Raring2go! PLACES TO GO 22 raring2go.co.uk 23 Raring2go! www.raring2go.co.uk/shop/ Sustainably made wooden toys designed for growing minds for 2 years + £54.99 Small Foot Toys High Quality Traditional Wooden Toys £32.99 Cuttable Fruit and Vegetables Set “fresh” £49.99 Wooden Rainbow Building Blocks XL Classic Wooden Doctor’s Bag £52.99 Pastel Baby Walker with Building Blocks 14 raring2go.co.uk Raring2go! FEATURE Four Top Toys to Support Your Child’s Talking When it comes to boosting preschool and primary school age children’s communication, you don’t need flashy gadgets or complicated programmes. Often, the simplest toys create the richest language opportunities. Here are my top five toys for supporting speech, language and early communication skills at home. Read the full article on the news pages at www.raring2go.co.uk Want more ideas like these? Visit www.sprinkleofsaltspeechandlanguagetherapy.com 1. Balloon-Powered Car Pump Why it’s brilliant: Cause-and-effect toys are gold for early communication. Children love watching the balloon inflate and the car zoom off. That predictable sequence builds attention, anticipation and interaction. Supports: Early requesting (more, again, go), turn-taking, joint attention, action words (blow, pump, go, stop). How to use it: Use simple, repetitive phrases: “Ready… steady… GO!” Pause after “ready… steady…” to give your child space to copy or anticipate. Model “more?” each time they want another turn. 2. Wooden Vehicle Puzzle Why it’s brilliant: Puzzles create natural chances for pointing, naming, matching and understanding everyday words. Vehicles are especially motivating for many young children. Supports: Vocabulary (car, bus, ambulance, fire engine), understanding simple instructions, prepositions (in, out, on), sound imitation (nee-nah, beep, brum). How to use it: Label each piece as you lift it out: “Car out!” Give clues: “Find the one that goes nee-nah.” Offer choices so your child can communicate even if they’re not yet speaking. 3. First 100 Words Book Why it’s brilliant: Books with real pictures support vocabulary, early categorisation and word-to-picture association. They’re ideal for all early communicators, including those who prefer visual learning. Supports: Everyday vocabulary, pointing and joint attention, early commenting, building understanding of categories (animals, transport, food). How to use it: Avoid quizzing - simply comment, point and model: “Look, banana… yellow banana.” Follow your child’s lead and stay on their favourite pages longer. 4. Car Ramp Run Why it’s brilliant: Repetition is a key ingredient for learning language. Car ramps offer the same predictable action again and again, helping children practise the same sounds and words with joy, not pressure. Supports: Early words (go, stop, fast, more), turn-taking, listening, predictive language (“again!” “my turn!”) How to use it: Take turns sending the car down the ramp. Before each turn, pause and wait - the pause encourages children to vocalise or gesture. By Lucy Creed, Speech & Language Therapist
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