FOX6 Milwaukee 8-17-17
Back to School for Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers
Sherry Artemenko, Speech Language Pathologist and Toy Expert is here to share super fun toys and games for babies, toddlers and preschoolers to build language skills, preparing them for future learning.
Today I am featuring some of the PAL Award’s latest winners that spark great fun and can start building the foundation for a successful school experience.
Scoop & Learn Ice Cream Cart by Leap Frog, 2 and up, ($39.99)
- Who doesn’t like ice cream? cute cart, great pretend play, learning
- Put instruction cards in cash register,
- Listening and following directions in sequence, important skill for classroom
- Tells you what flavor to get with your magic scoop, topping
- Order ready, hit the bell, take payment
- Playful phrases teach flavors, toppings, numbers, colors and counting
- Roll cart to the next customers
Available at Target. Click here
Farmer’s Market Playtime by Seedling, 2-4 yrs, ($24.99)
- Seedling Littles for kids 2 and up
- Like when creative play can be on the move
- Grab tote of veggies, set up your market–tomatoes, strawberries, carrots
- Little friend held tight to her money, lent me some to buy her $52.00 carrots!
- Imitating everyday experiences-set up shop, arrange the stand, selling, negotiating money, talking about food preparation
Available at Seedling. Click here
Bigjigs Toys Kelly Doll, 12 months+, ($24.95) 
- spunky little doll with pigtails, yarn hair and sweet smile.
- perfect for toddlers ready for pretend play around 12 months
- Can imitate daily activities and role play with doll, building language–dressing, eating, playing, sleeping, trip to the doctor
Alex World Map in the Tub, 3+ ($16.00)
- Kids love Alex’s bathtub toys, pieces float and stick to the side of the tub
- Fit together 30 pieces of puzzle with continents, oceans, animals, famous landmarks–Sydney Opera House, Pyramids etc
- Learn words associated with places that are illustrated
Available at Amazon. Click here
Lil’ Critters Huggable Hippo Teether by VTech, Birth+, ($9.99)
- Makes me smile
- Nice size and weight for babies to grab, cuddle and teethe or chat
- Different colors, textures, slippery crinkly hands–parents to describe to build
language - Big smiley face invites conversation, babies talk more to faces
- 30 songs, sounds and rhymes when you push the heart button
- Great for tummy time when baby gets bored, easy take-along toy
- Babies are decoding sounds in strings of meaningful language
Available at Amazon. Click here
Soggy Doggy by Spin Master, 4+, ($19.99)
- Hilarious splishy splashy game
- Roll the dice and move to the matching colored space
- Perform a task with either the paw or bone dial–give shower or advance dial toward a shaking dog
- Sends you back to start
- Matching colors, counting, following directions and social language
Available at Target. Click here
Doll Family Mansion by Hape, 3+, ($199.99)
- Don’t know about you but I loved playing with my Mom’s dollhouse
- 7 rooms of fun, 2 patios, retractable garden, working lights and doorbell
- Little friends 7-9 dove right in arranging 28 accessories, role play
- Awning became star gazing spot with bed, Dad grilled kabobs
- So many accessories matching themed rooms, outdoor spaces->creative threads in the story, building language skills
- Big for several kids to play collaboratively, spinning a story
- Car sold separately
Available at Hape. Click here
