4.3. Explain how play and activities are used to support the development of speech, language and communication

This guide will help you answer 4.3. Explain how play and activities are used to support the development of speech, language and communication.

Play and structured activities play an essential role in the speech, language and communication development of children and young people. Through engaging activities and different types of play, children develop the ability to express themselves, understand others, and build their vocabulary and conversational skills. This foundation helps them with social interactions, emotional expression, and learning throughout their lives.

Play allows children to practise communicating in a natural and enjoyable way. Through play, they explore sounds, words, and gestures. This section explains how various types of play and activities can support development in these areas.

Speech, Language and Communication Skills

Speech refers to verbal expression using sounds and words. Language is the system of words and grammar that allow us to communicate meaning. Communication is the broader interaction, which includes gestures, facial expressions, and spoken or written language to share ideas and thoughts.

These skills are fundamental for children to:

• Build relationships with others
• Express emotions and needs
• Understand directions and information
• Increase their self-esteem and confidence
• Develop literacy and numeracy skills

When these skills are promoted through play, children learn to thrive in various settings like school and home environments.

Types of Play Beneficial for Development

Play and activities help children explore these concepts through repetition, fun, and encouragement. There are different types of play that boost speech, language and communication:

Role Play and Pretend Play

This type of play allows children to use their imagination in real-world scenarios. For example, a child may pretend to be a doctor, shopkeeper, or chef. While role-playing, children imitate adult behaviours, try out new words, and practise forming sentences. This helps them explore a variety of vocabulary related to items, actions, and emotions.

For example:

• Dressing up as a firefighter: The child might practise saying words like “fire”, “water”, “help”, or phrases like “What happened?” or “Let’s put the fire out.”
• Playing ‘shops’ with peers: They might practise polite conversations, counting skills (“That’s £3, please”), and asking questions such as, “Would you like a bag?”

Role play also helps children understand turn-taking and listening, as these are essential for effective communication.

Physical Play

Games that involve physical activity such as “Simon Says” or “What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?” contribute to speech and communication skills. In these games, children must listen carefully to instructions and quickly process language.

For instance, with “Simon Says”, a child has to focus on language structure to differentiate between commands beginning with “Simon says…” and those that don’t. This also reinforces listening skills, an essential part of language development.

Creative Play

Activities like painting, building with blocks, or crafting encourage discussion about the materials and processes being used. For example:

• A child building a tower might say, “I need the red block,” or ask for help, “Can you pass me the blue one?”
• While painting, they might describe their work: “This is my house,” or name colours like “yellow” or “green”.

Creative play often enables children to work with others, encouraging back-and-forth conversations.

Music and Singing

Songs are one of the best tools to promote language development. Singing nursery rhymes and simple songs introduces rhythm, sounds and repetition. Many songs contain rhyming words or teach concepts like counting or the alphabet.

For example:

• “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” uses repetitive patterns that help children memorise words.
• “The Wheels on the Bus” allows children to practise actions like clapping or making gestures while learning vocabulary.

Music activities also support children with phonics (the relationship between sounds and letters), which aids reading and writing skills later on.

Outdoor Play

Outdoor activities like exploring nature, scavenger hunts, or playing in the sandpit involve using descriptive language. For instance:

• When on a scavenger hunt, children may describe items: “I found a leaf. It’s green and small.”
• In the sandpit, they might explain what they are doing: “I’m making a castle.”

This type of play encourages curiosity, leading children to ask questions and expand their vocabulary.

How Structured Activities Develop Communication

Structured activities such as storytime, games, or cookery sessions allow children to learn speech, language and communication interactively. These activities tend to follow a set pattern, helping children build important skills.

Storytime

Reading books aloud helps children hear correct pronunciation, sentence structures, and new vocabulary. Storytime allows children and young people to:

• Predict what might happen next (“What do you think will happen when the bear sees the honey?”).
• Develop listening skills and concentration.
• Learn to answer questions or recall information.

Interactive stories, where children are asked to repeat lines or act out the story with gestures, keep them engaged and promote language use in an enjoyable way.

Rhyming Games and Phonics Activities

Games like rhyming dominoes or “I Spy” strengthen phonological awareness (understanding the sounds letters make together). This builds the foundation for reading development.

For example, saying: “I spy something that begins with the letter B” teaches children to link sounds and words. Rhyming games such as: “What rhymes with cat? Mat, bat, hat” promote patterns in language.

Turn-Taking and Listening Activities

Group games such as “Pass the Parcel” or board games encourage turn-taking and waiting. Children learn how to contribute to conversations without interrupting.

For instance:

• During “Pass the Parcel”, whoever unpacks the layer during their turn might answer a question or sing a nursery rhyme, giving all children a chance to practise their spoken language.

This helps develop attention skills, processing of spoken cues, and communication.

The Role of Adults in Supporting Play

Adults play a guiding role in encouraging speech and language during playtime. Here’s how they can help:

• Modelling language: When a child uses a one-word response, expand on it. If a child says “car”, the adult might say: “Yes, it’s a red car.”
• Asking open-ended questions: Instead of “Is that blue?”, ask, “What are you building there?” to encourage more descriptive responses.
• Repeating and reinforcing: Repeat what the child says, emphasising correct pronunciation or grammar in a positive way. For example, if a child says, “I goed to park,” respond, “You went to the park? That sounds fun!”
• Encouraging interactions with others: When paired with peers, children develop conversational turn-taking and negotiation skills.

Tips to Enhance Speech and Language Through Play

Some ideas for promoting communication development include:

• Prepare activities for different speech levels. For younger children, use basic vocabulary like “dog”, “cat”, or “ball”. For older children, introduce concepts like “library” or “interesting”.
• Create a language-rich setting with posters, books, and labelling objects with words such as “table” or “chair”.
• Introduce puppets or props in storytelling to make language more engaging.
• Encourage children to describe their feelings during play, using phrases like “I’m happy” or “I feel sleepy”.
• Maintain a playful and positive tone throughout, as children are more likely to engage when having fun.

Supporting Children with Delayed Speech or Communication

Some children may need additional support, including those with developmental delays or English as an additional language. Play remains an inclusive tool for helping children in these situations.

Examples include:

• Using visual aids: Flashcards or pictures help children link words to objects or actions.
• Repetitive songs or games: These build confidence by reinforcing familiar words.
• Sign language or gestures: Using simple signs encourages communication without reliance on speech alone.

Speech and language therapists may also recommend specific activities for these children.

Final Thoughts

Play and activities enable children to practise and develop their speech, language and communication in meaningful and enjoyable settings. Whether through role play, creative activities, or group games, these experiences encourage the skills needed for success in social and educational environments. By supporting these skills with imaginative and interactive opportunities, we help children gain confidence and express themselves well in the world around them.