When choosing toys to build a toddler’s speech and language skills, try to find toys that are more traditional (avoid toys with batteries and sound effects). Some of Mosaic’s favourite toys for toddlers include:

Toys that build functional play skills (play where a toy is used for its intended purpose) such as:

• Toy cars

• Blocks

• Ball

Toys that build pretend play skills such as:

• Doctor’s set

• Doll

• Toy food and dishes

Toys that can be used to model fun sounds and early vocabulary such as:

• Toy barn and animals

• Mr. Potato Head

Toys to continue building pretend play skills such as:

• Toy food

• Doctor’s set

• Tool set

• Doll house

• Tea set

• Materials to set up a toy store (e.g., toy cash register, play money)

• Dress up toys/costumes

Games to practice turn taking:

• Educational Insights The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game

• Peaceable Kingdom Dinosaur Escape Cooperative Board Game

• Peaceable Kingdom Stone Soup Memory Board Game for Kids

• Melissa & Doug Catch & Count Wooden Fishing Game

Games to practice story telling:

• Rory’s Story Cubes

• Melissa and Doug Story Blocks

Games to practice asking questions:

• Headbanz

• Guess Who

Games to practice literacy skills:

• My First Banagrams (Practice reading and spelling simple words)

• Anomia Kids (Practice generating words that start with the same beginning letter sound)