Play Time!

I'd really like to compile a list of good language play ideas. In the comments section, please share your favorite toys, materials, and activities. I'll get us started:

• Safari Farm has THE best little plastic animals: http://www.healthstones.com/farm_life_store/safari_farm_toy_animals/safari_farm_toy_animals.html Making animal sounds (baaa, mooo, nay-nay, etc.) is a great first step in articulation.
• Check out these plastic fruits and veggies: http://www.thefind.com/family/info-play-vegetable-basket We also got him a set that includes very realistic looking bread, butter, eggs, etc. Great way to expand vocabulary. Ben can now name just about everything in the produce section.
• Babybug Magazine by Cricket Magazine Publishing (http://www.cricketmag.com/ProductDetail.asp?pid=10) is FANTASTIC. Ben loves it.
• Ben was so taken by an illustrated version of Humpty Dumpty in an issue of Babybug that we started playing "Humpty X" for a variety of X. Build a wall out of blocks, put a plastic banana on top, and recite: "Humpty Banana sat on a wall. Humpty Banana had a great fall," and push the banana off. After awhile he was completing almost all of it. Expands noun vocabulary and reinforces the idea of a verb (fall) as an action and prepositions (on/off). He's kind've grown out of this now.