AUDITORY-BASED LANGUAGE STIMULATION TOYS

Here are some toys that provide good sound-quality language stimulation for children. This list purposely excludes CDs and board games.

It Sounds Like Fun (Cassette tape or CD format)
http://www.discoverytoysinc.com/toys2f.htm
Introduces the child to the alphabet, sounds of letters, early counting,
manners and more in this 24-song classic. Endorsed by early childhood educators and speech therapists as a great "first learning" tool. 65 minutes. Follow-along ABC chart included. The catchy tunes are slow and clear. It has one woman singing and one acoustic guitar playing music; there is not a lot of background music, and the woman's voice is easy to hear.

What's That Sound? Lotto Game

www.discoverytoysinc.com
Cassette tape plays different sounds and the child matches the sounds to the pictures on each lotto card.

V-Tech Alphabet Apple Tree

http://www.vtechkids.com/preschool/p_alphabet_apple_tree.html
This phonics activity center is disguised as a toy; helps child develop letter and phonics skills. The friendly bird lets your child select any of the 5 different activities, starting with basic "Learn the Letters" or "Learn the Sounds" and other entertaining reading activities. The 26 large alphabet buttons identify both letters and objects. Includes 9 built-in melodies and an easy-to-carry handle for take-along fun. Ages: 3 years and up. Uses 2 AA batteries (included).

V-Tech ME-MO-MO

http://www.vtechtoys.com/gradeschool/g_me_mo_mo.html

Me-Mo-Mo is your alien friend who wiggles, shakes, blinks and talks to your child (learns English through repeated interaction), all while playing 25 "out-of-this-world’ learning activities. Me-Mo-Mo comes loaded with 6 language lessons, 7 math lessons, 20 logic games and 2 music activities. This free-standing, posable character also comes with an infer-red keyboard that works from 6 feet away (no wires)! Me-Mo-Mo also acts as a full-function alarm clock! Item Number: 80-47100. Ages 5 years and up. Base unit uses 4 "AA" batteries (included). Keyboard uses 2 additional "AA" batteries (not included). Compatible with 9v 500ma adaptor (sold separately).

Travel Talking Photo Frame/Alarm Clock

http://www.brookstone.com/shop/product.asp?product_code=220657

(not marketed as a toy, but can be a good language tool for preschoolers)

It's about 2 1/2 inches square. You open it up, put a picture on one side, and the other side has the clock and buttons. It has Record and Play buttons so you can record a 10-second message on a microchip and then play it back. Child can talk into it and listen to what s/he said. For therapy ideas, you could put different pictures in the frame part (animals, objects, situations, anything really) and then have a child speak to the picture. The reward for a child is to hear himself on the playback.

Music Blocks

www.neurosmith.com
Children (ages 2 and up) can create their own musical tunes by simply playing with the blocks - kids place the blocks at random to create mixed-up melodies or carefully compose music according to the color of the blocks and the shapes on their sides. This comes with 5 blocks, a Mozart's Night Music; cartridge, and a guide for parents titled Music and Your Child's Mind. Also offered are additional cartridges ranging from Bach to Rock to Opera as well as Disney.

Little Linguist

www.neurosmith.com

A creative and fun interactive toy that allows kids (agges one year and up) to learn English or another language by hearing a word, associating it with a familiar object, then beginning to use the word in sentences. It actually grows and changes with kids by tracking their progress and adjusting its level of play - increasing in difficulty for more experienced users, decreasing in difficulty for novices. An assortment of familiar stand-alone characters help children learn words, greetings, and even simple sentences in English, Spanish, French, and Japanese! Little computer speakers, a personal soundfield system, or an FM transmitter with its coupling cable can be plugged into this toy.

LeapFrog

http://www.leapfrog.com/products/prhm_index1.jhtml

These selected toys and games are felt to have good sound quality:

LeapPad Learning System (age 3 years and up) set of books with a pen that enables you to have a book read to you or play in the book.

Turbo Twist Spelling (age 8 years and up) has a repeat button in case you didn't hear the question. You can actually download their homework, like their word wall words, and spelling words. Makes for much fun playing the games, while getting lots of language repetition.

Explorer Globe (age 8 years and up) is also interactive and highly informative

Fisher Price noisy books, where you lift a flap to see the picture, then push the corresponding button to hear the sound. We have a construction one and a farm one. Hint for parents who have children with auditory disorders or hearing loss: look for the books with volume controls as the default volume may be too loud for some children.

V-Tech Alphabet Pal

(12 months +) musical pull toy introduces letter names, letter sounds, and colors; a centipede with a giggle, flashing antennae, and walk; press one of twenty-six legs to learn colors, letter names, sounds, and the ABC song; has 3 learning modes and volume control. http://www.exploretech.com/products/prdt_leapfrog.jhtml?id=alphapal

MORE TOYS TO COME FROM VTECH:

V-Tech Smarty's Workshop

Interactive learning coach teaches preschoolers how to follow directions, and then rewards them with lights and sounds. not yet sold, but it sounds like it has good possibilities. Please share your opinions on this toy with other parents by sending comments to ellen@AuditoryVerbalTraining.com.

V-Tech Wabi Buddy

Voice mail can be sent through teddy bear....heard that this may be expensive though...keep an eye out for this and please share your findings with other parents by sending comments to ellen@AuditoryVerbalTraining.com.

To read about toys that are too noisy: http://www.asha.org/press/noisy_toys_2001.cfm

If you are aware of other toys that have good sound quality and stimulate language development, please send information to ellen@AuditoryVerbalTraining.com so that those toys be added to this list.