It’s hard to find toys for one to one and a half year-olds that keep their interest and teach them something too! Your chicks will find this hen and her babies a fascinating delight as they pull mama, “Henrietta,” along by the string and watch her lay her eggs along the way.
This first pull along toy makes realistic noises as she ventures out with her babies or you press the comb on the top of her head. Kids are surprised when Henrietta’s three chicks drop out the back, one by one, as she is pulled along. Little one year-old Celeste kept saying, “Oh no!” every time a chick came out. Then she stopped to examine the hen and tried to figure out where the chick came from. Toddlers pause to figure out the cause-effect of this toy, as they experiment by putting the chicks in the mom and watching them roll out.
Any toy that stops a toddler in her tracks must be special.
The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. “Henrietta the Pull along Hen” was provided for review by International Playthings.
Toddlers can scoop up all the essentials, including the baby doll, put them in the soft, cloth bag and be ready for take-along play.
A great introduction to pretend play that follows a child’s experience, this first baby doll comes with the props to take a baby through her day. Little ones can feed their baby, offer a consoling teddy bear, pull a wipe out of the box and change her diaper, put her bib on for a meal, feed her a bottle and tuck her in to bed with a satin blanket that doubles as a changing pad.
As you play alongside your child, narrate the steps she is taking with her baby, giving her the language that goes along with her play. “Good job wiping baby’s bottom so you can put on a fresh diaper!” Follow her lead and describe the care she gives her new little one.
The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the author. “My First Baby Doll” was provided for review by International Playthings.
The toddler-preschool set is delighted to be able to participate in pretend play with Playmobil, just like their big brothers and sisters. Thanks to playmobil 123, the little ones have their own vehicles, people and animals to ride, feed and visit. Take a trip to the large zoo with double fence enclosures to keep the zoo and farm animals contained. Designed for kids 1 1/2 and older, everything stands up and stays put–from fences to people–to eliminate little ones’ frustration and keep the story building. The zoo animals (zebra, giraffe, elephant and monkey) and farm friends (horse, sheep, donkey and bunny) have smooth chunky, realistic bodies for toddler hands to manipulate. Adding flexible items for storytelling like grass and flowers for feeding, drinking troughs, a tractor to pull a detachable wagon, a park bench for resting, trees for climbing and a tunnel to drive through or perch on top, this set has all the components for beginning imaginary play. Kids loved the tunnel, riding through it, and were able to easily manipulate the one-step figures who can stand or sit with one bend of their bodies. The zoo set sparked creative play that only a toddler could conjure up. Figures stood on the flat tree branches, rode in the wagon and slid down the sides of the tunnel. That’s the best endorsement for a toy–that kids invent and play differently with it each time!
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. “Playmobil Large Zoo” was provided for review by Playmobil.
Grab on to this ball of fun and discover the animals nestled in their dens. Each of the six animals–crinkle pig, squeaky chick or smiling lion–can be pulled out of hiding on their stretchy strings, only to snap back inside for a rest. Kids love to use this toy as a ball or lesson in discovery. Toddlers enjoy the element of surprise as a new friend peeks out of his crevice to be touched, adored or tasted. With younger babies, not yet adept at manipulating the animals, parents can take the opportunity to show and describe the “spotted pink pig with the fuzzy nose,” “the squeaky, red chick with the blue beak,” or “nibble on the soft green leaf,” to fill their child with enriching language linked to their experience. Later, your child will be the operator of the animal den, when her little hand can grab the animals and play peek-a-boo.
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. “Animal Den” was provided for review by HABA toys.
Alex toys is pretty new at baby toddler toys, introducing Alex Jr. in 2008, but they have positioned themselves as a leader in launching innovative infant toys, in a market that seems flooded with just one more stacking toy.
“Hug-a-Puzzle” is just that–a soft puzzle in the form of a dog, kitty, bus or pig. The plush velour doggy is just firm and slim enough for a one-year-old’s hands to grab and give to someone or squeeze with a hug. Little ones were drawn to the simple face and pointed out the nose while younger kids enjoyed a munch on the ears and tail. Even I was amazed that a one-year-old could pull the pieces apart and then hand them back to me to start the game over again. “Hug-a-Puzzle” became a buddy and a game all in one.
