Top 5 Toys for Early Turn Taking
Turn taking is a valuable skill which supports the development of early social interaction and communication skills. Developing an understanding of reciprocation through the exchange of two way communication is a vital foundation for shared attention and conversation skills later on.
Engaging children in fun, early turn taking play can be a rewarding way to develop these skills as well as the relationship between the child and their communication partner. At home these fun games are ideal for spending a short amount of focused, quality interaction time with your child. Even a few minutes a day can support attention and communication development. In therapy sessions they can also be a great ice breaker or motivator to engage a child in communication.
Here are some of our favourite toys and games that we use when working on early turn taking skills.
Ball
Rolling a ball back and forth is a lovely introduction to sharing a toy with a child. This can be started with babies and young toddlers, promoting eye contact between the child and the communication partner as well as early motor skills and hand eye coordination. As motor skills develop introduce throwing and catching.
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Click Clack Track
The click clack track can be introduced with one car, by modelling how to use the track and then allowing the child to explore the track. Once the child has the hang of how to use the cars, introduce having a car each, one colour for the child and one for you and take alternating turns.
Ball Run
The ball run can be used in the same way as the Click Clack Track, introducing a second similar toy allows for a bit of variety and also the opportunity to apply turn taking skills from one toy to another. This can be helpful in demonstrating to the child that turn taking can be carried to other play based activities.
(Note: If your child is at the stage where they are mouthing toys, be mindful to choose a ball run with large balls that are not a chocking hazard)
Pop Up Pirate
I am yet to meet a speech therapist who doesn’t have a ‘Pop Up Pirate’! A great simple game which builds on turn taking and anticipation. This game is a good step on when a child is able to attend for a slightly longer period but the reward of the pirate ‘popping’ still comes quickly. Early matching and sorting could also be introduced by sorting the swords into colours beforehand and allowing the child to choose which colour they would like to use.
Monkey Business
My personal favourite, nothing like the moment all the monkeys come crashing down! Whilst developing turn taking skills this game also supports the development of fine motor skills, an understanding of balance and early counting skills.
Tips for extending communication opportunities during turn taking play
Build anticipation and cue in listening ahead of taking a turn by pausing and saying ‘Ready, Steady… Go!’. Over time the child may be able to wait to take their turn whilst you say the phrase and may begin to imitate the phrase.
Encourage the child to request a turn by pausing after your own turn, giving the child good eye contact wait for them to indicate using touch, gesture or vocalisation that they would like a turn. Reward the child immediately by giving them the object to take a turn and praising them for requesting.
This focused time is a good opportunity to model the language or signs which support early requesting e.g. Modelling phrases like ‘more cars please’, ‘mummy’s turn’ as language is developing model simple sentences ‘I want more cars please’ or ‘Can I have a turn now?’.
Reinforce early turn taking and the modelling of the language for turn taking in everyday activities with your child eg. Taking turns to knock rubber ducks into the bath, pushing swings at the park, putting items of washing into the laundry basket.
Once turn taking is well established in these simple games it can be a good opportunity to introduce a new communication partner into the game eg. your partner, the child’s sibling.
To get more of our top tips and tools join our Confident Communicators Group (supporting development for 2 – 5 year olds).
The group is open to parents/ carers/ grandparents and early years practitioners.
Do come along and join us!