Imitating words and phrases helps children learn to make sense of the world. Toy telephones are perfect for encouraging speech, providing an opportunity for "two-way" conversation and a common ground for enhancing communication skills. They’re also lots of fun!
What you can do to help your baby learn more with:
Promote your child’s language development and persuade her to engage in early "conversations" by pretending to call her, or helping her call her dolls and stuffed animals from the Chatter Telephone.
When you coax your child to pull this toy into another room (it probably won’t take much ... just look at those funny eyes!), you’ll be giving her a good reason to giggle along with a lesson in cause-and-effect!
She’ll want to enjoy the take-along action over and over again, so let her go: besides being good for a laugh, these actions cement in her mind the idea that what she is doing is causing something else to happen.
To introduce the concepts of fast and slow, loud and quiet, pull the telephone along as you run around the room, then change to a very slow pace. Point out the differences in speed and sound, labeling them with words. Then, of course, your child will want a turn.
Eventually, this toy can serve the very practical purposes of teaching your child her phone number, how to place a call and the polite ways to receive one.
All children develop at their own pace, and reach milestones at different times. The highlights mentioned in this web site are meant as approximate guidelines only. If you have any questions about your child's development, consult your healthcare provider.
