Toys for Language Development: Less Is More

There are countless toys designed to support language development, but with so many options claiming to help children talk, it can feel overwhelming to choose the right one. Rest assured, every toy you purchase from SmallTalkUK is carefully selected and 100% backed by a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, and regularly used in real therapy sessions. However, I'm not here to plug our products. I'm here to tell you that if you're feeling unsure about where to begin, keep it simple! You don’t need to invest in high-tech, expensive gadgets. Often, the most effective language-building toys are straightforward, classic items that encourage your child to engage, communicate, and practice speaking. In fact, many flashy, noisy toys do all the talking for children, limiting their chance to develop their own skills.
Below, we’ve highlighted a few of our favorite toys—many of which you may already have at home—along with fun, language-boosting activities that make the most of them.
Bubbles: A Classic Language Tool
Bubbles are a fantastic way to target a variety of speech and language skills. They’re visually stimulating and motivating, making them the perfect tool for encouraging language practice.
Activities with Bubbles:
Requesting: Blow a few bubbles and then pause, putting the wand down. Wait for your child to show interest (by pointing, making a noise, or eye contact). You can prompt with “More bubbles?” Repeat this back and forth to encourage communication.
Concepts: If you have a bubble wand with different-sized holes, you can ask if they want “big bubbles” or “little bubbles.” Comment on the bubbles as they appear: “Wow, big bubbles!” or “Look at the little bubbles!”
Vocabulary: Use bubbles to teach words like “pop,” “more,” “gone,” “up,” “down,” “big,” “little,” “wet,” “blow,” “open,” and “close.” These basic terms help build foundational language skills.
Building Blocks: Learning Through Play
Building blocks are another versatile tool for language development, helping your child practice everything from vocabulary to social skills.

Activities with Blocks:
Turn-Taking: Build a tower, fill a box, or drop blocks into water one by one. Prompt your child to take turns, saying phrases like “Mummy’s turn.” Keep the turns short so they know they’ll get their chance to play again soon. Praise them when they wait patiently.
Requesting: While building together, keep the blocks out of reach and encourage your child to request more by saying “More?” or by making gestures (pointing, eye contact, etc.).
Position Words: As you watch your child play, comment on their actions using simple language. For example, if they’re stacking blocks, say “up” every time they add a block, then say “down” when the tower falls.
Pretend Play: Building blocks are also great for imaginative play. A block could be a phone, a brick for a house, or even a road for cars. This encourages your child to engage in creative play while learning new vocabulary.
Balls: Rolling Into Language Skills
Balls aren’t just fun—they’re fantastic for teaching a variety of important language skills, such as turn-taking, attention, and prepositions.
Activities with Balls:
Turn-Taking: Rolling a ball back and forth with your child is a great way to practice turn-taking, an essential social skill. Use phrases like “My turn,” “Your turn,” “Daddy’s turn,” or “Child’s turn” to introduce basic pronouns and encourage your child’s participation in the back-and-forth interaction.
Attention & Listening: To build your child’s attention span, try rolling the ball and waiting a few moments before they roll it back. You can also say “Ready, steady…” and pause before saying “Go!” to prompt vocalizations, with your child potentially trying to fill in the word “Go!”
Location Words (Prepositions): Play with the ball by throwing it into a basket or bin and say “In the basket, yay!” This reinforces the preposition “in.” You can also play hide-and-seek with the ball. Ask your child to look for the ball under a chair, behind the table, or under the sofa. Older children can take turns hiding the ball, while you practice phrases like “under the table” or “behind the chair.”
Vocabulary: Playing with a ball introduces words like “go,” “stop,” colors, “roll,” as well as concepts like “big ball” or “little ball.” It’s also a great opportunity to teach pronouns like “my,” “your,” “me,” and “you.”
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to invest in expensive toys to support your child’s language development. Simple, low cost toys like bubbles, building blocks, and balls can provide countless opportunities to learn and grow. The key is to engage with your child in interactive, meaningful ways, and use these activities to build communication skills such as requesting, turn-taking, vocabulary, and listening. With just a few basic toys and a little creativity, you can foster a love for language and set the stage for future learning.
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