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Using Toys to Facilitate Speech and Language

Using toys that you already have at home to facilitate speech and language development is one of the most natural ways to support your child's speech and language growth. Watch as Mr. Potato Head is broken down into speech and language targets that may be incorporated into play naturally. Special thanks to Miss Marlisa at PEEP for the use of her video!

Speech targets with this activity include:

• Talking Helpers targets: Lips, tongue, teeth, eyes, ears, brain, & nose. See Talking Helpers handout on the PEEP Articulation Resource Page.

• Multisyllabic words: words including more than one syllable, such as "po-ta-to".

Language targets with this activity include:

• Labeling: body parts

• Prepositions: in, out, on/on top, off, under, top, bottom, etc.

• Pronouns: he, she, they, I, me, my, you, your, we, etc.

• Concepts: big, small, open, close, full, empty, one more, push, pull, etc.

• Following directions:

  • One step directions. Ex: Put the hat on his head.

  • Two step related directions. Ex: Find the hat & put it on his head.

  • Two step unrelated directions. Ex: Find the hat and count to three.

  • Three step directions. Ex: Find the hat, and the arm, and put them in.

• Giving directions - Allowing your child to be the teacher and give you instructions to follow. For example, you may say to your child, "Now you be the teacher/boss and tell me what to put in!" or "Your turn to tell mommy/daddy what to put in!" etc.

• Requesting - "I want (a/the) ____." "I need (a/the) ____." " Can/may I have (a/the) ___?"

• Initiating/responding:

  • Describing- big, small, color, shape, feeling word (happy, sad, etc.), quantity.

  • Stating a preference, "I like ___." You can give them choices to help; for example: "Do you like the big yellow nose or the small pink nose?". Or stating their distaste for something, "I don't like ___." "Not that one." etc.

  • Using other carrier phrases: "I see ___.", "I/he/she/they feel ___."