Pretend play encourages language and I promise your children will LOVE these phones! It allows them to hear their own voice and encourages them to talk, talk, talk! If they don’t have conversational skills (such as sentence structure) this phone will allow them to hear their own jabber. Children usually pick up on their parents conversational skills such as talking and stopping and your breathing patterns.
For older kiddos these phones are a great way for them to hear themselves read. It will not only encourage them to read:-) but also allow them to hear their patterns of reading.
How do you make these phones? SUPER EASY!
First, go to your local hardware store
Second, find the PVC aisle and look for the specific elbow that will fit on the end of the pipe (usually around 66 cents)
Once you find a good fit then find a store employee to cut it for you. Remember, you want it to be small so it fits your child’s face so they can clearly hear.
This gentleman was super helpful and happy to help!
Even the store manager Liz seemed to have fun with the phone!
Making this phone is easy and non-expensive. Your children will be entertained. The phones can be used during dinner at a restaurant, driving in a car, or playing at home. Send us pictures of your children playing with their new phones!
Some language ideas…
1. Notice your child trying to communicate with you through their body language. If they are trying to reach for an object, they are communicating. Communication doesn’t just mean using words, they often communicate with body language.
2. For years we have encouraged parents to label the item during conversations and be careful with using the word “this” For example, if a child is pointing to an object name the specific item instead of saying “you want this?” Say “you want your blue cup” this allows them to hear language. Modeling language is important for their communication skills to develop.
3. Reading together and pointing out the object on the page helps them develop more language. You can even name the object and have them find it on the page.
4. Use pictures: I LOVE to take pictures of children and visit with them about their day and talk about what is coming up next, or what happened yesterday. Making a photo album of fun activities (vacation, zoo, day trips, riding in the car, family members, pets) creates good language and it also allows children to remember specific things to talk about.
Jeremiah 1:9 “Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.”
Psalm 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
