations, such as “More bubble” or “bubble pop.”

FIRST WORDS:

• Pop
• Bubble
• More
• Blow
• Up
• Bye!

5)  Vehicles & Things that GO!

 

HOW? Vehicles are a great way to model environmental sounds. Often times first words come from 1st sounds, such as “woo woo!” or “beep-beep!” Model driving a truck through mud, “brrrrr” and an 18 month old is likely to imitate your action and your sound.

 

FIRST WORDS:

• Beep
• Vroom!
• Stop
• Car
• Drive
  

6) Baby doll

 

HOW? Modeling of daily routines and social situations. Also excellent tool for early emotions and introduces pretend play concepts.

 

FIRST WORDS:

• Baby
• Cry
• Milk
• Shhh
• Hug

7)  A Drum/Musical Instruments

 

HOW? Another fabulous way to foster turn taking skills, “Mommy’s Turn!” “Brady’s Turn!” You can also Use Music to add rhythm to your speech. For example, tap a drum for each word in the phrase “more please.” Use repetition and melody. Or, Model an early sound each time you bang a drum.

 

FIRST WORDS:

• Boom
• Music
• Hit
• Drum
• Go

8)  Pop Up Toys, like: Playskool Pop Up Animal Toy

 

HOW? While building anticipation and excitement. Pop up Toys teach Cause and Effect, while improving fine motor skills as well as color matching.  Great for introducing “Where” Questions

 

FIRST WORDS:

• Pop!
• All Gone!
• Where?
• Open
• Close

9)  Hammer/ Pounding Ball Toys

 

HOW? Aside from the fact that all kids love to hit the balls with the hammer, it’s great for teaching requesting. For example, take all the balls and place them behind your back, or under your leg. Ask, “What do you want?” then model, “Ball?” You may also incorporate cause and effect, as well as environmental sounds, “wee!” as the ball rolls down the ramp, and basic concepts, like up, down, in, and out.

 

FIRST WORDS:

• Down
• Up
• More
• Ball
• In
• Out

 

10) Sensory Boxes:

 

HOW? Fill a box with Sand, or Rice, or Dry Noodles, or even Shaving Cream. Add Small Trucks, Figurines, or Toy Animals. Sensory Boxes are excellent for labeling objects. Having the sensory experience of feeling the objects in the material you have chosen will engage the child for longer. Now you can model words like, “Bus!” or “Cow!” or “Boy!”  You may also hide an object in the box, and ask your child to find it! Make up a fun phrase and add lots of melody, like, “Cow, Where ARE you?” and repeat while searching for the cow.

 

FIRST WORDS:

• FIND
• WHERE
• NOUNS- (labeling toys in box)

The Top Ten Signs to Teach Your Baby

Is your toddler crying and whining to communicate what he wants? It might be helpful to introduce a few functional signs. Signs can help children express themselves, reducing communicative frustration. Signs are considered to be words that are produced with the hands instead of the speech mechanism. They are easier for children to use that orally produced words and have been evidenced to facilitate speech production and oral word use, especially when paired with spoken words.
 

When introducing signs, start with just one or two signs for the purpose of requesting, e.g., signs for more and please. Use hand-over-hand modeling to teach the signs, e.g., taking your child’s hands and performing the sign for him or her. Over time, fade the level of support you provide your child to facilitate their use of the signs. After your child becomes proficient with a requesting sign, introduce early vocabulary items, e.g., ball, car, train, music, open, eat, drink, milk, cookie, cracker, all done, help and thank you.

 

The Top Ten Signs to Teach Your Baby:

1) More

2) Help

3) Want

4) Open

5) All done

6) Mom/Dad

7) Eat

8) Milk

9) Thank You

10) Please

When practicing, especially when introducing a new sign, have two adults working with your child, in that one person holds the toy/object that your child is requesting and the other person does hand-over- hand modeling of the sign. The person holding the toy/object sits across from your child, at eye level with him/her, and the other person sits behind him/her, taking his/her  hands to help him/her physically produce the sign.