speech therapy exercises for child

Speech Therapy Activities: 14 Articulation Exercises for Kids

If you’re looking for speech therapy activities you can do at home, in a clinical setting, or within the classroom, you’ve come to the right place. From fun and exciting articulation exercises and games to help develop and teach proper articulation, fluency, and voice regulation, to targeted speech therapy exercises geared toward developing a child’s ability to understand and express emotions through language, this collection of speech therapy activities offers a great way to help children learn and develop through play!

What is speech therapy?

Most people assume speech therapy is focused solely on the development of proper articulation and the correction of speech challenges like stutters and lisps, and while speech therapy certainly helps with speech issues such as these, the work of speech therapists and speech and language pathologists (SLPs) goes much deeper.

In addition to improving speech, speech therapy can also help an individual understand and express themselves through language, which in turn can help with things like reading comprehension, writing, and spelling. Speech therapists can also help develop communication in individuals who are non-verbal, and help treat those with swallowing and feeding disorders.

At home speech therapy

While there are many at home speech therapy games, activities, and toys children with speech challenges can benefit from, you must consult with a trained speech therapist or speech and language pathologist first to determine the scope of your child’s challenges and put together a proper treatment plan. Once that’s in place, there are HEAPS of ways you can help support your child’s speech therapy sessions at home, and we’re excited to share some of our favorites with you!

Note: I am not a therapist or a doctor, I do not have a background in childhood education, and I do not endorse the use of any of the therapies, activities, games, or toys discussed on this website. If you suspect you or your child has a developmental delay or other underlying medical condition, please consult with a trained professional before trying any of these ideas at home.

Speech therapy activities

One of the things I love about Pinterest is that it is FILLED with all kinds of fun activities for kids that help them practice certain skills without them even realizing! There are lots of brilliant speech therapy activities you can do at home to help develop your child’s articulation, language development, reading comprehension, and writing skills, and you don’t need to purchase fancy speech therapy toys to enjoy them. You can improvise with games and toys you probably already have lying around the house, and we’ve even found printables you can download for free.

Learn with Mr. Potato Head. There are so many toys and games that can be adapted for speech therapy, and this post on The Dabbling Speechie will inspire you to get your hands on a Mr. Potato Head set if you don’t already own one!

Read. Repetitive books are a great way to practice articulation, and there are heaps of great children’s books that focus on particular sounds to help with speech therapy, including:

• Silly Sally
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
• The Cat in the Hat
• Fancy Nancy
• One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
• Chick Chick Boom Boom
• Llama Llama Red Pajama

Fun with Straws. Drinking different textures through a drinking straw , or blowing air through a straw to move objects like pom poms are both great ways to develop a child’s oral muscles.

Mini Golf. Grab a set of kids’ golf clubs and set-up this Speech Put Put Game by The Speech Girls !

Duplo Letter Sound Matching. This beginners phonics activity by This Reading Mama offers a great way to practice different sounds with your child. All you need is a pack of LEGO Duplo Basic Bricks , and you can adjust this activity to target all kinds of tricky sounds and words!

Voice-O-Meter Voice Chart. If your child struggles to regulate his or her voice, and can’t distinguish between what an ‘indoor’ and ‘outdoor’ voice sounds like, this Voice-O-Meter Voice Chart on Teachers Pay Teachers is a great place to start!

Sing Songs. All of those silly songs your kids sing in preschool like ‘Row Row Row Your Boat’, ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Start’, and ‘The Itsy Bitsy Spider’ aren’t just for fun. They also help develop language skills! Don’t be afraid to make up your own words and melodies to help practice the sounds your child struggles with most, and remember to keep it fun and engaging so it doesn’t feel like practice.

Poetry. Yes, you read that right. Poetry can help teach things like decoding, fluency, and sight words, and this post on Create Dream Explore will teach you exactly how you can turn poetry into speech therapy activities!

Hot Chocolate Articulation Craftivity. This free printable on Teachers Pay Teachers offers a fun way to practice 20 different S-blend words!

Articulation Bowling. Grab a plastic bowling set and make this Articulation Bowling Activity I found on Consonantly Speaking . It’s one of those easy-to-make activities that keeps kids interested and motivated, which is a win-win in my book!

Roll and Retell. An Apple for the Teacher has a great Roll and Retell activity that helps children discuss and summarize the things they read before putting their thoughts on paper.

WH-Questions Pizza Party! Another freebie, this speech therapy game on Teachers Pay Teachers targets basic WH- and How-Questions to help with language development, reading comprehension, etc.

