3 Easy Language Activities for your Toddler using Washi Tape
Here’s the deal – as a mom and an SLP, it feels like a big responsibility to make sure I’m including creative language activities in our typical day at home. Specifically my 16 month old (and especially as that 16 month old is adjusting to lots of change with a new baby sister around). As a parent, it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking you need high end or specific toys to work on language.
Sometimes, I have to remind parents of littles I work with that the takeaway is NOT to go out and buy the toys we use in therapy to have at home to play with. The goal is to take the skills we are working on while playing with that toy, and find ways to address it at home. If this is you, I promise you can find ways to work on whatever language skills using things you already have at home.
Let’s be real – if you have little kids you probably know that you can buy really nice, expensive, high quality, trendy toys, and they are perfectly happy to play with the box. Or the wrapping paper it came in. Or the instructions.
Since our little guy has been craving some extra attention lately while adjusting to baby sis, I’ve been trying to do my best to find new and easy ways to keep targeting language through play using things we already have. Cue, washi tape.
How Can you Use Washi Tape as a language activity?
Here’s a few activities that I’ve been doing with H, and core words/concepts we are targeting through play.
Disclaimer: All of these activities do use a few other materials, all of which we had around the house or are specific to my little guy and his interests. You will also see the same basic target words/concepts repeatedly. My goal is not to bombard little H (or my patients), but to get lots of practice with fewer skills at a time to really make sure they are getting it. **
1. Color Sorting with Washi Tape and Poms
Supplies: washi tape, colored poms, any extra bin/container (I finally found a use for all of my extra little containers from Home Chef meals!)
I put one color of tape on each container/lid, and then we put the same colored poms inside. That’s it! He loved opening each container and putting the poms in/dumping them out. To start, I’ve been giving him one color at a time (mostly so poms don’t get everywhere). If your little is a bit older than mine, this would also be great for categorizing by color.
Also need to note that this was super supervised to make sure he didn’t try to eat the poms himself or feed them to our dog.
Target words/concepts: open/close, in/out, on/off, along with colors and counting
2. Washi Tape on the Fridge with Magnets
Supplies: Washi tape, magnets, (fridge or any type of magnetic board)
We put washi tape on the fridge, and practiced putting the magnets on/off the tape. If your little is a bit older, next to would also be a great concept here. H is really into these animal magnets and enjoyed the extra step to this activity!
Target words: on/off, animal names/noises
3. Washi Tape Water Activity
Suppies: Washi tape, larger bin/container, toys
I found a bigger bin, put several strips of washi tape across the top, and filled it with some toys. We also filled it with water to make it a fun outdoor activity, but you could also easily do this inside without the water using any sort of big container. Aside from playing with the water, H had fun pulling toys out through the tape and putting them back in. Simple! Another disclaimer: the tape did not last as long with this activity because obviously just playing in the water is way more fun.
Target words/concepts: in/out, wet/dry along with verbs “splash, pour.” Again, if yours a little bit older, between would also be a good concept to target here.
If all else fails…
When this inevitably happened, it still kept him occupied for a while, and we worked on off/on, and colors. Win!
I’ll say it again – you do not have to have fancy things or materials to target a lot of language. Start with what you have and play off their interests. Look at games and toys they already enjoy playing with, and figure out how you can target different concepts through their play. Above all, have fun and be engaged! You can help foster so many good skills by just showing up and playing with your child.
Want some easy suggestions for how to incorporate language skills into your toddler’s day? Check out 5 Daily Routines to Support Your 1-Year-Old’s Language Skills at Home. Wondering if your toddler needs a speech or language evaluation? Check out my 5 Questions to Ask Yourself (Birth – 4 Years) freebies by signing up for my newsletter.
Holler if you have questions about easy ways to target language through play with your little!
