Great app to work on language development and pretend play skills for kids with developmental differences!
Community Review for Toca Tea Party
My Take
I love the open play nature of the Toca Boca apps! They allow children to be intensive and practice skills. I also enjoy that a wide variety of ages can come together and play around the tablet. In addition, many children don't have the motor planning or language abilities to participate in pretend play, but need to be included with peers and practice. I love that you can turn and off the radio, choose plates, the drinks and the desserts. I wish they would add in choices to the cleanup part and have kids wash the dishes. It would be wonderful if Toca Boca had a guide with suggestions for teachers and therapists, but giving adults and kids the freedom to be creative in your play together is their goal.
How I Use It
Toca Boca Tea Party is fantastic app to use with in early childhood-1st grade classrooms. An adult should use this app with a small group or 1:1 to work on Language development, following directions, social skills and pretend play. Toca Boca Tea Party is meant as an open ended play app. You can ask a child to pass you the "green cup", "round dessert" or "hot drink" or other identifying features to work on listening skills and descriptive language. In addition, you can help children practice pretend play skills by having stuffed animals sit at one of tea party settings. I have seen many children practice play skills in open end play apps and translate skills successfully to the classroom play area. Work on Social skills by having peers ask one another questions during your tea party and practice asking one another to pass items. I advise you be ready to turn down the volume if the sound is too loud for some children. For children who need to work on dragging and swiping this app is also great because kids have to drag drinks, desserts and plates many times.