Play-Doh Mats. Play-Doh offers a calming sensory activity to do both in the classroom and at home, and these Free Digraph Mats by Playdough to Plato can be used to teach tricky sounds to kids who struggle with articulation. Playdough to Plato also offers a Digraph Activity Set, which includes 10 motivating digraph activities to learn the most popular digraphs in words: CH, CK, KN, NG, PH, QU, SH, TH, and WH. Get your copy HERE .

Mega Fluency Pack. If your child struggles with fluency, this Mega Fluency Packet for Speech and Language Therapy on Teachers Pay Teachers helps kids who struggle with things like repetition, interjection, prolongation, and circumlocution.

Whether your child struggles to articulate certain letters and sounds, needs help with fluency, has difficulty with voice regulation, finds it challenging to understand and express himself through language, or is completely nonverbal, these speech therapy activities offer a fun way to help develop the skills he needs for ongoing success.

Remember to practice often, to keep it fun, and to remember these inspiring words by Peter F. Drucker:

‘The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.’

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Speak Clearly: 15 Fun and Effective Articulation Activities for All Ages

Hrideep barot.

• Communication , Public Speaking

Discovering the art of clear and confident speech involves diving into articulation activities, those nifty exercises designed to spruce up how we talk. These activities focus on getting speech sounds just right, covering everything from repeating single sounds to playful games and even reminiscing sessions. Why bother? Well, t hey’re a game-changer for folks dealing with speech quirks, offering a path to better communication, less social jitters, and a confidence boost.

Now, let’s talk about X fun activities for all ages. Kids can enjoy games like Articulation Bingo and Sound Scavenger Hunt. For the middle-aged crew, Word Puzzles and Conversation Cards add a fun twist. Senior citizens can relish Reminiscence Therapy and cozy reading aloud sessions. Each activity isn’t just about talking; it’s a mix of fun, socializing, and honing speech skills.

But the speech journey doesn’t stop there. Tips for speaking clearly and confidently roll in, from regular practice to focusing on pronunciation and even recording yourself. It’s a gradual process, but hey, progress is progress. If you’re serious about levelling up your speech game the following will help.

• What Are Articulation Activities?
• 15 Fun And Effective Articulation Activities For All Ages

Games That Can Elevate One’s Communication Skills.

Why should one practice articulation activities, what are articulation activities .

Articulation activities are exercises or tasks designed to help individuals improve their speech and pronunciation , particularly in terms of producing specific speech sounds accurately. These activities are often used in speech therapy, language development programs, or by educators to address difficulties with articulation, phonological disorders, or speech sound disorders.

Articulation activities may involve various techniques and tools to target specific speech sounds or patterns. Here are some common types of articulation activities:

Isolation Exercises:

These activities involve focusing on a single speech sound in isolation, without combining it with other sounds . This allows individuals to concentrate on the specific movement of the articulators (e.g., lips, tongue) required for accurate production. For example, saying the target sound (/r/, /s/, etc.) repeatedly in isolation.

Syllable and Word Repetition:

This step involves practicing the target sound within syllables and words. This helps individuals integrate the correct sound into different linguistic contexts. For instance, repeating syllables like “ba,” “be,” “bi,” or words like “cat,” “dog,” “ball” containing the target sound.

Minimal Pairs:

Minimal pairs are pairs of words that differ by only one sound (e.g., “bat” vs. “pat”) . Practicing minimal pairs helps individuals distinguish between similar sounds and develop the ability to produce the correct one through auditory discrimination.

Sentence and Phrase Practice:

Extending the practice to sentences and phrases helps individuals use the target sound more naturally and communicatively. This can involve constructing sentences or responding to prompts that incorporate the target sound .

Reading Aloud:

Reading aloud provides a contextualized approach to articulation practice . Individuals read passages, stories, or sentences that contain the target sounds. This helps bridge the gap between isolated practice and using the sounds in real-life situations.

Articulation Games: Making learning enjoyable, games can include board games, card games, or online activities that encourage the repetition of target sounds in a playful manner. This fosters engagement and motivation, especially in younger individuals.

Use of Visual Aids:

Visual aids, such as mouth diagrams or videos, offer a visual representation of correct articulatory movements . This visual feedback enhances understanding and awareness, aiding individuals in mimicking the correct mouth and tongue positions.

Mirror Exercises:

Observing one’s articulatory movements in a mirror provides immediate visual feedback . This self-monitoring approach helps individuals become more aware of their articulation and assists in self-correction.

Role-Playing:

Engaging in role-playing scenarios involves using the target sounds in real-life, communicative situations . This activity not only targets articulation but also integrates social and pragmatic aspects of speech.

Articulation activities are often tailored to an individual’s specific needs and may vary based on the severity and nature of the articulation difficulty. Regular practice and consistent feedback from speech-language professionals or educators are crucial components of successful articulation therapy.

