Spring break and I headed to the North Carolina beach. After spending the last few months analyzing the new toys from the International Toy Fair 2010, I sort of forgot what kids naturally invent at the beach.
It began with Will thrilled with an ant crawling from armpit to armpit. Ben chased hermit crabs until they disappeared into a hole. We gathered up shells with just the right sized opening to string onto a stick for our “jingle sticks.” What started out as digging for buried treasure, soon turned into making a huge hole to hide in with Daddy. Let’s not forget the pure fun of racing into the waves, giggling and running back, even if the water was freezing according to us adults.
Next week I will be attending Time to Play Magazine’s Spring Showcase in New York City where they kick off the warm weather season announcing the hottest toys for outdoor play.
Maybe right now I will be happy just letting the warm sand sift through my fingers and call it play.
I’m a fan of “Snappy Books” because I like the big bold drawings, pop-ups and rhymes. In their newest addition, Snappy Builder Noah’s Ark, your little one, 3 years old and up, can hear the story and then make her own ark, complete with animals. The story moves from Noah drawing his plans for the ark, through Mrs.Noah checking in the animals, two by two, the rain falling for forty days and forty nights, Noah sending out the dove in search of land, to the promise of the rainbow.
I read the story with my 3 year-old friend who then proceeded to punch out the thick cardboard pieces. We gathered the animals first who had clever printed fronts and backs, and then began assembling the ark. With clearly illustrated instructions, kids can be the leader, as they put the boat together piece by piece. Lots of slots are provided on the ark floor to insert animals around the cabin and change the scene.
Proud of his finished project, my little friend started to sail the ark and brought in a favorite pirate ship to add to the action. 3-D interaction reinforces the story and gives kids a launching point for adding to the story. Noah can go in the cabin to sleep, other animals from play might join him or boats sharing the sea can come along side the ark. Pretend play has begun.
The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. “Snappy Builder Noah’s Ark” was provided for review by Silver Dolphin Books.
Summer vacation never looked so good. Load your family of four into their SUV, hook up the boat trailer, pack a picnic and grab the sand toys. This new Playmobil adventure set highlights the company’s incredible engineering and attention to detail in their props for pretend play.
When you arrive at the beach, unwind the winch and watch the speed boat lowered off the trailer to launch into the water. Mindful of engaging accessories, the creators have provided life jackets, flip flops, hats and sunscreen for the kids, as well as a bucket, sand screener, pitcher, shovel, rake and sailboat for play. Mom and Dad have a roller suitcase to hold their belongings as well as a duffel bag. Cups and a picnic basket transport lunch on the boat. After a day on the water, just hook up the boat and watch it slide back onto the trailer.
The fun in the sun theme appeals to both girls and boys who played with this set. With each added accessory, a child’s pretend play was extended–a water bottle for a drink, a suitcase to plan packing for a trip, cups to create a meal, sand toys to cast in the beach, and a dog to add to the mix. Kids invented rich stories with these props, and were mesmerized with each new action or participant.
We floated our boat in the water but my next move is to get the Playmobil motor to attach to the boat so we can take our story on the water.
Sherry Artemenko, MA-CCC, is a speech-language pathologist with more than 35 years experience and founder of Playonwords.com. The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. “Family Van with Boat and Trialer” was provided for review by Playmobil.
Now that temperatures in the northeast have gone from the 50’s to the 70’s in one week, it is time to take speech therapy outside–spring is here!
This week I commented to a mom that it was so sunny on her front steps. She asked if I would like to work with James outside. Sure. We read our books, played with our props and then he took off playing hide and seek with his crocodile, asking me to count with my turtle. (We are working on pragmatic language skills through play). After hide and seek, I suggested we take our animals on a trip. We looked for a fitting airplane among the sticks and yard debris and came up with a hollowed out branch. I couldn’t have done better at the toy store. I asked him where he was going and he replied that he was going south. We chose Florida. We flew into the back yard, planning our trip as we approached his swing set. A bit ditracted, he set down “the plane” and started to swing. I said, “Wait a minute, what about the animals?” He cleverly referred to where he had ditched the animals and replied, “That’s their swinging place!”
The outdoors is a great backdrop for pretend play. Leaves can become boats, sticks can become airplanes and grass can be seaweed if you are in the ocean. Take advantage of props from outside and bring them into the therapy room if you can’t take your students outside. Fortunately, I deliver services at the child’s home, so I can utilize the great outdoors.
How do you use the outside as a backdrop for therapy? Let me know through the comments below.
