I meet children with the most fantastically varied interests. Their delight in details has taught me a lot about play and exploration. I always aim to follow a child’s lead within speech and language therapy sessions, to find the thing that inspires a child to communicate. Over time, I’ve learned that this often means abandoning my own plans and my shiny new toys in favour of the door jam, the lid of a cardboard box and oh so much more.
So, when parents ask me ‘What toys shall I buy to build attention’ my response is always ‘What is your child interested in?’ Because supporting attention, communication and interaction isn’t about buying a prescribed set of toys. More often, it’s about putting down the toys and paying attention to the details of what your marvellous unique kiddo wants to explore with you.
What surprising things does your child delight in exploring? For starters, there’s always the good ol’ cardboard box.
PS. I have put together a list of gift suggestions, if you’re looking for a few more ideas.