Five Top Toys to Support Your Child’s Talking
By Lucy Creed, Speech & Language Therapist.
When it comes to boosting pre-school and primary aged 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 – with ideas you can start using today.
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, 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 — even a 2-second pause encourages children to vocalise or gesture.
5. Dobble
Why it’s brilliant:
This fast-paced matching game is fantastic for vocabulary, attention, visual scanning, and social communication. It’s suitable for both preschool and primary-age children.
Supports:
- Word finding
- Describing
- Comparing and matching
- Social skills (waiting, winning/losing, turn-taking)
How to use it:
Slow the game down with beginners. Ask: “What can you see?” “Tell me something about it.” Use it for describing games: colour, size, category, or ‘what else lives on a farm?’
Want more ideas like these? Inside the Sprinkle of SALT Parent Hub parents get:
- Practical, bite-sized videos showing how to use toys like these
- Step-by-step language strategies
- A supportive community of SEND parents
- Direct guidance from speech and language professionals
It’s a space where early communication support becomes simple, doable, and fun.
If you’d like help boosting your child’s speech and language – you’re more than welcome inside. www.sprinkleofsaltspeechandlanguagetherapy.com
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Please note that Raring2go! has no affiliation with the toys pictured in this article.
