Do you have toys or play items but you are unsure how to keep your child interested and engaged with them? Here are some of our speechie tips!
Organise….
Firstly, collect the toys they are currently not playing with and pop them away in a container out of reach to put on rotation. Less choice helps reduce flitting between toys (and less mess!!). Leave out a small collection in an accessible place for them to play with. Once the current toys lose their novelty rotate with the ones in the cupboard! This also creates a great communication opportunity for your child to ask for the toys that are put away if they want them. You can give them a choice if they are pointing or indicating they want something but are unsure of the name of the item (e.g. do you want the balls or the puzzle?).
Play….
Sit with your child at their level on the floor and actively watch what they are doing with the toy. Try not to jump in too soon and lead their play. Allow them to bring you into their play. They might show you something, comment or look at you. Respond by naming what they show you, copying what they say and adding another word (e.g. doll, big doll!), or commenting on what they are doing (e.g. car, drive the car, vroom!). Watch and observe what your child is interested in through looking at what they are looking at and be ok with going with it, even if their play does not look like what you were expecting.
Help…
If your child looks as though they don’t know what to do with the toy sit alongside them and show them what they could do (e.g. place a shape in the right shape hole, push the button to make the ball pop). Adding a word or words for the actions you and your child are doing is even better (e.g. ’’push” ”pop” “put the puzzle in”). Try to avoid hand over hand prompting for your child to allow them control over their own body movements, and so they learn to develop new skills and motor planning for specific actions independently. Signals like your child looking at you, vocalising/grunting, or taking your hand may mean they’d like some help. Adding “help” “daddy/mummy help” as you support them is a great way to model early language around this important skill. You may see your child move to another toy quite quickly if they don’t know what to do, notice if they stay longer when you sit with them and give them some words to match their play, help, or show them an option.
Take turns…
Taking turns in play is a great way to model to your child what they could do with a toy. Take a turn (say mummy/daddy’s turn) and then pass it back to them and name their turn. If your child is just learning to share be sure to take a very quick turn! You can take longer turns once they begin to learn what turn- taking is all about. Turn taking is also a really helpful conversational skill, teaching it through play is a great way to prepare your child for talking!
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