Today is DAY 2 in our Creating Communication Opportunities Series. [Yesterday we talked about using a box + motivating toy to encourage communication. Be sure to check it out if you are just joining us!]
Today I will be sharing about how to strategically “sabotage” a play activity so your child will initiate communication with you. It may sound “mean”.. but if your elf on the shelf can cause mischief for the sake of fun, so can you
First off- think about how your child is currently communicating. Are they using sounds, gestures, or a few words? Think about what the next step ahead of your child’s current skill set is. Are you trying to address eye contact and joint attention, signs/gestures, or spoken words? Ask your child’s SLP for guidance.
1. Pick a toy that your child already knows how to play with. It should be familiar and come with several pieces.
2. Present the toy activity in a broken state or with missing pieces. Pretend you are unaware of this.
3. Wait for your child to notice the toy is unable to be played with as they expected. Wait 5-10 seconds for them to initiate eye contact with you. If they have forgotten about you say “hmm” or “uh oh!” to remind them you have noticed the problem as well.
4. If you are targeting a sign/gesture or word (i.e. “help,” “get,” or name of missing object”), model it for your child so they know what to say. Encourage them to look at you first so they get the best possible model (visual + auditory = ).
5. Magically fix the toy or find the missing piece and make a big deal out of it! YAY, HOORAY, WAHOO!! These fun words are also great models for your child because their purpose is celebration vs. requesting.
6. Let your child play with the toy! .
Be on the look out tomorrow as I’ll be sharing my final tip in the Creating Communication Opportunities series!
What play activity will you try out this sabotage strategy with? Share in the comments and tag a friend who could benefit from some early language tips!
Today I will be sharing about how to strategically “sabotage” a play activity so your child will initiate communication with you. It may sound “mean”.. but if your elf on the shelf can cause mischief for the sake of fun, so can you
First off- think about how your child is currently communicating. Are they using sounds, gestures, or a few words? Think about what the next step ahead of your child’s current skill set is. Are you trying to address eye contact and joint attention, signs/gestures, or spoken words? Ask your child’s SLP for guidance.
1. Pick a toy that your child already knows how to play with. It should be familiar and come with several pieces.
2. Present the toy activity in a broken state or with missing pieces. Pretend you are unaware of this.
3. Wait for your child to notice the toy is unable to be played with as they expected. Wait 5-10 seconds for them to initiate eye contact with you. If they have forgotten about you say “hmm” or “uh oh!” to remind them you have noticed the problem as well.
4. If you are targeting a sign/gesture or word (i.e. “help,” “get,” or name of missing object”), model it for your child so they know what to say. Encourage them to look at you first so they get the best possible model (visual + auditory = ).
5. Magically fix the toy or find the missing piece and make a big deal out of it! YAY, HOORAY, WAHOO!! These fun words are also great models for your child because their purpose is celebration vs. requesting.
6. Let your child play with the toy! .
Be on the look out tomorrow as I’ll be sharing my final tip in the Creating Communication Opportunities series!
What play activity will you try out this sabotage strategy with? Share in the comments and tag a friend who could benefit from some early language tips!
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