Holiday Cheer: A Parent's Guide to Our Favorite Christmas Books and Toys for Kids
Looking for the best toys and books to give this holiday season that support your child's development? Our therapists have curated a list of their favorite picks to make your Christmas shopping easier. From sensory toys to educational books, these items are sure to spark your child's imagination and promote learning. Don't miss out on these great picks!
At KLC Pediatric Therapy, we believe that reading is a fundamental building block for language and literacy development. Here are some of our favorite books that we often use in speech therapy and reading therapy sessions:
Classic Tales for Little Learners
Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle
A perfect book for practicing sound discrimination and sequencing. The rhythmic text and colorful illustrations make it a favorite among young children.
Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright
This book is great for working on articulation and language comprehension. The rhyming text and silly story make it a fun and engaging read.
Turkey Claus by Wendi Silvestro
A hilarious holiday story that's perfect for practicing articulation and language comprehension. The silly rhymes and colorful illustrations make it a fun read-aloud.
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell by Lucille Colandro
This classic cumulative tale is great for practicing sequencing, vocabulary, and comprehension.
How to Catch a Snowman by Adam Wallace and Andy Riley
A silly and fun story that can be used to practice articulation, language comprehension, and sequencing.
Engaging Stories for Older Children
Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
A classic lift-the-flap book that's perfect for practicing vocabulary, sequencing, and prediction.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
This colorful and engaging book is great for practicing vocabulary, sequencing, and early math skills.
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
A rhyming story with a strong plot and engaging characters. It's perfect for practicing language comprehension and sequencing.
Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson
A heartwarming story about friendship and the true meaning of Christmas. It's great for practicing vocabulary, comprehension, and social skills.
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
A silly and fun story that's perfect for practicing language comprehension and sequencing.
These books offer a variety of opportunities for language learning, including vocabulary development, comprehension, sequencing, and articulation. We encourage you to share these books with your child and make reading a fun and enjoyable experience!
At KLC Pediatric Therapy, we also believe that play is an essential part of a child's development. Here are some of our favorite toys that we use in speech therapy, and how you can use them at home to promote your child's speech and language skills.
Toys for the Little Ones
Baby Spin and Stack Toy: This colorful toy encourages hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and early cause-and-effect learning. As you play, label the colors and shapes of the blocks to boost vocabulary development.
Bubbles: Blowing bubbles is a fun way to practice following directions, taking turns, and building breath control. As you blow bubbles, name the colors and shapes, and encourage your child to imitate your sounds.
Engaging Toys for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Popper Toy: This simple yet engaging toy can be used to practice vocabulary, following directions, and turn-taking. Pop the toy and label the colors and objects inside.
Car Race Track: Car tracks are great for practicing language skills, such as describing the cars' actions, colors, and sizes. Encourage your child to use complete sentences to narrate the race.
Farm Toy Set: Farm animals are a classic theme that can be used to teach vocabulary, sequencing, and storytelling. Create farm animal sounds, count the animals, and pretend to feed them.
Pop the Pig: This fun game can be used to practice turn-taking, following directions, and number recognition. As you play, label the numbers and colors on the pig's back.
Games for Older Children
Candy Land: A classic board game that can be used to practice following directions, taking turns, and vocabulary. As you play, describe the colors and characters on the board.
Shark Bite: This exciting card game can be used to practice vocabulary, following directions, and taking turns. Encourage your child to describe the cards and make predictions about the game.
Kerplunk: This classic game can be used to practice counting, colors, and taking turns. As you play, count the sticks and balls, and describe the colors.
Blink: This fast-paced game can be used to practice vocabulary, following directions, and reaction time. As you play, describe the colors and shapes of the cards.
Remember, the most important thing is to have fun and make learning enjoyable! By incorporating these toys into your child's playtime, you can help them develop important speech and language skills.
Written by Jacey Bullock, M.S., CCC-SLP and Ashlie Thomas, Contributing Writer