Truth be told, there is only one honest player at a time in this zany game of pretend to know your friends. Designed for kids to adults, beginning at age 12, “Truth Be Told,” is fun and insightful as players try to bluff their counterparts in answering questions.
Walking by Buffalo Games at the International Toy Fair, I was recruited to join a game of “Truth Be Told.” I was easily convinced since I am a fan of Buffalo Games, having used “The Last Word” with lots of children to build their vocabulary and categorization skills. Back home, I brought it out for some adult fun, gathering family who thought they knew each other. The appointed Host for the round chose a card and read the phrase to be completed such as “I procrastinate when it comes to_______.” The Host secretly wrote the true answer on her card, while other players wrote their bluffs and passed the cards in to be read by the Host. Some of our entries were, “everything”, “homework” and “vacuuming.” The giggles began as players enjoyed their entries, some with a shred of truth and some completely silly. After the Host read the answers, players voted for the true answer on their paddles. Flipping their paddles over, everyone revealed their guess. The Host read the truth and players received points for guessing the truth or fluffing their friends. Our rounds were the funniest when the question closely matched the Host, such as Lauren, a saver, getting “I own five of______” as we’ve all participated in trying to get her to throw anything away.
We agreed that writing on erasable paddles and cards made us feel like we were game show contestants! The best endorsement is that when we finally had a winner with 15 points, another player said, “Are we done? I’m not done. I wanna play more.”
Lots of language is embedded in this game of bluff. Using the game with older children, they have to complete a sentence and give an answer that is credible and related to the player. When playing with children who are building their social language skills, you might read the question and then discuss the Host and their likes and dislikes so the other players can more easily come up with an answer. Or, relate the question to themselves such as “I think I would get the award for “The World’s Best________.” Using the cards informally and modifying the game can be helpful to kids who need more help brainstorming answers to these kinds of questions.
Sherry Artemenko, MA-CCC, is a speech-language pathologist with more than 35 years experience and founder of Playonwords.com. The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. “Truth Be Told” was provided for review by Buffalo Games.
A good language enhancing toy will spark a child’s imaginative play. It is a delight to watch them build on their story as they take a prop and change the action, surroundings and storyline.
Yesterday, I made a “Silly Roller” critter with my little four year-old friend, Duncan. Choosing from the three roller options–a pineapple, ladybug or elephant, Duncan chose the pineapple car to make, complete with a banana for headlights, grapes for the exhaust, a pear man to drive and a blueberry girl as passenger. The double-sided cardboard shape, made by Alex Toys, came with lots of stickers and punch-outs to assemble the car, as well as a set of wheels to pop on the completed vehicle. Assembling the car was just the beginning of the language fun. Talking about where the pieces go, what their function was and asking for the next piece spurred on 
conversation. When Duncan’s pineapple car was complete, I sat back and watched him enter a land of imagination for an hour.
He stepped outside and sat down with his car. He rolled it across the patio, through puddles to make tracks, down steps to the grass, over sticks, down the slide and past a rock. Grabbing a piece of blue chalk, he started drawing a line on the big rock, declaring it a road for the pineapple car which then navigated the craggy rock. Back down the rock, the pineapple car rolled across the lawn to more puddles.
When it was time for me to leave, Duncan was asking for the glue so he could add some small sticks to decorate his pineapple car. More ideas–more action to come.
Mix a little art and creativity and you’ve got a great language learning and 
play day.
The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. “Silly Rollers” were provided for review by Alex Toys.
When visiting the International Toy Fair, I was attracted to simple but effective dolls for promoting healthy pretend play. I saw my share of dolls who cry, whine, eat, and make a variety of noises, but my favorites left the fun up to their little owner.
The story behind a great toy is what often fascinates me. Go! Go! Sports Girls dolls was launched when founder and mom, Jodi Norgaard realized she couldn’t find an age-appropriate doll for her 10-year-old daughter that reflected a positive image for young girls, was proportioned properly and sent a message about a healthy lifestyle and giving back to others. So Go! Go! Sports Girls was begun.
Designed to encourage girls to be all they can be–physically, mentally and emotionally–through sports, each doll has “Dream Big” embroidered on her tummy to remind girls to set goals and strive to attain them. An added secret message corresponds to each girl’s sport, as Cassie, the speedy soccer player, has “Score Goals” as her big dream. Her backpack strapped on her back contains a little soccer ball and exercise towel to achieve it.
