2020 Toy List for Kids 5 and Under (from your Speech Therapist)

Children learn language naturally through play and active exploration.  A wide variety of toys and games encourage learning and help to develop skills in understanding language, oral expression, and social language use. The following suggestions will be helpful in choosing appropriate toys to target various language skills while keeping your child engaged.  Approximate ages and skill levels have been provided to help guide your choices.  Many items can be purchased at toy stores or through catalogues and websites such as Amazon.  Ask your speech therapist for help in deciding which games or toys are recommended for your child. Happy shopping!

SPEECH THERAPY GAMES AND ACTIVITES             

Infant/Toddler Games and Skills Promoted

• Vtech Drop and Go Dump Truck, Cause-Effect, Matching  
• Laugh & Learn Learning Kitchen, Vocabulary, Pretend Play 
• FP Brilliant Basics Baby’s First Blocks, Sorting, Matching, Colors, Shapes 
• Laugh & Learn First Words Animal Blocks, Vocabulary, Matching  
• Little People Travel Together Airplane, Vocabulary, Pretend Play 
• Laugh & Learn Servin’ Up Fun Food Truck, Creative Play, Vocabulary  
• Little People Swing & Share Treehouse, Turn Taking, Pretend Play 
• Little People Caring for Animals Farm, Pretend Play, Vocabulary 
• Little People Animal Rescue, Music, Pretend Play, Vocabulary 
• Melissa & Doug Food Groups, Vocabulary, Pretend Play 
• Little People Aquarium Visit, Cause & Effect, Colors, Vocabulary, Pretend Play 
• Playskool Explore & Grow Busy Ball Popper, Colors, Cause & Effect 
• Peaceable Kingdom- Where’s Bear, Colors, Cause & Effect 
• Seek-a-Boo, Vocabulary, Answering Questions 
• LUKAT Pull Back Car Toys, Pretend Play, Turn Taking, Vocabulary 
• Peaceable Kingdom Monkey Around, Following Directions, Listening 
• Little People Launch Loop Raceway, Vocabulary, Following Directions, Pretend Play, Turn Taking 
• Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Learning Piggy Bank, Cause & Effect, Turn Taking, Following Directions, Colors 
• Baby Doll, Pretend Play, Vocabulary 
• LEGOS/Magna Tiles, Creative Play, Following Directions, Turn Taking, Colors 
• Play Dough, Creative Play

Preschool Games and Skills Promoted

• Melissa & Doug Puzzles (with and without sound), Vocabulary, Turn Taking, Sound Puzzles: Imitation 
• Monkey Beach Preschool Game, Following Directions, Problem Solving 
• Chugga Choo Game, Turn Taking, Colors, Cooperative Play
• Elephant’s Trunk, Turn Taking, Matching 
• Happy Bunny, Turn Taking, Matching 
• Walk Like a Chicken, Memory, Role-Playing, Vocabulary 
• Vtech Drill & Learn Toolbox, Matching, Pretend Play, Vocabulary 
• Just Like Home Talking Cash Register, Counting, Pretend Play 
• Laugh and Learn Kitchen, Pretend Play, Vocabulary 
• Trucks Match Up Game/Puzzle, Pretend Play, Vocabulary 
• Educational Insights Koala’s Capers, Memory, Matching, Vocabulary 
• Spot It Jr- Animals, Vocabulary, Matching, Memory 
• Zoo on the Loose, Following Directions, Memory 
• Magnetic Building Set, Creative Play, Matching 
• Where’s Mr. Wolf Game, Cooperative Play 
• Peaceable Kingdom’s Acorn Soup, Vocabulary, Following Directions 
• Go Away Monster, Turn Taking, Cause-Effect, Vocabulary 
• Jumping Jack, Turn Taking, Cause-Effect, Counting 
• Disney Princess Enchanted Cupcake Party Game, Turn Taking, Pretend Play, Matching, Sequencing, Describing
• Educational Insights Shelby’s Snack Shack Game, Turn Taking, Cooperative Play, Counting 
• Educational Insights Frankie’s Food Truck Fiasco Game, Vocabulary, Color/Shape Identification, Turn Taking 
• Educational Insights the Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game, Turn Taking, Colors, Flexible Thinking 
• Education Insights Racoon Rumpus, Matching, Color Recognition 
• Educational Insights Pancake Pile-Up Relay Game, Following Directions, Sequencing 
• Don’t Break the Ice, Cause-Effect, Turn taking 
• Feed the Woozle, Following Directions, Turn-Taking, Multisyllabic Words 
• Lakeshore Positional Words Resource Box, Prepositions, Following Directions 
• Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Books, Pretend Play, Following Directions, Pronouns, Expanding length of utterance 
• Pop the Pirate, Cause-Effect, Turn Taking, Colors, Following Directions 
• Potato Head, Vocabulary, Following Directions 

We know this list is long, but we just couldn’t cut it down any more. Don’t be afroad to ask your therapist which games are most appropriate for your child. And check back in soon for some of our featured favorites highlighted in upcoming posts!

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