Call Grandma on a banana
Pretend phone calls get toddlers talking
Hold a banana or a block to your ear and have a pretend phone chat with your child. Ask them who they want to call next.
You’ll need
- A banana, a block or anything that can be a phone
How to do it together
- 1
Pick up a banana and say "Ring ring! It's for you!"
- 2
Hand your toddler their own "phone".
- 3
Have a chat: "Hello, Grandma! What did you eat today?"
- 4
Let your child answer, or pretend to be someone else.
- 5
Ask who they want to call next, and act it out.
Make it easier
You do most of the talking, and leave pauses for babbles and nods.
Make it harder
Call a favorite character and let your child be them.
Why it’s worth it
Pretend play is how toddlers practice words. A banana phone gets even quiet kids chatting.
With Weekadoo
In your weekly plan, this idea comes with short pretend-call conversation starters for the parent to use, written for your child
Every Sunday, a plan with a 10-minute idea for each child on weeknights and a family one for the weekend, picked for their ages and what they love.
