Welcome guest blogger Dana Pacchioli, SLP, owner of Tell Me More Speech Therapy Services PLLC!
Are you ready to PLAY?
It’s no question that play is an essential part of child development. As Mr. Rogers once said, “play is the work of childhood.” Through play, children explore and learn about their world as they are developing their motor, cognitive, and communication skills. When it comes to developing social and communication skills, all toys are not created equal! I have compiled a list of my top 10 toy recommendations for young children that promote optimal play interactions for their development.
| 1. Bubbles | 6. Potato Head |
| 2. Ball Poppers | 7. Puppets, stuffed animals, and baby dolls |
| 3. Car ramp or race track | 8. Windup toys |
| 4. Puzzles with meaningful vocabulary | 9. Blocks |
| 5. Pretend play food | 10. Pop tubes |
A common theme between all of these toys is that no batteries are required! Without extra sounds, lights, and noises, there are more opportunities to develop attention, connection, and pretend play. The more sound and noise a toy makes, the LESS sound and noise a child needs and wants to make. Take those batteries out and let your imagination take over!
Dana Pacchioli is the owner and operator of Tell Me More – Speech Therapy Services, PLLC. She is a licensed speech-language pathologist in the states of North Carolina and Massachusetts. Dana is also a certified member of the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). Dana serves families and clients with a variety of communication needs, including developmental delays, receptive/expressive language delays, speech sound disorders (including phonological impairments and articulation deficits), social language delays, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and fluency disorders/stuttering. She has a passion for working with pediatrics and believes that the best therapy is provided when a trusting relationship is built and a child is eagerly engaged. Dana prioritizes family-centered, functional therapy to accomplish meaningful goals.
For more information, please visit tellmemorespeechtherapy.com or send an email to dana@tellmemorespeechtherapy.com