Speech Therapist's Gift Guide: Toys That Spark Speech in 3-Year-Olds!

3-Year Old'sHolidayGifts
Written By Rachael Nelson

Hey parents and caregivers!

Looking for great toys to make talking super fun for your 3-year-old?

I'm here to help! As a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), I've got awesome toy ideas that make learning words exciting for your little one.

For 3-Year-Olds:

These toys are really cool and can help support kids to talk and understand. While playing, they can learn new words, ask for things, follow instructions, describe things, take turns, and use words in lots of fun activities. I'll mention a few ways to use each toy to help your child learn to talk while they play!

Magnetic Tiles

  1. Where Things Go: Practice putting the tiles “ on top”, “under”, “next to”, and “in-between”.

  2. Asking for Things: Practice having the child ask for tiles, like “May I have the tile?”, or “I want the purple tile".

    Buy Magnetic Tiles

Cutting Fruit

  1. Share and Play Together: Take turns cutting up foods for each other and making a lunch plate.

  2. Listening and Doing: Have the child follow directions, like "Cut the one with black stripes!" It helps them get better at following directions and learn different description words.

    Buy Cutting Fruit Now

Vet Kit

  1. Practice Routines: Practice having the child follow a routine of how to get the dog to the vet.

  2. Have them be the adult: Have the child act as the adult and tell you the steps of how to get the dog to the vet. If the use incorrect grammar in a sentence, repeat their sentence using the correct grammar pattern back to them and complete the task.

Tunnel

  1. Listening and Doing: Have the child follow longer step directions by using it in an obstacle course, like "Go in the tunnel, get the ball, and bring it to me!" It helps them get better at understanding and following directions.

  2. Learn New Words: Teach new words, like actions, nouns, etc. Have them play coach and let them come up with directions for you to follow. They can be 1-step or 2-step directions.

Buy Tunnel Now

These gifts are fun and be used in so many ways to support language!

Check out our gift ideas for 1-year-olds at Toys that Spark Speech: Enhancing Language Skills in 1-Year-Olds!.

Check out our gift ideas for 2-year-olds at Toys that Spark Speech: Enhancing Language Skills in 2-Year-Olds!.

Rachael Nelson

I am a Speech-Language Pathologist, whose mission is to help children find their voice and empower them to communicate through positive, family-centered, and evidence-based therapeutic intervention. Message me or call me for more details.

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