This multi-cultural gang of healthy girls includes participants in golf, soccer, running, tennis, gymnastics, dance, softball, swimming and basketball. Girls love the zany hair, soft grabbable take along body, huggable friend and backpack of fun. The Go! Go! Girls’ message prompted a discussion with some little girl friends, aged 7-11. What does it mean to dream big? What are your dreams? How are you going to attain them? Little Brooke said, “To make a big goal, like if you shoot a goal with five seconds left and you make it!” “I want to be the best defender.” After reading Cassie’s bio she said, “Speedy, just like me!”
Go! Go! Sports Girls Dolls donates a portion of its profits to Girls, Inc., a national nonprofit organization dedicated to “inspiring all girls to be smart, strong and bold,” teaching our young girls the added message of giving to others to strengthen young women.
What a wonderful companion to a little girl, growing up learning the merit of exercise, generosity and healthy eating and living.
Sherry Artemenko, MA-CCC, is a speech-languge pathologist with more than 35 years experience and founder of Playonwords.com. The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. Go! Go! Sports Girls doll” was provided for review by Dream Big Toy Company. 11-year-old Brooke McKenna, star forward on the Fairfield Black Diamonds, contributed to this review.
I have several early elementary aged boys on my caseload and am always looking for interesting materials to keep them actively involved in the therapy session. Silver Dolphin’s The Field Guide to Dinosaurs fascinated them! One little boy left the room and yelled to his mother, “Mom, you can’t believe how many pieces are in one small book!” He was referring to the 8 dinosaur models made up of 70 pieces that slide together with A-B-C instructions, just waiting to be assembled by kids. Then he looked at me and said, “I can’t wait to show this to my dad.”
Known for their “active” books, the publisher designs books with smaller bits of information and some hands on activity to keep children engaged who might be less inclined to attend to a book. They lend themselves to reinforcing acitivities during a speech therapy session. If a child is practiciing an /r/ sound, read the information about the dinosaur and practice his words while putting together a model. If he is working on languge goals, summarize, predict, write a story about finding the fossils, or develop a paragraph with three supporting details. There are lots of visuals to reinforce learning and get the discussion going.
Written in the form of a journal, as paleontologist Jackson Foster searches from Arizona to Alberta, Canada to uncover fossils from little known dinosaurs, this guide could also serve as inspiration for students who journal their real-life experiences or take on a character and develop events to complete a make believe story.
An added treat is the diorama located at the back of the book which pops out easily to make a backdrop for the dinosaur models.
“The Field Guide to Dinosaurs” was provided by Silver Dolphin. The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author.
I love to see parents evolve into great play partners for their children. Part of the therapy I do with kids is to educate their parents on how to be involved in building their child’s language.
Today I was working with a 2 1/2 year-old who is working on expanding his language and pretend play skills. He really enjoys the Fisher Price Sarah Lynn Camping Adventure–as do most kids so his mom was looking into ordering it. She ran across my review that I had posted on Amazon and was commenting on how helpful it was. I discussed the importance of letting your child be the director of play, while you are the producer. As the parent, you set out inviting toys and props to get your child’s imagination going and prompt a story. This mom said it changed how she played with her child all weekend. She would ask her child, “Where are they going?” or “What should they do now?” as he was moving his little people and vehicles around. When there was a lull in the action, she might give a suggestion, but then hung back again and followed his lead.
Actually it is a lot more fun to sit back and watch your child’s imagination take over. Kids think of things that we don’t. I was just playing with a two year-old with a companion Fisher Price set called the “Fairy Treehouse.” This little girl decided that the fairy should sleep in the barn with the unicorn and share his apples. Then her fairy stood in the trees, supervising the unicorn as he went for a swing. Let your child do the work because that is how she learns.
One of the goals I have for a child I am working with who has autism, is that he tell two things about his school day, when he comes home. We have tried several approaches to help him remember as well as verbalize what he did. Research shows that if you send something concrete home that relates to their day, you are more likely to have him tell about what he did that day–maybe a leaf if they made leaf prints, or a rock if they talked about rocks. I gave that suggestion to the preschool teachers. They also sent notes home about their activities to prompt our discussions. Still, it was very difficult to get him to share his day.
Last week, I was beginning my therapy session when Mom told of a breakthrough. Her son loves sea animals and recently got a stuffed seal from a visit to the aquarium. When he came home from school and re-attached with his seal, Mom asked the seal what he did at school that day. Her son proceeded to tell about several activities from class that morning! In the same way, his pretend play has taken off as he uses a shark or dolphin to act out pretend sequences since that is his preferred toy these days. At times, we have to restrict the use of the shark or dolphin if he is getting too “stuck” on that toy, but there are ways to use his intense interest on a subject to his advantage.