15 Fun And Effective Articulation Activities For All Ages 

Some of the most fun and effective articulation activities are divided into groups based on age ranges – children , middle-aged people, and senior citizens:

For Children:

1. articulation bingo:.

Create Bingo cards with colorful images representing words with the target sound.

Use a variety of words to keep it engaging and diverse.

Encourage children to say the word aloud when marking it on their cards, reinforcing articulation.

2. Sound Scavenger Hunt:

Provide a list of target words, and children can check them off as they find corresponding objects.

Include a mix of common and challenging words to maintain interest.

Make it a collaborative activity, fostering teamwork and social interaction.

3. Story Cubes:

Use story cubes with a variety of images to spark creativity.

Discuss the story together, emphasizing the articulation of words containing the target sound.

Rotate roles, allowing each child to contribute to the story.

4. Silly Sentences:

Encourage creativity by having children come up with their silly sentences.

Provide a mix of words with the target sound and other sounds to create a balanced challenge.

This activity can be turned into a game with points for the silliest sentences.

5. Articulation Charades:

Include a mix of easy and challenging words in the charades game.

This game promotes movement, making it an active and enjoyable way to practice articulation.

Rotate roles so that everyone has a chance to act out and guess.

Check this out for more information and this video to know some fun strategies for children- 

For Middle-Aged People:

6. word puzzles:.

Tailor puzzles to the interests of the group (e.g., themed puzzles related to hobbies or current events).

Provide hints or clues related to the target sounds to make the activity more engaging.

Collaborative puzzle-solving can foster a sense of community.

7. Conversation Cards:

Create cards with open-ended questions that naturally incorporate the target sounds.

Encourage participants to share personal stories, ensuring the use of the target sound in context.

Use a variety of topics to keep conversations interesting and diverse.

8. Tongue Twisters:

Start with simpler tongue twisters and gradually progress to more challenging ones.

Practice each tongue twister multiple times, gradually increasing speed.

This activity enhances articulatory agility and control.

9. Role-Playing Scenarios:

Tailor scenarios to situations commonly encountered in daily life.

Use role-playing as an opportunity to practice articulation in realistic, everyday conversations.

Provide constructive feedback to reinforce correct articulation.

10.Memory Game:

Include images along with words on the memory cards to make it more visually engaging.

As individuals turn over cards, encourage them to say the words aloud and emphasize the target sounds.

Adjust the difficulty level by increasing the number of pairs or using more challenging words.

For Senior Citizens:

11. reminiscence therapy:.

Incorporate prompts related to different life stages to facilitate reminiscence.

Encourage individuals to articulate memories with clarity while engaging in a meaningful and nostalgic activity.

Create a relaxed and supportive environment for open sharing.

12. Reading Aloud:

Choose reading materials that align with the interests and preferences of the group.

Allow individuals to take turns reading paragraphs or pages.

Discuss the content, promoting articulation in a context that fosters comprehension.

13. Sing-Alongs:

Select familiar songs with clear lyrics and melodies.

Singing together provides a social and enjoyable way to practice articulation.

Consider incorporating hand movements or gestures to enhance engagement.

14. Poetry Recitation:

Choose poems with rhythmic patterns and rhymes.

Break down longer poems into smaller sections for easier recitation.

Discuss the meaning of the poems, adding depth to the articulation practice.

15. Articulation Meditation:

Integrate relaxation techniques with articulation practice.

Guide participants through deep breathing exercises while enunciating words with the target sound.

Emphasize the calming and therapeutic aspects of combining mindfulness with speech practice.

Remember, the activities can be adapted based on individual preferences, needs, and the severity of articulation challenges. It’s always beneficial to consult with speech-language professionals for personalized guidance.

1. Among Us:

Among Us, a popular online multiplayer game, requires players to work together on a spaceship while identifying impostors among them. Effective communication, persuasion, and critical thinking are crucial as players discuss suspicions and observations to deduce the impostors.

2. Codenames:

Codenames, a captivating word-based party game, challenges players to connect words using clues provided by their team’s spymaster. The game encourages strategic thinking and improves verbal communication by requiring players to convey information while avoiding confusion.

3. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes:

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a unique cooperative game simulating bomb defusal. Effective communication is essential for conveying complex information quickly and accurately, promoting teamwork, time management, and clear information sharing.

4. Pictionary:

Pictionary, a classic drawing and guessing game, relies on non-verbal communication and creativity. It encourages players to express ideas visually and interpret visual cues, making it a fun and interactive way to improve both artistic and communicative skills.

5. Escape Room Games:

Escape room games, in board or digital form, provide an immersive experience requiring teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication. Players must share information and ideas to uncover hidden clues, fostering collaboration within a team.

