🌟 The Magic of Balls: Playtime Essentials! 🌟
What is it about those spherical wonders that captivates our little ones? If you’re anything like us, your home probably boasts a ball bin filled with all kinds of balls—varying sizes, colors, textures, and bounciness! 🏀⚽️ You might even have special inside and outside balls. And let’s be honest, you might think you have enough, but then you stroll into the grocery store and bam—the ball cage catches your child's eye, and suddenly, all bets are off! (I wish I could say I was stronger!) 😂
Well, I’m here to share some fun tricks on how to make the most of these awesome toys beyond just “Dodge, duck, dip, dive, and... dodge!” 🎉
SLP Tip:
Engaging Ball Play!
For 12-24 Month Olds: Sit with your legs wide and roll the ball back and forth with your little one. This not only works on those important PT/OT skills but also fosters joint attention, eye contact, and turn-taking! 🌈 First words are always welcome! Try out “ball,” “me,” “mama,” “dada,” “go,” and “more.”
For 18-30 Month Olds: As your child becomes more stable, turn it into a bouncing and catching game! Increase the language complexity with two- and three-word combinations like “ball up/down,” “go mama,” and “me do.” 🥳
For Older Kids: Transform your ball into a bowling ball and knock down plastic cups, nesting blocks, or LEGO stacks! Use an empty toy basket or bin as a "hoop". (Check out our other related posts for more language ideas!) 🎳
As your children grow, balls become the center of many sports—soccer, basketball, football, and baseball (go sports!). These activities not only encourage physical skills but also enhance expressive and receptive language as well as social skills. Remember, these skills develop over time through interactive play!
So, let’s put the screens down, pick up a ball, and go play! Your child’s development is just a bounce away! 💖🏃♂️
Tools For Better Speech
Click the pictures for a link to the toys that inspired this blog and my daily therapy!
<3
Sara
For more tips on using play for speech and language development, don’t forget to check out our other blog posts and linked resources!
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