BOOKS

Reading and talking to your children about what's on the book page is huge for development.
Here are ways to elicit language:

• Receptive Language: 

  • Have them identify items (Examples: “Point to the pig” “Where is the cow?” )

• Expressive Language:

  • Ask them about what they see (Examples: "What do you see?" "What is this?")

  • Ask them Yes/No Questions (Examples: "Is this a ball?" "Is the girl jumping?")

TOOLS

• FOOD ITEMS

  • Various play skills are so important for development.

  • You can also work on taking turns or requesting. Examples: I want ______. Commenting: I like ______. I see ______.
    

• PUZZLES

  • Vehicles, food, animals, colors, body parts are all common objects/concepts.

  • Puzzles with different sounds or incorporating different sounds of animals and vehicles is important for early development (cow says moo, duck says quack).

  • Also identifying and labeling common objects is also a tool to use with these toys
    

• FINE MOTOR & SPEECH
  Having a child hold something or open something incorporates fine motor movements and then can incorporate speech by asking WH questions:

  • What do you see?

  • What is that?

  • Who drives the firetruck?

  • Where do you see the car?

  • Where do you see a pig?

    • Tip: If a child is unable to answer the question, give them 2 options. Examples: Where do you see a pig? At the farm or the jungle?

• PINEAPPLE TOY
  Work on body parts and what we do with each body part:

  • Eyes are for seeing

  • Hands are for touching or hugs

  • Ears are for hearing

  • Nose is for smelling

  • Can also work on emotions (Angry: What could make you angry? Happy: What makes you happy?)

    • Tip: Modeling speech and language for your child is how they will be exposed to learning these concepts quicker. Biggest rule of thumb, model!