Holiday Toy Gift Guide - For Toddlers
- themiamislp
- Nov 10, 2024
- 3 min read
Hey there, Mama!
Shopping for toys can feel overwhelming, right? With so many options out there, it’s hard to know what’s worth it and what will actually support your little one’s growth. If you’re hoping to choose toys that don’t just fill up the toy box but also help your toddler learn and communicate, you’re in the right place! I’ve rounded up some favorite toys that aren’t just fun—they’re fantastic for building language skills. Let’s get intentional about those toy purchases and make playtime work for you both!
These toys encourage everything from naming and identifying objects to imaginative play and turn-taking—skills that are all building blocks for strong language development. Whether you're on the hunt for holiday gifts or just want to add a few purposeful items to your toddler’s collection, I’ll walk you through options that make playtime both meaningful and engaging. Get ready to see how simple tweaks in toy choices can make a big impact on your child’s communication skills. Let’s dive in and find some toys that both you and your little one will love!
Simply click on the name of the item you want to purchase and you'll be directed to Amazon!
For Melissa and Doug Lovers:
Encourage Pretend Play and Conversation: Use the Melissa and Doug cake set to spark pretend play by creating scenarios where your toddler "bakes" and serves cake to family members or stuffed animals.
Enhance Understanding of Actions: Your toddler will begin to better understand action words like, eating, cutting, blowing, and cleaning.
Book Buddies: What a great way to make story time even more enjoyable! You or your little one can use a hand puppet to either read the story to or to act out what's taking place.
Promote Conversational Skills: Use the puppets to model back-and-forth conversations. You can have the puppets "talk" to each other, asking simple questions like, "What’s your favorite color?" or "Can you help me find my shoes?" This encourages your toddler to engage in dialogue, helping them practice taking turns in conversation and using full sentences.
Boost Vocabulary: Books (especially this one) are such a great way to boost your toddler's vocabulary. You can name the different things you see and describe the actions taking place. The Poke-A-Dot book is also a fun way for kids to work on using their index finger which is important for pointing.
Expand Vocabulary and Animal Sounds: Animal magnets are a fun way to introduce your toddler to new animals and their corresponding sounds. As you name each animal, make the sound and encourage your child to repeat after you. This helps build vocabulary and reinforces the connection between words and sounds, while also developing auditory discrimination.
Promote Sorting and Categorization: Use the animal magnets to teach your toddler about different animal groups, like farm animals, jungle animals, or sea creatures. Encourage them to sort the magnets based on categories (e.g., "Let’s put all the farm animals together"). This promotes cognitive skills like categorization and improves their ability to understand concepts and groupings, all while practicing language.
Practice Social and Conversational Skills: Play out different roles with the vet set, such as the vet talking to the pet owner or the toddler playing the role of the vet. This promotes conversational skills like asking questions, offering help, and taking turns in dialogue, which are all essential for developing strong language abilities.
Increase Vocabulary: Have your toddler practice naming the animal they're helping or the body part they're examining. You can even teach your child the name of the different tools they're using, such as, "stethoscope,” “bandage,” or “medicine.”
Boost Number Recognition and Counting: A bowling set provides a great opportunity for your toddler to practice counting as they set up the pins or tally how many they’ve knocked down. You can count together out loud and even introduce concepts like "more" and "less" as they compare their scores. This supports early math skills while reinforcing language related to numbers and counting.
Encourage Functional and Exclamatory Words: As your toddler rolls the ball and interacts with the pins, you can practice functional words like, "again," "more," uh-oh," "yay," "all done," and "help."
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