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Playtime Ideas for Toddlers with Hearing Loss

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Playtime is how little ones learn, grow, and develop new skills. Not only are you keeping your curious toddler entertained but you’re also supporting their development. For children with hearing loss, playtime is extra important as it supports their listening and talking skills! There are so many Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) strategies and techniques you can incorporate into playtime to help them reach their full potential and have fun along the way!

Let’s Play the LSL Way: Terrific Toddlers

Here are some practical tips and ideas to turn playtime moments into learning as you play together each day.

Outside Fun 

Step outside and discover endless opportunities for playtime and learning! Let the fun begin as you and your toddler play these outdoor games with a little LSL learning.

Sandbox Adventures shovel and bucket

Create a world of fun and learning as you climb into the sandbox with your little one. As you play together, use the Play-By-Play LSL strategy to focus on action words and describe what’s happening by using phrases such as

  • ”You’re pouring the sand into the bucket.”
  • “I’m sifting the sand.”
  • “Should I…. dump the sand out of the truck?”
  • “Can you rake the sand?”
  • “Let’s shovel the sand together!”

Toddler Tip: Speak at a normal rate with pauses and emphasis on those action words. This will give your child time to respond and join in.

Be Curious

Toddlers LOVE to ask questions! Questions play an important part in helping your child learn and develop curiosity. You can model curiosity by thinking aloud as you play outside together.

  • “I hear a buzzing bee! I wonder where he’s going. He seems to love those roses. What do you think he’s doing?”
  • “Look at that robin! Maybe she’s collecting worms for her baby birds. Where do you think her nest might be?”
  • “Wow! There’s a castle at the playground. I wonder who lives in that castle. Who do you think might be inside? Let’s go look!”

Toddler Tip: Hide one of your toddler’s favorite toy animals under a bucket. Then, ask “I wonder what’s under the bucket?” Take a peak, cover it back up, and give your little one a clue by using the Help Me But Don’t Tell Me LSL strategy. “He has a tail, floppy ears, and he barks.” Pause and wait to let your child respond. If they don’t answer, give a clue. “He says woof woof!“ Then, lift the bucket and celebrate when they answer “DOG! That’s right. It’s the dog that loves to dig in the dirt.”

Play Ball! baseball

Toddlers move quickly from using single words to combining words and forming phrases. Continue helping them make connections and build off the words they already know as you play with something as simple as a ball.

Toddler Tip: If your toddler says “ball,” put “ball” into a phrase, “you have a bouncy ball. The ball is red and round. Throw that ball to me. Throw the ball as hard as you can! I’ll catch the ball!”

Practice at the Playground playhouse with swing

Toddlers learn words by experiencing them. Pretend to be a sports announcer, and use the Play-by-Play LSL strategy to talk about what’s happening at the playground. Describe the playhouse, tunnel, monkey bars, drinking fountain, and swings.

Toddler Tip: Play hide and seek at the playground with your toddler to grow their listening and talking skills. Use the Hear It Before They See It LSL strategy by hiding a toy under the slide, say “Listen! I have a train.” Then talk about the object. “I hear the train. Choo-choo!” Then, reveal the train and say “Here’s your train. Choo-choo! The train goes sooo fast.”

Musical Fun musical notes

Toddlers love listening and singing along to music. Did you know that when your child listens to music their brain forms connections that build vocabulary and strengthen listening comprehension? Music and singing activates your child’s whole brain! Here are some LSL play ideas to try as you enjoy music together!

Finish the Lyric microphone

Try using the It’s Your Turn LSL strategy and auditory closure by singing a familiar song and leaving off the ending. Pause for your toddler to finish the verse. “The itsy bitsy spider went up the water____.” Pause, wait, lean in, and see what your child says!

Toddler Tip: This strategy helps your child use their working memory to add the missing word. It also supports their language for longer phrases and sentences. As their skills improve, you can take more words off like “The itsy bitsy spider went ___ __ ___ ___.”

Wheels on the Bus

Repetitive songs that add different verses are a great way to help your child develop their language skills. Use the popular tune, “Wheels on the Bus,” and act out the song’s verses. Add actions for the “wiper, horn, door, people, and driver.”

Toddler Tip: Once your child is familiar with the song, try using the Hear It Before They See It LSL strategy by singing without the actions. Does your child shout out the next action? Do they start acting it out? By keeping songs full of fun actions, you both stay engaged and have a blast!

Silly Songs

Sing or play some of your child’s favorite songs again and again. Toddlers thrive on repetition, and they’ll join in as they naturally begin to remember the words. Once your toddler knows the words, replace the lyrics with something silly to make your toddler laugh and catch their attention. Maybe “baby shark” becomes “baby hippopotamus!”

Toddler Tip: Use the LSL strategy, Make Listening Easier, by bringing extra attention to the silly words and saying them louder than the rest of the phrase: “Baa, Baa YELLOW sheep.”

Water Fun yellow duck

Toddlers LOVE to play with water! These activities offer great ways to engage little ones and provide rich opportunities to develop language, foster creativity, and encourage learning!

Make a Splash!

It’s important for your child to practice with all kinds of action words. Think of all the great actions you and your toddler can do with water! Water can be poured, dripped, sprayed, sprinkled, frozen, melted, and splashed. Think ahead about what words and actions you might want your child to learn while playing. The many words you use will expand their vocabulary and their understanding of language.

Toddler Tip: Use the Serve and Return LSL strategy to take turns communicating. If your toddler holds up a rubber duck, that’s a serve! Return the serve by saying “You have a duck. He says ‘quack, quack.” When you return the serve, your child knows they’re understood. Continue to use this strategy to encourage back and forth conversation!

Dive Into Learning

Introduce your terrific toddler to the “deep-sea diver” game. Start with a bucket filled with water. Drop small toys, animals, or common household objects into the water. Describe the objects as your child puts them in the water. “In goes the metal spoon.” This gives your child practice with new vocabulary.

Toddler Tip: Spend time wondering together about what’s down in the water. “I see an animal. I wonder what it could be?” Maybe your toddler responds by saying “Elephant?” You can add some clues by saying, “Good guess. This animal can hop and says ‘Ri-bet. Ri-bet.” Then, when they reply “frog!” celebrate and try guessing other objects that are in the water! Remember, wait to give your little one plenty of time to think and make their guess.

There are so many ways to play

Playtime can be purposeful when you incorporate tried-and-true LSL strategies and techniques! Not only are you building your toddler’s listening, learning, and talking skills, but you’re also creating precious memories and a special bond together!

Check out the video below to learn more about how to make the most out of playtime with your little one each day!

The Best Toys for Kids to Learn to Talk. Hint - they’re not what you think!

Download Transcript

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