Are you wondering what to buy your 4-5-year-old this holiday? Let us make it easy for you! As Speech-Language Pathologists, we are often asked what toys to buy to target speech and language through play. We decided to put a list together so that parents will have the right toys to encourage language development this holiday season. We want to help YOU! Please enjoy this free holiday gift guide download.
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We know there are so many options out there! Remember that you can target speech and language with almost anything just remember to keep it FUN. Here are the 5 toys we recommend for your 4-5 year old.
Your 4-5 year old should begin or continue to:
- Use 4-5 word sentences
- Understand concepts such as plurals and negation
- Be understood 95%-100% of the time.
- Follow 3-step directions
- Recognize letters
- Know colors
Toys that are appropriate for your 4-5 year old include:
- Puzzles
- Building activities/Legos
- Early literacy activities and books
- Turn taking board games
1. Zingo
Zingo is an oldie but a goodie! If you don’t have this game already we strongly recommend it. This game is great for early readers and targets matching skills and turn-taking.
2. Legos
Every 5 year old seems to want to play Legos! I use Lego pieces as reinforcers to get children to complete tasks. I have them earn a few Lego pieces after each task and then they are able to have free build time! Legos are an excellent fine motor activity and great for imagination and creativity!
3. Pop The Pig
I am not joking when I say I play this game every single day! Excellent for turn-taking and basic concepts such as numbers and colors. Take turns rolling a die to reveal what color hamburger the pig wants to eat. Each hamburger corresponds to a number. Who will pop the pig? This game is also great for joint attention and eye contact!
4. Marble Run
This is an excellent building activity for your 4-5 year old! What fun to build it and then watch your marble run down. Target multistep directions, wait time, and turn taking.
5. Dragon Snacks
This game is new to me. Jen actually got this game for her boys so I got to try it out at the clinic. It is SO much fun! Turn the lights off and wave your hand in front of the dragon. Watch the dragon’s nose turn color and get a sneak peek inside his belly. Open his mouth and try to find the matching color! This game is so much fun for children and adults!
We hope that this list is helpful to you! Find the free download for the 5 gifts we recommend for your 4-5 year old below. Send it to family members to make their lives easier this year! Need more ideas? Check out our gift guide for 12-15 months, 16-24 months, 2-3 years, and 3-4 years. What toys are YOUR favorite for your 4-5-year-old? Please share so we can add it to our list.