How to Choose Toys That Support Your Child’s Play and Development
Play it’s one of the most important ways children learn language, problem-solving, and social skills. Research by developmental psychologists such as Marian Sigman and Connie Kasari at UCLA has shown that play develops in predictable levels, and that these play skills are closely tied to children’s language and social communication growth (Sigman & Kasari, 1995; Kasari et al., 2006).
That being said, how do you know what toys will best support your child’s engagement and development?
Here’s a brief guide to knowing what level of play at which your child may be playing, as well as toy suggestions that meet your child where they are developmentally.
Simple Play
At this stage, children explore toys through actions like mouthing, banging, or rolling.
Examples:
Pushing cars
Dropping a ball down a ball dropper
Taking toys out of a container
Toy Ideas:
Rattles, balls and ball droppers, cars, musical instruments
Combination Play
Children begin putting objects together in simple ways.
Examples:
Completing a simple puzzle
Stacking rings or blocks
Nesting cups or boxes
Toy Ideas:
Wooden puzzles, Duplo blocks, Magna-Tiles, nesting boxes
Pre-Symbolic Play
Children start using toys in pretend ways, often involving themselves, dolls, or figures. This is a critical bridge toward more imaginative play.
Examples:
Pretending to drink from a toy cup
Brushing a doll
Putting pretend food on a plate
Creating simple sequences (brushing several dolls’ hair in a row)
Toy Ideas:
Play kitchens and food sets
Baby dolls with bottles and blankets
Dollhouse furniture
Blocks or tiles for themed creations
Symbolic Play
At this advanced stage, children use imagination, storytelling, and role play. Symbolic play is strongly linked to language growth and social interaction (Kasari et al., 2008).
Examples:
Using a block as a phone
Pretending to sip from an empty cup
Dolls or figures acting out roles (e.g., going to bed, eating breakfast)
Pretend roles like doctor or firefighter
Thematic or fantasy play based on favorite stories or movies
Toy Ideas:
Dress-up clothes and props
Figurines and dollhouses
Themed playsets and structures
A Note on Electronic Toys
While electronic toys can be exciting, research shows that toys encouraging interaction between people (parent-child, or peer-to-peer) are more powerful for supporting communication than toys that “do the talking” for children.
When to Seek Support
If your child’s play feels limited (for example, if they only use toys in repetitive ways or avoid pretend play) they may benefit from extra support.
At Saltwater Speech, I use JASPER therapy (Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement & Regulation), a play-based approach developed at UCLA, to help children build joint attention, play diversity, and social communication. Through play, we can help a child’s language, connection, and confidence grow.
The UCLA Kasari Lab also regularly provides free JASPER therapy to qualifying research participants. View their current research projects here: https://www.kasarilab.org/research.
References
Kasari, C., Freeman, S., & Paparella, T. (2006). Joint attention and symbolic play in young children with autism: A randomized controlled intervention study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 47(6), 611–620.
Kasari, C., Gulsrud, A., Wong, C., Kwon, S., & Locke, J. (2010). Randomized controlled caregiver mediated joint engagement intervention for toddlers with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40, 1045–1056.
Sigman, M., & Kasari, C. (1995). Joint attention across contexts in neurotypical and autistic children. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25(5), 475–488.