Are you wondering what you can do at home to support your child’s speech and language development? The answer is simpler and more fun than you might think: play. Here’s how to build language skills during play using three core strategies, plus ideas for puzzles, blocks, balls, and bubbles.
Play is a child’s natural language. It’s where they are most engaged, motivated, and open to learning. When you add a few simple strategies to your daily playtime, you can support your child’s skills while spending quality time together.
Three Strategies to Turn Playtime Into Language Time
Strategy 1: Become a “Sportscaster” and Narrate Everything
Talk about what you and your child are doing as you do it. This technique, also called parallel talk and self-talk, surrounds your child with language that is directly connected to their actions. The key is to use short, simple, and repetitive sentences that are grammatically correct.
For example, when you play with balls, you might say:
- “Roll the ball.”
- “Wow, a big ball!”
- “My ball. Your ball.”
- “The ball goes up, up, up.”
Strategy 2: Practice the “Serve and Return” of Conversation
Communication is a two-way street, and we practice it by taking turns. Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child describes serve and return interactions as an important way young children build communication and social skills.
The key is that first you do an action, and then your child does the action. This teaches the back-and-forth rhythm of interaction, so don’t forget to narrate what you’re doing. For example, when you play with dolls:
- You say, “My turn to feed the baby,” and pretend to feed the doll.
- Then you hand the bottle to your child and say, “Your turn to feed the baby!”
Strategy 3: Turn Story Time Into a Language-Rich Conversation
Reading together is a wonderful way to build vocabulary, and it works even better when it’s interactive. Go beyond reading the words on the page, and use the pictures to start a conversation.
- Point and label: Point to illustrations and name what you see, like “Look, a blue fish!”
- Ask simple questions: Ask questions like “Where is the dog?” or “What is the boy doing?”
- Let them fill in the blank: When you read a familiar, repetitive book, pause and let your child finish the sentence, like “Brown bear, brown bear, what do you ____?”
Play Ideas by Toy
Many everyday toys give you chances to practice speech sounds and language. The ideas below can be adjusted to your child’s level, so start where your child is comfortable.
Puzzles
- Speech sounds: If your child is working on the /k/ sound, they could say “Can I have another piece?” each time they place a piece. If they are not yet using sounds in sentences, they could say the sound alone or in a single word 3 times before they get the next piece.
- Requesting: Before each piece, your child could sign or say “more” or “please.” If they are combining two or three words, they could say “more piece please.”
- Vocabulary: Talk about the size, shape, color, function, and location of the objects in the puzzle.
- Following directions: Describe a piece for your child to find, like “find the long, green vegetable.” You can also tell them where to place it, like “put it next to that piece.”
Blocks
- Speech sounds: If your child is working on final consonants, they could say “block,” “on,” or “up” each time they stack a block. Before they knock down the tower, they can say “push” or “down.”
- Sound targets: If you can write on your blocks or add stickers, put words with your child’s target sound on each one. They say the word before they place the block.
- Language: Practice requesting, such as “more,” “more block,” or “I want more blocks,” and following directions, such as “put the red block on before you put the blue block on.”
- Concepts: Blocks are a natural way to practice words like up, down, on top, under, some, all, none, few, and many. You can also work on counting, shapes, and colors.
Ball Games
- Passing back and forth: For each pass, your child can say a word or phrase with their target sound. They can also follow directions like “turn in a circle before you pass the ball,” or take turns saying the next letter in a sight word.
- Shooting baskets: Put tape marks on the floor around a bucket, and ask your child to say three accurate productions of their sound before each toss. After three more, they can move to the next mark. Each mark can also stand for a direction to follow or a vocabulary word to define.
- Bowling: Set up blocks, paper cups, or stuffed animals as pins, and put a card under each one with a word, direction, or sight word. For every pin your child knocks down, they complete the task under it.
- For little ones: Passing a ball is a good turn-taking activity that can build joint attention, eye contact, and imitation. You can also say “ready, set…” and wait for your child to say “go!” before you pass.
Bubbles
- Early sounds: Blowing bubbles gives natural practice with /p/, /b/, and /m/ in words like pop, bubble, more, blow, up, and please.
- Other sounds: For other target sounds, ask your child to say 3 to 5 words or sentences with the sound before you blow more bubbles.
- Turn-taking and eye contact: Take turns blowing or popping bubbles, and wait for your child to look at you before you blow more.
- Requesting and directions: Your child can say or sign “more,” “bubbles,” or “my turn,” and follow directions like “stomp the bubbles” or “blow the bubbles up high.”
- Extra fun: Try a colander or your hands, with a diamond shape made from your pointer fingers and thumbs, instead of a bubble wand. Adding food coloring is also fun, but it can stain, so use an outdoor spot and old clothes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best toys for language development?
The best toys are often the simplest. Choose open-ended toys that need imagination, like blocks, dolls, a play kitchen, cars, or animal figurines. These toys encourage your child to create the story and the sounds, unlike electronic toys that do the talking for them.
Should I use “baby talk”?
It helps to separate two things. A loving, high-pitched, sing-song tone of voice, sometimes called “parentese,” can help get an infant’s attention. However, it’s still best to use real words and correct grammar. Instead of “Me want baba,” say “I want my bottle!” in a warm, friendly tone.
My child isn’t talking yet. How can I use these strategies?
These strategies work well for children who are not yet talking. Your goal is to give them a rich language model, so narrate their actions and respond to their gestures, eye contact, and sounds as if they were words. This teaches them the power of communication and the rhythm of conversation before their first word.
Is it possible to talk too much?
Yes. Remember to pause and leave space for your child to respond, even if it’s just with a look or a sound. The goal is a back-and-forth interaction, not a monologue. If your child seems overwhelmed, simplify your language or enjoy a moment of quiet play together.
How ETLC Can Help
If you are ever concerned about your child’s progress, trust your instincts. One of our speech-language pathologists can partner with you to help your child communicate clearly and confidently. Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center has locations in Johnston and North Liberty, IA, with virtual services also available.
Learn more about speech-language therapy at ETLC or schedule a free consultation to talk with a member of our team.
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About the Author
Sonia Strueby, M.A., CCC-SLP, is the founder of Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center. With over 25 years of experience as a speech-language pathologist, Sonia has dedicated her career to helping children overcome complex communication and academic challenges. She has advanced training and a special focus on treating dyslexia and childhood apraxia of speech, and she is passionate about providing families with a clear path to success.
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