As pediatric therapists, we know how important it is to foster communication skills in young children, especially late talkers. Here are some exciting and easy-to-do activities that will help build vocabulary, turn-taking, and comprehension while having fun for children 18 months - 4 years old.
1. Reverse Hide & Seek
This twist on classic hide-and-seek gives your little one the chance to hide the toy and tell you where it is, like “under pillow” or “in box.” It’s a great way to practice location words and short phrases, all while taking turns.
2. Build-a-Person Game
Using toys like Mr. Potato Head, a felt board, or printable body parts, let the child “order” parts such as “big eyes” or “red shoes” before you add them to the figure. You can even make silly requests to keep the energy high and ensure laughter-filled play.
3. Balloon Story
Blow up a balloon and let it zoom around the room. Ask the child to describe the action (“balloon go!” or “fast!”) or simply say “again!” to keep the balloon bouncing. This activity builds verbs, exclamations, and encourages repetitive language use.
4. Photo Face Swap
Print out fun photos of animals and family members. Cut and mix the faces and bodies, then prompt the child to say things like “Mama dog!” or “Daddy hat” while they explore the new combinations. This activity encourages labeling and two-word combinations.
5. Treasure Soup
Fill a clear bin with water, ladles, and small themed items like dinosaurs or food. As you “feed” the items into the pot, name them and repeat action words like “stir” and “cook.” This helps develop themed vocabulary and action words.
6. Tiny Town Takeover
Create a simple paper town with roads or tape and provide the child with vehicles. Ask for directions like “go to farm” or “stop at store” to follow two-step directions and learn location phrases.
7. Parachute Peekaboo
No parachute needed! Use a sheet or blanket to hide toys and shake it overhead. Prompt for “up!” and “down!” as you reveal items for labeling. This activity works on early verbs and prepositions in a fun, repetitive way.
8. Sound Effects DJ
Use a soundboard app or programmable buttons for your child to match sounds to playtime actions. Have them choose “moo” for farm play or “vroom” for car play. This builds a sound-meaning link and helps encourage initiation in communication.
9. Dress the Therapist
Provide a bin of hats, scarves, glasses, and other silly props. Let the child direct what you wear next with requests, commands, or labels. This encourages agency in communication and brings lots of joy.
10. Mystery Feely Tunnel
Create a tunnel or box with holes and hide objects inside. Have the child reach in, pull something out, and name or describe it before adding it to a pile. This activity strengthens adjectives, thematic vocabulary, and requesting skills.
These activities are not only fun but are also great for encouraging communication, building vocabulary, and strengthening language skills in late talkers. Let’s make learning an adventure!
