🌟 The Top 10 Toys That Boost Speech & Language Development (Ages 6–8)
As a speech-language pathologist, one of my favorite ways to help kids build strong communication skills is through PLAY. Kids ages 6 to 8 are developing richer vocabulary, longer sentences, early narrative skills, social communication, and the ability to ask and answer more complex questions — and the right toys make this learning feel natural and fun.
Below are my top 10 SLP-approved toys and games for children ages 6–8, each with a direct Amazon link so you can explore them easily.
These toys are fantastic for home practice, holiday gifts, or building a well-rounded therapy bag!
🎲 1. Guess Who?
Perfect for: describing, questioning, vocabulary, social language
Kids practice yes/no questions, describing attributes, and learning how to be specific.
👉 Click HERE to buy!
✨ 2. Rory’s Story Cubes
Perfect for: storytelling, sequencing, imagination, sentence expansion
Roll the cubes and tell a story with the pictures you land on — great for narrative language!
👉 CLICK HERE TO BUY!
🧠 3. Hedbanz
Perfect for: question-asking, describing, deductive reasoning
A fast-paced guessing game that encourages kids to ask strong questions and use clues effectively.
👉 CLICK HERE TO BUY
🔤 4. Bananagrams
Perfect for: spelling, vocabulary, word retrieval
A fun tile game that supports literacy development and helps kids play with language on their own.
👉 CLICK HERE TO BUY
😂 5. Apples to Apples Junior
Perfect for: comparisons, describing, flexible thinking, humor
Kids learn new adjectives, practice making associations, and work on expressive language.
👉 CLICK HERE TO BUY
🍳 6. Pretend Kitchen / Food Play Set
Perfect for: verbs, categories, sequencing, pretend play
Yes, older kids still benefit from pretend play! Especially for building social communication and vocabulary.
👉 CLICK HERE TO BUY
🏙 7. Word on the Street Junior
Perfect for: vocabulary, spelling, word retrieval, teamwork
A high-energy game that gets kids pulling letters toward their side of the board by brainstorming words — super motivating.
👉 CLICK HERE TO BUY
👃 8. Mr. Potato Head
Perfect for: body part vocabulary, describing, directional words
A classic for a reason! Kids can follow directions, describe, and practice spatial prepositions.
👉 CLICK HERE TO BUY
🐾 9. Sequence for Kids
Perfect for: following directions, turn-taking, categorizing
A simple, colorful strategy game that helps with attention, working memory, and communication.
👉 CLICK HERE TO BUY
🍉 10. Velcro Cutting Play-Food Set
Perfect for: verbs, sequencing, pretend play, sentence building
Kids can “cut,” “slice,” “serve,” “share,” “open,” “close,” and narrate what they’re doing.
👉 CLICK HERE TO BUY
💬 Final Thoughts
The best toys for language development are rarely the flashy, battery-operated ones. Instead, look for:
✓ open-ended play
✓ opportunities for talking (not passive watching)
✓ built-in storytelling
✓ turn-taking
✓ imagination and social interaction
Each of the toys in this list helps develop early academic and communication skills while keeping kids engaged and laughing — the perfect recipe for learning.
