{"id":587,"date":"2018-11-21T23:26:23","date_gmt":"2018-11-21T23:26:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/?p=587"},"modified":"2018-11-21T23:35:39","modified_gmt":"2018-11-21T23:35:39","slug":"best-toys-to-help-with-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidstoysclub.co.uk\/best-toys-to-help-with-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Are The Best Toys To Help With Speech On The UK Market?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If your child has delayed speech, you may already be working with a speech-language pathologist. It\u2019s important to make additional efforts at home to help your child improve their speech.<\/p>\n

The best way to do this is through playing.<\/p>\n

Speech development experts recommend multisensory toys that boost language development and improve social interactions.<\/p>\n

In this buying guide, we are going to review the best toys for your speech-delayed child.<\/p>\n

These toys are designed to encourage children to vocalize simple words and then move on to short phrases and sentences as they build their vocabulary.<\/p>\n

You can have fun together with your toddler playing with the toys or leave them to play on their own when you are busy.<\/p>\n

But first, a few things to keep in mind when you are shopping for such toys.<\/p>\n

What to consider when buying toys to help with speech<\/h2>\n

a. Toys that encourage vocalisation<\/h3>\n

One mistake many parents make, whether their toddler has delayed speech or not, is to buy flashy and noisy toys.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not against battery-powered toys; some can be very helpful for kids whose speech is lagging. The problem is electronic toys that don\u2019t encourage kids to talk.<\/p>\n

Just press a button and the toys lights up or makes a racket.<\/p>\n

All your child learns is cause-and-effect, something they have been learning since they were months old.<\/p>\n

Look for toys that encourage kids to speak up. It can be making animal noises, singing, reading words aloud or naming things like animals and vegetables.<\/p>\n

These toys are the best for improving your child\u2019s speech and building their vocabulary.<\/p>\n

b. You don\u2019t need educational toys<\/h3>\n

Educational toys are all the rage. You\u2019ll find retailers advertising toys that teach ABCs, 123s, colours and all other kinds of things that your toddler has years to learn about in school.<\/p>\n

What speech-delayed kids \u2013 and any child really \u2013 need are toys that teach them how to express their emotions, interact with other people and learn about their environment.<\/p>\n

You can get an educational toy or two but don\u2019t focus too much on them.<\/p>\n

Simple toys like kitchen sets, non-battery cars and farm sets can be surprisingly beneficial for kids who need to improve their speech.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t feel like your child will lag behind academically if they don\u2019t learn all their ABCs right now. Start by helping them communicate and then you can get more educational toys later.<\/p>\n

c. Look for multisensory toys<\/h3>\n

Your child\u2019s biggest developmental problem may be speech but that doesn\u2019t mean that only talking toys can help them.<\/p>\n

Children learn about the world and their environment through multiple pathways \u2013 touch, taste, sight, listening and smelling.<\/p>\n

Engaging multiple senses is better for speech development compared to focusing on just one aspect.<\/p>\n

Look for toys that engage at least two senses. The most important ones are touch, sight and listening.<\/p>\n

For touch, toys with raised letters and textured surfaces are great. For sight, bright colours are more engaging. For hearing, look for toys with spoken words, sound effects and sing-along songs.<\/p>\n

d. Less is more<\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t go on a shopping binge, buying every toy in our list below and adding a dozen others.<\/p>\n

Too many toys could overwhelm your child and even reduce their ability to get the most out of each toy.<\/p>\n

With around 2-4 toys, your child gets the maximum benefits of each toy without getting bored.<\/p>\n

You can rotate through the toys, only allowing them to play with one at a time.<\/p>\n

And remember that store-bought toys are not the only way for kids to improve their speech. Anything safe around the house from cardboard boxes to plates and pans can also be toys.<\/p>\n

Even going outside and looking at the flowers and petting animals is a great way to quicken their speech development.<\/p>\n

Best Toys for Speech Development<\/h2>\n

1.\u00a0Leapfrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/a>\n

This word book is bilingual \u2013 English and French. Everything you can hear in English, the songs, words and playing instructions, you can also hear in French.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s an easy to use language switch to change between the two languages.<\/p>\n

The book takes your child on a fun learning journey alongside three animal friends \u2013 a monkey, tiger and turtle. \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are 100 words for children to learn. If they don\u2019t know how to say a word, they simply touch it and the book plays the word aloud.<\/p>\n

This teaches your child how to pronounce different words. And if they are bilingual, they can simply slide the switch to hear the words spoken in French.<\/p>\n

The words are arranged by categories including animals, pets, food, colours, mealtime, vehicles, clothes and others.<\/p>\n

This makes for easier comprehension. If you are playing with them, you can even encourage them to come up with their own words related to a specific category.<\/p>\n

The word book also includes two songs \u2013 the My Favorite Word song and the Learning Friends theme song.<\/p>\n

What we like about it:<\/h4>\n