{"id":2703,"date":"2013-02-08T20:56:11","date_gmt":"2013-02-08T20:56:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/?p=2703"},"modified":"2015-02-17T09:19:32","modified_gmt":"2015-02-17T17:19:32","slug":"using-pretend-play-apps-to-stimulate-language","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/speech-therapy-techniques\/using-pretend-play-apps-to-stimulate-language\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Pretend Play Apps that Help Stimulate Language"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_2721\" style=\"width: 771px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/?p=2703\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2721\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2721 lazyload\" title=\"How games can help kids learn\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/howdogameshelpkidstolearn.png\" alt=\"How games can help kids learn\" width=\"761\" height=\"550\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/howdogameshelpkidstolearn.png 761w, https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/howdogameshelpkidstolearn-300x216.png 300w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 761px) 100vw, 761px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 761px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 761\/550;\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2721\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: dontwasteyourtime.co.uk\/<\/p><\/div>\n<p>When you think of your fondest childhood memories, do they involve pretend play? Mine do. Dress up, doctor, grocery store, teacher and beauty parlor to be specific. Child development experts know this isn\u2019t just any childhood activity, pretend play serves a purpose in fostering language skills and cognitive development in children. For children with language disorders, pretend play is a great therapy technique. Today, however, you don\u2019t need a set of dolls and teacups &#8211; the great people at Toca Boca have developed a line of pretend play apps. Now you can have a birthday party, tea party, build a robot and style your hair &#8211; without all the usual play props. Using your iPad, parents looking to incorporate <a href=\"http:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/parents\">at-home speech and language therapy<\/a> activities, should consider using these great apps.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/toca-hair-salon-2\/id569632660?mt=8\">Toca Hair Salon<\/a> ($1.99)<\/p>\n<p>For boys and girls alike, this app offers great opportunities for using descriptive language and creating very silly characters. Players can style the character\u2019s using a variety of tools, give them a shower, decorate with bows and glasses or snap a picture. The variety of actions and styling options make this a great tool for using verbs (cut, comb, wet, dry) and adjectives (wavy, curly, red).\u00a0With this apps parents should:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.friendshipcircle.org\/blog\/2013\/01\/14\/8-toys-that-can-help-a-child-with-emotional-development\/\">Reinforce emotional concepts<\/a> by describing and modeling different feelings (e.g., \u201cthe girl looks sad about her haircut, oh no!\u201d)<\/li>\n<li>Take turns as the stylist and the client. Practice having your child give or follow through with instructions (e.g., \u201cI\u2019d like some red curls with a bow on top, please.\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><iframe title=\"Hair Styling App | Toca Hair Salon 2 | Gameplay Trailer | @TocaBoca\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MueqTkUfiJY?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;playerapiid=ytplayer\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/toca-tea-party\/id424174500?mt=8\">Toca Tea Party<\/a> ($1.99)<\/p>\n<p>A pot of tea, anyone? With this app, a table setting with candles and classic music set the stage for a tea party with you, your child, and a few stuffed animals friends. Players can serve food and drinks, eat the treat and even clean the dishes. The interface is particularly child-friendly and intuitive (like most Toca Boca apps) and players can \u201ceat\u201d or \u201cdrink\u201d the treats simply by tapping them (pay attention to the great sound effects here).\u00a0With this apps parents should:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Take turns giving and taking orders (e.g., \u201cwhat would you like to drink?)<\/li>\n<li>Talk about math concepts (e.g., some, more, half, none)<\/li>\n<li>Use pronouns (e.g., \u201cwhat does she have?\u201d \u201cwhat does he need?\u201d)<\/li>\n<li>Model past tense, irregular verbs (e.g., ate, drank)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Throw your Own Toca Tea Party | Gameplay Trailer | @TocaBoca\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/n584x01eftg?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;playerapiid=ytplayer\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The classic days of playing kitchen have taken a digital twist by allowing players to microwave, blend, chop and boil their food &#8211; all from the iPad kitchen! Choose from 4 players to serve and get creative with your meal choices. With this app, parents should:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Comment on or label their child\u2019s play (e.g., \u201cthat food looks yummy!\u201d). These comments can provide a language rich environment.<\/li>\n<li>Model and encourage a logical sequence of events (e.g., \u201cfirst you cook the broccoli, then you eat it\u201d). This helps teach concepts of time and organize the play.<\/li>\n<li>Use concepts related to food to describe what is being cooked (e.g., yummy, yucky, hot, cold)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Time To Cook | Toca Kitchen | Gameplay Trailer | @TocaBoca\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8sujnFFpoK0?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;playerapiid=ytplayer\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Regardless of the medium, pretend play is a great platform for encouraging and engaging language and should be incorporated into any at-home therapy. Encourage children to: negotiate roles, interact with those roles (e.g., I\u2019ll be the teacher, you be the student), <a href=\"http:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/speech-therapy-techniques\/educational-apps-for-kids-problem-solving\/\">use problem-solving<\/a>, use symbolism, set up a structure (e.g., gather all the materials for a tea party) and express emotions and feelings.<\/p>\n    <span class=\"hs-cta-wrapper\" id=\"\">\n    <span class=\"hs-cta-node \" id=\"\">\n        <!--[if lte IE 8]><div id=\"hs-cta-ie-element\"><\/div><![endif]-->\n        <a href=\"http:\/\/speechbuddy.com\/guides\/home-reinforcement\"  target=\"_blank\" ><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"hs-cta-img lazyload\" id=\"\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 655px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 655\/211;border-width:0px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/c78fe25c-44cd-4524-b653-8dbaf50c20f2.png\"  alt=\"Parents' Guide to Reinforcing Speech Therapy at Home\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><\/a>\n    <\/span>\n    <\/span>\n    \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you think of your fondest childhood memories, do they involve pretend play? Mine do. Dress up, doctor, grocery store, teacher and beauty parlor to be specific. Child development experts know this isn\u2019t just any childhood activity, pretend play serves a purpose in fostering language skills and cognitive development in children. For children with language [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,15],"tags":[515,1115,29,1117,190],"class_list":["post-2703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-language-development","category-speech-therapy-techniques","tag-at-home-speech-therapy","tag-ipad","tag-language-development-1","tag-pretend-play","tag-speech-therapy-apps"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2703"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8699,"href":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2703\/revisions\/8699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}