Theater games enable the child to role-play different situations. Ask the child to enact a role in a play. Provide her with a script and a description of the character. Explain how the child can become the character by using different types of body language, accents and voice tones. Use this activity to teach different types of verbal communication. Distinguish between assertive and aggressive verbal communication. Talk to her about how she perceives the character based on the character's style of communication.
Story time is a popular activity for children. Story time can be expanded into an activity for developing communication skills. Have the child sit with you. Tell a story and then ask the child different questions about the character. Have the child add to the story. Ask him what might happen next. Write down any difficult vocabulary words on the board and explain what they mean.
The four basic communication functions of how to make choices and requests, getting someone's attention and rejecting an idea are key ideas that should be taught to children at an early age. Ask the child to demonstrate how she would make a request. Suggest different ways she could make the same request. Have different her role-play the different techniques. Repeat the process for the concepts of getting someone's attention, rejecting an idea and making choices.
Place a number of different types of objects in different colors and shapes near the child. Ask him to choose specific colors and shapes that he prefers. Have the child articulate what he likes and why he likes it. Switch up the discussion to talk about different topics such as food and activity preferences.