By 4 years of age, speech and language skills are becoming more and more complex and the building blocks for reading, writing, and math abilities. They also allow children to share ideas, make friendships, and solve problems. Therefore, it is crucial to foster these skills NOW through PLAY.
These functional games for 4-year-olds will accomplish just that! These games are for 3-4-year-old children and those children who haven't reached the milestones listed below.
Understanding
Speaking
Speech
Unlike other pages, I am not going to break up games based on expressive (speaking) and receptive (listening) skills. At this point, the two are so intertwined, there really is no point.
Instead, the language games for 4-year-olds listed here will target both speaking and listening skills.
How To Play
Before bed, talk about the day using the past tense.
In this activity, the use of past tense verbs happens very naturally. However, be aware that open-ended questions (i.e., How was your day?) can be difficult for some children, especially young children. There are more specific questions below to try at first.
After you ask a question, wait for your child to respond. If the response is correct using the regular past tense verb form, offer praise and ask another question. If your child doesn’t use the correct grammar, say the correct response and ask for a repetition. Then, move on to a new question.
Example Questions
Tips
What You Are Working On
Needed Materials
Dirty clothes
How To Play
Have your child help during laundry and talk about colors
Ideas To Try
Language Skills Targeted
Needed Materials
A house, farm, or any toy with little people, animals, or cars
How To Play
Get on the floor or sit at a table with your child. Start to play with the house or farm. While playing, have the little people or animals take or play with something.
For example, you may give a bottle to a baby. Ask your child “whose bottle is it?” Hopefully, your child will respond with “the baby’s bottle.”
If your child does not respond with the correct response, say the correct answer and ask your child to repeat it. Then, move on!
Tip
Language Skills Targeted
Needed Materials
Any toy
How To Play
Play with your child and ask “what” and “what doing” questions while you play. This may already be happening naturally. Adults tend to ask “what” questions quite frequently. If not, be aware of them and make sure to ask them!
Make sure to ask both “what” and “what doing” questions.
Tip
Language Skills Targeted
Reading is one of the best language games for 4-year-olds or any child of any age for that matter!
Ideas To Try
Don't forget your free eBook! There are lots of great tips in it to make the most out of your reading time.
What You Are Working On:
Needed Materials
Nothing
How To Play
Pick a day to focus on the function of vocabulary words. Throughout the day, while in the car, shopping, playing, eating, etc…., ask your child about the function of different objects.
or
The great thing about this “game” is that your child is exposed to and challenged with a variety of different vocabulary words. Also, your child is thinking about what things do or what you can do with them in their natural environment. The goal is that he/she will start to think in this manner about all new vocabulary concepts...forever :)
Language Skills Targeted
Needed Materials
Time to watch an episode of your child’s favorite show with your child
How To Play
With your child, watch an episode of one of your child’s favorite shows.
While watching, pause the show if you can or wait for the commercial and ask your child to re-tell what is going on. Make sure your child includes:
If your child misses a component, ask a needed question such as:
Once all parts are identified, ask your child to say the story again.
Language Skills Targeted
For ideas on how to target specific speech sounds, click on the links below. These are the sounds a 4-year-old should be able to say within a conversation.
Want help with more speech sounds. We have extensive tutorials, flashcards, and functional games at Speech Talk Members Section. Check it out!
All the games listed here are from our Preschool Talk 2.0 language guide. If you want more language games for 4-year-olds like the ones listed here, this affordable resource might be just what you are looking for.
What's Included:
This eBook is divided into the following chapters:
This eBook is for children who:
Where to Buy:
You can buy this language guide here! Easy!
Bridget is an ASHA certified, practicing speech-language pathologist. She is passionate about providing parents with information on child speech and language development as well as provide functional, easy activities to do at home! Parents have the power to make a real difference. Follow Bridget at Facebook and Pinterest for more fun!