Unlock the Power of Puzzles for Your Child’s Development!
Puzzles may seem like just a simple toy that your kids play with for a few minutes in a waiting room (and let's face it, they always end up missing a piece!). BUT fear not! Puzzles can be so much more than that for your little ones! 🌟
SLP Tip:
Transform Puzzles into a Fun Learning Experience!
Puzzles can be used in endless ways, especially when combined with other toys you already have. Think nesting blocks, bubbles, and LEGO! While you’re helping your child learn important concepts like shapes, colors, numbers, or animal noises, you can turn it into a playful adventure.
Hide and Seek with Puzzle Pieces: Hide puzzle pieces around the room and challenge your child to find them! You can even blow bubbles on the pieces they call out—talk about fun and learning combined! 🐾
Building with LEGO: Create houses or cubbies for your puzzle pieces using LEGO. Engage in pretend play by setting up a “store” where they “buy” the pieces they need. Bonus points for using green LEGO bricks as money and nesting blocks as a cash register! 💰
Language Development Made Easy!
No matter what level your child is at, you can incorporate language learning throughout these activities:
First Words: Start with simple words like “in,” “more,” “me,” “mama,” and “dada.” Don’t forget to practice those adorable animal noises—“moo,” “baa,” “neigh”—and remember to repeat, repeat, REPEAT!
Two-Word Combinations: Encourage phrases like “more please,” “my turn,” and “moo in.”
Longer Phrases: Progress to “I want…,” “I see…,” “I need…,” and “I have…”.
Question Formulation: Foster curiosity with questions like “What is it?” and “Where is ___?”
Concepts: Shapes, Colors, Size, Quantity, Location, you can expand puzzle play in so many ways!
Puzzles are not just a toy; they’re a multi-functional tool that promotes fine motor skills and language development. So dive into the world of puzzles and watch your child thrive! 🧩✨
Tools For Better Speech
Click the pictures for a link to the toys that inspired this blog and my daily therapy!
<3
Sara
P.S. Just wanted to take a moment to express our appreciation for Melissa and Doug toys for being on the same wavelength as Little Speech House! 💖
Their amazing toys are a staple for our practice! They inspire creativity and support language development in our little ones, making playtime both fun and educational! 🎉
We love using brands that prioritize early childhood development in our pediatric speech therapy. Melissa and Doug toys help Little Speech House create engaging experiences that foster language skills, fine motor skills, and imaginative play! Thank you for helping our children grow and shining! ✨
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