Maybe you are a parent like me: making a list, checking it
twice, and slowly purchasing your holiday gifts each pay. Maybe you’re like my
dad and do all of your holiday shopping on Christmas Eve at 8 PM. However you
purchase holiday gifts, sometimes we all need a little inspiration.
From following some wonderful accounts on social media, like
the speech-pathologist ran @learnwithless on Instagram or @theminimalists
across various media platforms (podcasts, YouTube, Instagram), I have adopted a
“less is more” approach to Christmas this year. I like the saying, “Something
they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read” as a
jumping off point to my holiday gifts for my own children. You as a parent to
kiddos coming to speech, however, may be interested in gifts that can help with
your child’s communication goals.
Fear not: we have created this handy 2019 gift guide 😊
We tried to curate “out of the box” gifts that will still
bring value to your child’s life, are interesting, and help with learning. We
have broken it into toys, games, books, and apps. We tried to go beyond the
barn toy, building blocks, playdough and bubbles (which are all essentials in
my opinion) and give you great ideas. However, don’t ever feel like you need to
purchase out of your budget. There is no “magic toy” and second-hand is always
an option.
Without further ado, we present:
The Speech and
Language Holiday Gift Guide
Toys
Wooden Puzzles
For the under 4 crowd, many parents buy their children
letter and number puzzles to help jump start learning of these important
preschool concepts. That is wonderful, but I also challenge you to think about
activities that are highly motivating for your child. Animals, vehicles, food,
baby items are all great examples that will motivate your child to handle and manipulate
these puzzles independently. You can name items, describe them, talk about
colors, count them, etc. I specifically recommend wooden puzzles because there
is some weight to them and little ones (or bigger kids with fine motor issues)
will find them easier to grasp, feel in their hands, and manipulate.
My kids got this for Christmas last year and, boy, do they
love it! Play skills are just life skills in disguise. This is why I think food
toys are a must in every house. If you already have a toy kitchen, don’t have
room for one, can’t afford one, or just plain don’t want a toy kitchen in your
house, then this toy is it. You can work on language concepts, following
directions, social skills in “ordering” a drink, and discuss healthy food
choices all while playing!
We have had so many parents ask about the pirate ship toy we use here at the office. Ours is vintage, but here is the most recent version on the market. Kids love this toy and it is great for working on action words, pretend play, and if your kid is working on the /sh/ sound, a MUST! (ship, ocean, fish, etc.)
If your child wants to help in the kitchen but you just
don’t trust their ability to handle knives safely, consider getting some nylon
knives. Perfectly safe yet still good for preparing food, it will allow a whole
new set of vocabulary, directions, descriptions and quality time with you in
the kitchen!
One of our therapists, Kelly, who works mainly in the school
setting, was recently talking about how the OT at her school explained how
pouring motions are the best thing for children to do for motor skills. This
can be as easy as throwing some measuring cups in the bathtub, but let me
recommend this as a FUN Christmas present idea. This is made of a non-toxic
polymer, or plastic, that expands with a little water and is responsible for
HOURS of fun. Make the snow in a plastic bin, add some cups and toys, and have
a fun sensory play experience with your child. Bonus points for finding toys
with your child’s articulation goals!
Vanity/Craft Station
Some examples here, here, and here; the last one is the one my daughter has in her room-look at that price! We also got a
toy vanity secondhand)
I model a lot of my personal parenting style on the
Montessori method. I could write a whole article on that alone and how I use it
in my speech therapy practice, but one of the key ideas is teaching children
self-care and responsibility. By having a place for children to apply their own
toiletries (think chapstick, lotion, washing their face) OR have a piece of
furniture that your child has full reign over and be creative with teaches some
important life skills. You decide what you would like the furniture to function
as in your house. Fair warning that my daughter’s vanity and table are
“decorated” with crayon. BUT, by allowing her to have complete autonomy with these
pieces of furniture, she doesn’t do it with anything else!
Games
Last summer, my intern asked if I could get this for the
office and I am so happy he did! This game has it all: bright colors, number
identification, easy directions, and it’s fun! A great parenting hack: put the
dice in a small, clear condiment plastic container (as seen here) and just
shake instead of rolling (and more-than-likely losing the dice). You’re
welcome.
I recently told my husband that if I could only do speech
therapy with 10 items for the rest of my life, I would pick markers and paper,
a few books, and this game. The rules of the game are crazy simple and it’s so
fun! I play with teenagers who have enjoyed it and even my 2 year old
understands it. I have worked on grammar by making up a sentence about each
animal, articulation (as each animal also has a name), descriptions of the
animal, expressive language by describing the game-play, social skills, and
much more. Trust me, this one is great.
This game forces kids to use their tactile senses and
describe items. It also has that gross-factor which kids LOVE. You stick your
hand in Ned’s nose, ears, mouth, and guess what you’re touching my describing
it. Trust me, your kids won’t get sick of this one.
Books
Buddy Bear and Becca Bunny Books
This is specifically a speech-therapy material, which is why
they are priced the way they are. But kids love these vinyl, re-usable sticker
books that work on concepts like answering questions, associations, categories,
concepts, and opposites. If you see a listing that specifically says they are
for autism, do not fear: they are for all kiddos! (probably for the 2-5 crowd)
Another reusable vinyl sticker book, all about putting
band-aids on boo-boos. It’s a repeating story, so the children will hear the
same language with only one aspect changing. They have to match the animal to
the bandaid. You can talk about the social language on what to do if you get
hurt.
I love everything written by Mo Willems and all of the
Pigeon books. If you are not familiar though, I like this one as an
introduction. The Pigeon is an animal personification of a toddler: big
emotions, stubborn, but learning that people are asking things of him for a
reason. Put on your acting hat and read this with BIG emotions- your child will
definitely relate. Great for social language.
Apps
ANYTHING By Toca Boca!
These apps are free! And interesting! And wide-reaching in
topics! And available for both iOS and Android! And cute! And colorful! And you
can play with them before your kids to determine which will get their interest
the most…fair warning: you will end up playing them too. Some of my personal
favorites: Toca Hair Salon (1, 2, and 3 AND Christmas), Toca Kitchen Monsters, Toca
Pet Doctor, and Toca Doctor.
HearBuilder-Home Program, 1 year subscription ($99)
This one is an investment. But if your child struggles with
auditory processing (following directions, phonological awareness, auditory
memory, and/or sequencing), then this is a perfect program. They have a lite
version to see if you and your child like the way it is set up and the fun
games after each quick lesson. It systematically increases the difficulty as
simpler tasks are mastered. Check out the website above for more information.
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