Turn Taking Activities and Speech Therapy Tips
Turn-taking during play is a skill that develops gradually throughout childhood. We don’t expect toddlers to do this INDEPENDENTLY, but we do expect them to be able to take turns WITH help from caregivers.
While we don’t expect toddlers to be experts at sharing, it’s important to introduce the stepping stones toward independent turn-taking at an early age. If your toddler demonstrates severe possessiveness over you or a particular object or person, please consult with your pediatrician for additional support.
3 Tips for reaching your turn taking goals
Tip 1 - Start with an activity where you and your child can participate at the same time
Start by introducing turn-taking during an activity in which you and your toddler can have a turn at the same time. This usually works best with toys that have multiple parts or pieces, like a shape sorter or miniature cars. The goal is for you to be able to take a turn without taking away any of the fun from your child — if your child is pushing cars down a ramp, let them push their car down, and as they go to get a new car, you can push another car down. There should always be enough toys or pieces so that you don’t have to take one from your child in order to take your turn. As you play, talk about whose turn it is, saying “my turn” and “your turn” respectively.
Talking about turns during an activity like this can help your child learn that turn-taking doesn’t mean they have to stop having fun.
Tip 2 - Continue with the same activities, but reduce the number of pieces
In this next stage, the goal is for your child to tolerate waiting a few seconds while someone else takes their turn. It is critical for your toddler to learn that they're going to get their toy back as soon as someone else’s turn is over; frustration during turn-taking usually comes from your child not expecting to get their toy back after someone has taken it. If you’ve been playing with cars on a ramp, now try playing with just one car. Let your child take their turn first, continuing to say “your turn” and “my turn” as you go. Then, take a turn pushing the one car down the ramp yourself.
Your turn should be very fast — as soon as you have the car in your hand, push it down the ramp. Then, immediately return it to your child so they can take their turn again. If you need an intermediate step, try playing with just two cars first. When you take your turn, your toddler can still hold the other car.
Tip 3 - Make turn taking and waiting fun
Lastly, we get to make waiting and turn-taking fun! Waiting for your turn is the HARD part of turn-taking. To help your toddler succeed in taking turns, consider a short song and dance that your child can do while they wait. For example, you could sing, “Wait, wait, wait, I’m waiting for my turn.” You could also create a special waiting dance or make up a special routine that happens while your child is waiting.
The important thing is that you choose something fun for your toddler — this way, they have something enjoyable to focus on instead of dwelling on the fact that it isn’t their turn. Another way to make waiting fun is to do something really silly as you take your turn. If you can entertain your child while taking your turn, they won’t feel the frustration of having to sit and do nothing while watching you have fun.
Download our PDF guide with 3 turn taking activities - speech therapy ↓
Fun speech therapy activity for turn taking
Cardboard Ramp Race
Materials:
a slide or a ramp made out of cardboard
small toys that are able to roll or slide down the ramp. Smooth sided blocks, toy cars, balls, action figures, or toy animals would all work well. Keep it limited to 4 toys or fewer so your child doesn’t become distracted by too many toys.
Set-up:
Set up your ramp or slide in an area where you and your child would like to play. Have the toys handy.
What to do:
In this activity you will be helping your child learn to take turns while rolling toys down a slide.
Say, “I’m going to roll my ball down the slide!” Roll your ball down and make it look exciting so that your child will want to join you. Give your child a ball too and encourage them to roll. When they roll the ball, say “your turn!” While they are retrieving their ball, say “my turn!” Even if your child is resistant to taking turns, you are essentially sneaking in a turn while they are busy getting their ball..
Continue like this, alternating labeling “your turn!” and “my turn!” as each of you rolls balls down the slide. Make sure to quickly take a turn while they are busy finding their ball so they can experience the turn-taking.
Once your child appears to tolerate you having a turn, take your time a little bit to see if they wait. You will say, “your turn!” as they roll their ball. Then wait until your child has returned before taking your turn, making your child wait a few seconds. If they wait for you, go ahead and roll your ball. If they try to take another turn, say “wait, it’s MY turn!” and roll your ball.
Start with a different toy for each of you the first time you play. If your child does well, try making it one toy the next time so that you have to share.
What is nice about this activity is that it is a way for your child to learn what “your turn” and “my turn” means. Even if they continue to be resistant to turns at first, you are still helping them learn what these important phrases mean.
What to say:
When playing this turn taking activity with your little one, here’s what you might say:
You: [child is rolling a ball on the slide] Your turn!
You: [rolls ball while child is getting their ball back] My turn!
You: [child is rolling a ball on the slide] Your turn!
You: [rolls ball while child is getting their ball back] My turn!
Download our PDF guide with 3 activities for teaching turn taking ↓
You May Also Like These At Home Speech Therapy Tips And Activities:
Created In Collaboration By:
Stephanie Keffer, MS CCC-SLP
Stephanie Burgener-Vader, MA CCC-SLP
Melissa Sartori, MS CCC-SLP
Yvette Faire-Bostick, MS CCC-SLP
© 2020-2022. Stephanie Keffer, MS CCC-SLP. All Rights Reserved.
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