• Concepts- colors- sort the animals by color
• Vocabulary- model the names of the animals and group them together
• Concepts- big/little- sort the animals by size
• Pretend play- have the animals “talk” to each other “walk” or “run” with each other, and build your own farm
Pop Up Pirate
• Concepts- up/down- model these words while pushing the pirate “down” and waiting for him to pop “up”
• Concepts- colors- have your child request which color of sword he wants to put in the barrel
• Concepts- negatives- work on the word “not,” model the phrase “He did NOT pop up” each time a sword goes in the barrel
• Turn taking- model “my turn” and “your turn” while taking turns putting the swords in the barrel
Chime with Rhyme Game
• Develop important rhyming skills that contribute to early reading and spelling
• Vocabulary- talk about features of the pictures (e.g., a cat is an animal, many colors, meows, four legs, etc.)
• Easy self-correcting puzzles that help develop awareness of rhyming
Melissa and Doug Birthday Party Cake
• Vocabulary- describe names of things that go on a cake (candles, candy, fruit, etc.)
• Turn taking- take turns with friends choosing and putting items on the cake, cut the cake for friends
• Pretend Play – sequence the steps to decorate the cake, blow out the candles, cut the cake, “eat” the cake, and clean up the cake
Hasbro Elefun
• Concepts- in/out- butterflies fly “out” of the elephant’s trunk and then you put them back “in”
• Action words- model the words “flying,” “catching,” “blowing”
• Turn taking- share the nets with friends, ask friends what color net they would like to have, then trade colors the next time
• Colors- match the different colors of butterflies, talk about how many of the colors you caught, (“You caught two blue butterflies”)
Mr. Potato Head
• Concepts- front/back- put parts on the “front” and then hide them in the “back” while modeling the words
• Body Parts- label the parts and also have your child request what parts he wants
• Adjectives- talk about the colors of the parts (“black shoes, “red nose,” “pink mouth”)
• Pronouns- make Mr. and Mrs. Potato head, sort out the parts that belong to “him,” and “her” then talk about what “he” and “she” are wearing
Melissa and Doug’s Fishing Puzzle
• Concepts- in/out- have a bucket to put the fish “in” as you take them “out”
• Turn taking- there is only one fishing pole so you can take turns sharing it
• Adjectives- talk about which fish you are going to get “big,” “little,” colors, etc…
Lucky Ducks Game
• Concepts- matching shapes and colors
• Turn taking- take turns making the ducks swim
• Action words – “swim,” “on,” “off,” “out”
• Animals sounds- imitate the quacking sounds the ducks make as the swim
Hasbro Candy Land Castle Game
• Concepts- matching shapes and colors
• Turn taking- take turns taking out shapes
• Action words- “drop,” “pull,” “slide,” “match”
Pretend play Food and Puppets with Mouths
• Vocabulary- find and label the food the puppet wants to “eat”
• Pretend play- the puppet “eats” the pretend food
• Requesting- the puppet can “ask” for what he wants to eat
• Turn taking- share the puppet, you feed it and then your child feeds it