What toys should I buy for my child… if they have a speech delay?

As a speech and language therapist, I’m often asked which toys best support speech development. Below are some simple and practical suggestions.

🎲 What to choose:

• ✅ Microphone: Kids love hearing their voice amplified. It motivates them to produce sounds and words.
  • ✅ Pretend play toys: Farm sets, doctor kits, kitchen toys, store sets, building blocks. These boost imagination and vocabulary.
  • ✅ Simple, open-ended toys: Boxes, blocks, cardboard, kitchen utensils. They encourage creativity and spontaneous language.
  • ✅ Outdoor toys: Sand, bubbles, ride-on toys — all offer opportunities for communication.
  • ✅ DIY creative play: Use paper rolls, old boxes, and fabric to build houses, puppets, etc.

🔌 What to avoid:
• ❌ Battery-operated toys that speak instead of the child — the goal is for the child to produce sounds, not the toy.

🎯 Extra tips:

• Don’t restrict toys based on gender — let girls play with tractors and boys with kitchen sets!
  • Don’t offer too many toys at once. One at a time helps focus.
  • You are the best toy! Sing, laugh, talk, and interact with your child.

💡 Often, the most useful toys… aren’t even toys! Pots, spoons, and boxes can create the most powerful moments of learning and joy.

What do you think your child’s favorite toy is? It might just be the time you spend playing together.

Maria Lazarou
Speech and Language Therapist (SLP, BSc, M.A)
Head of the Multidisciplinary Team, Evlogon