Talk about body parts and point them out, describe the textures and colors, count the three puzzle pieces, as well as name opposites–off/on and in/out, as you use rich language to describe pulling, pushing and sliding. In talking about what your child is doing, you are teaching him language that prepares him to talk.
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. “Hug-a-Puzzle” was provided for review by Alex toys.
I never thought packing the car was particularly fun until I watched a one-year-old happily stuff the picnic basket, hat, ball, umbrella and suitcases into the trunk of this squishy, plump car. Eight soft, crinkly pictures to pack delighted toddlers as they smashed the items into the little hand-sized compartment in the back of the car, shut the door and secured the silver tab to keep their prized possessions safe. As only toddlers know, it is just as much fun to take everything out as it is to put it in. Take a peak at yourself in the back mirror, open the hatch and start all over. Easily grabbable, this cushy car feels like a pillow and gets grabbed as a rattle too.
Language building begins as you follow your child’s lead as they hand you the items or start to load them in the car. Name them, talk about their shapes, colors and what we do with them–”The goggles, we need them to see underwater.” “The picnic basket, that’s where we load our food for lunch.” Use rich vocabulary to build your child’s word base and strengthen language skills. During the first year and a half is when parents can build their child’s receptive language (understanding) in preparation for their saying words and little sentences at two years of age.
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. “Bon Voyage” was provided for review by Alex toys.
Babies loved this dynamic little toy on a ring, made with Haba’s signature bright colors and natural wood. A six-month-old stared with fascination as he twisted the house, tree, mushroom and little person, as they bounced back into position. After exploring, a little tasting took place too with this teether. Shaking the ring to activate the rattle, a one-year-old turned it into a game to get a response from Mom. She explored the ring with her tiny fingers, and bent the objects to see the changing fronts and backs–pink doors become shiny circles and a smooth surface becomes a bumpy bell. Parents commented that this clutching toy was the perfect size, just light enough for kids to manipulate and learn from it. Small enough to pop in Mom’s pocket for outings, this toy is a great entertainer for babies and toddlers.
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. “Pixie Clutching Toy” was provided for review by HABA toys.
A perfect first friend, Dolly features wild, stringy, soft pigtails, long fuzzy legs with pink, shiny satin shoes, and a cheerful face for baby to explore. Her hair, hands and legs are easy to grasp for little ones looking to teethe on something or just hold and shake. Rattle her body or squeeze Dolly’s legs to get a squeak–giving multiple sensory experiences. Pop her heart out of the pocket or hide it for a peek-a-boo game. The little ring on her back insure an easy clip on ride in the stroller or car seat. Be sure to talk to Dolly or describe her features to build your baby’s language skills.
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. “Squeaky Legs Dolly” was provided for review by International Playthings.
Let’s face it. Kids love construction trucks–they’re attracted to dirt and earth moving vehicles of all sizes. I wanted to share some of my favorite construction toys with you if you are looking for good, flexible, fun toys to set up a scenario to encourage language development. Therapists can use these toys to build language lessons as children are interested in this theme.
I recently discovered “WOW” toys and their set of construction vehicles. Durable for hard kids’ play, and running on kid power–no batteries– these vehicles have people to get the action going. Designed for the toddler set and up, little ones just push to get these trucks going. The newest addition to their fleet, “Mix ‘n’ Fix Mike,” is the cement truck whose friction motor rotates the cement drum, complete with swirly cement design and added realistic sounds. A detachable barrier can keep the construction spot safe or be stored on the back of the truck. “Dexter the Digger” and “Dudley Dump Truck” add to the building adventure with digging and dumping action.
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. “Mix ‘n’ Mike” was provided for review by Ravensberger toys.
Tummy time takes on new meaning with this ultra soft, fuzzy circle of friends. Even a fussy baby can be distracted with the pop-up ladybug mirror surrounded by baby’s beloved tags. Start in the middle with a sky filled with a smiley moon, cloud, star and sun whose rays are non other than taggies. Let your baby go head to head with the crinkly cow, squeaking pig, or musical lamb. Each animal has taggie limbs, sweet faces and multiple textures and sounds to engage your child. Describe what your baby is looking at to get the full impact of language building input. Two padded handles make this blanket easily portable for parents whose arms are already full.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. “Taggies Activity Quilt” was provided for review by International Playthings.
