Using Your Christmas Tree To Learn

by SAMANTHA RIVERA, MS CCC-SLP

Wow, we can’t believe it’s December already! 

If you’ve been in the office, you’ve surely seen our wonderful Christmas Tree. But did you notice something special about it?  If you look closely, you'll notice that there are two of every ornament on the tree!  So, while you’re waiting in the office before your session time, you can use this opportunity talk with your child and develop language skills by finding matches on the tree.  There are several ways to facilitate language using our tree; talk about one match being ‘up high’, or suggest looking ‘below the hat,’ for the match you’re seeking. You can talk about the colors and increase your child’s sentence length, i.e. ‘I see a red and white striped hat’. Use your imagination and have fun with it!

Our tree is just one of many ways to encourage language over the holiday seasons. You can discuss the lights on the trees and houses, or talk about colors, shapes, and favorites while you’re in the kitchen baking cookies.  But, have you stopped and considered the toys that you give for holiday gifts and how they can increase language and speech skills?   Here are a few ideas of what to consider of when selecting presents that can encourage language development:

Select a Toy That Does More Than One Thing:

A toy that lights up is bound to get boring over time.  Consider toys that can be used in multiple ways, for example stacking toys.  They can not only be stacked, but also filled with other toys, and then dumped out.  They can be knocked over or used to build a house.  Magna-tiles are also great for older kids, they can choose to follow the patterns or build their own.  There’s a lot of ways to encourage language with these toys as well.  Pieces can go on top, or in the box.  It’s great for both using language and following directions.

 

Toys that increase socialization and pretend play

Toys such as large dollhouses or kitchen sets are great toys to encourage pretend play and social skills. These items enhance imaginative skills and help develop sequential thinking. Dollhouses are especially useful for this. You can sit with your child and talk about what the people are doing inside, for example, “let’s go night, night”, or even ask questions such as ‘who’s in the kitchen?’. With pretend food you can talk about what you are cooking or mixing in a bowl. You can even use food for following directions or pretending to run a restaurant!

Toys that encourage asking for help

Think of toys that children may need to ask for help with, such as wind-up toys or challenging puzzles. These will prompt asking questions and seeking others input; encouraging children to request “help me” or “I need help”.

Think of non-tech toys

While it can sometimes be difficult in this day and age to find toys that are not electronic, non-tech toys can be useful tools in helping foster language development. For older children fill stockings with madlibs, word finds, or crossword puzzles to encourage vocabulary and reading skills. As mentioned before, puzzles and blocks are great options for younger children. Even bikes, trikes and scooters can help language development. Talk about the sights you see along the way, or what you hear or smell.

Activities Families Can Do Together

Toys such as board games, building sets, and science kits are not only fun activities to do together as a family, they also encourage problem solving skills and language as you are working together to complete a task. Some simple examples are making your own slime or making your own pretend snow (Learn how).

We here at Cobblestone Speech Language and Learning want to wish all of you a joyous and Happy Holiday Season!