Practicing articulation activities is important for several reasons, particularly for individuals with speech sound disorders or difficulties . Here are some key reasons why one should engage in articulation activities:

Communication Skills Improvement :

Articulation activities aim to enhance an individual’s ability to produce speech sounds accurately. Clear and precise articulation is crucial for effective communication , as it ensures that spoken words are easily understood by others.

Enhanced Speech Intelligibility:

Correct articulation contributes to improved speech intelligibility. When individuals can articulate sounds properly, it minimizes the risk of miscommunication and allows listeners to comprehend spoken language more easily.

Building Confidence :

Regular practice of articulation activities, especially when combined with positive reinforcement and support, can boost an individual’s confidence in their speech abilities. Increased confidence can lead to more willingness to engage in communication.

Reduced Social Anxiety :

Individuals with speech sound disorders may experience social anxiety due to concerns about being understood or judged. Articulation activities help address these concerns by improving speech clarity, thus reducing anxiety in social interactions.

Academic Success :

Clear and effective communication is essential for academic success. Articulation activities can benefit students by improving their speech skills, leading to better participation in class, understanding of instructional materials, and overall academic achievement.

Prevention of Academic and Social Challenges :

Articulation difficulties can sometimes lead to academic and social challenges. Addressing these challenges early through articulation activities can prevent potential issues and help individuals thrive academically and socially.

Enhanced Self-Expression:

Clear articulation allows individuals to express themselves more accurately. This is crucial in various aspects of life, including personal relationships, work environments, and social interactions.

Speech Development:

For children, engaging in articulation activities is a fundamental aspect of speech development. The correct production of speech sounds during early years lays the foundation for effective communication and language skills.

Improved Overall Communication Competence:

Articulation activities contribute to the overall development of communication competence. Individuals who practice articulation exercises are likely to develop better phonological awareness, auditory discrimination, and overall communication skills.

It’s important to note that the effectiveness of articulation activities often depends on the individual’s specific needs, the severity of their speech sound disorder, and the consistency of practice. Speech-language pathologists and educators may tailor articulation activities to address the unique requirements of each individual.

In summing up our exploration, getting the hang of clear and confident speech involves diving into the world of articulation activities, understanding their importance, and enjoying the perks of regular practice. These activities, ranging from tongue twisters and syllable repetition to engaging games like Articulation Bingo and Memory Games, form the foundation for getting the pronunciation right and building a base for effective communication. The fun and effective articulation activities we’ve explored aren’t just limited to kids; they cater to individuals of all ages , ensuring that the journey toward clear speech is both personalized and enjoyable.

Digging into the ‘why’ behind articulation activities reveals a host of benefits, from improved communication skills and enhanced speech clarity to boosted confidence and reduced social anxiety. The positive effects stretch to academic and professional success, making articulation exercises a handy tool for individuals aiming to excel in various aspects of life. To speak with clarity and confidence, individuals are encouraged to embrace a holistic approach, including regular recording, mindful pacing, and the artful use of pauses. The journey towards articulate and confident speech is unique for each person, marked by dedication, positivity, and the celebration of milestones . Seeking guidance from speech-language professionals can provide invaluable support along this fulfilling and ongoing journey toward improved communication skills.

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10 Awesome Speech Therapy Exercises To Help Your Clients with Speech Disorders

The practice of speech-language therapy is a challenging, often demanding profession that requires professionals with a master’s level education, a post-graduate fellowship, state licensure, and, more often than not, national certification. Their advanced level of education and training qualifies them to assess, diagnose, and treat a wide array of speech, language, swallowing, and communication disorders.

It’s important work, for sure, but ask any speech-language pathologist (SLP) and they’ll likely tell you it’s also pretty darn fun. After all, it’s one of just a few professions that allow you to get on the floor and play with kids.

What are speech therapy exercises?

Informal, personal interactions marked by focused speech language exercises are at the heart of speech-language therapy. Structured speech therapy exercises are techniques and tools that encourage a child’s speech and language development. They’re a necessary part of improving a child’s speech, language, and communication skills and, when delivered as part of an engaging activity, are fun for young patients while still being a very effective part of therapy.

In fact, if you really want to connect with your pediatric clients, fun activities should be an essential part of every speech therapy session. Creativity should play a big role in your SLP practice. That means always having a new exercise or game in your SLP toolbox. Switching it up keeps your kids – and you, too, quite frankly – interested and engaged. It’s a win-win. A positive speech therapy session means working toward clearly defined SLP goals and having a good time, too. What could be better than that?

Keep things fresh in your practice by implementing new pediatric speech therapy exercises and you’ll soon find you’re having as much fun as they are.

We’ve curated a list of our favorite games aimed at language, voice exercises, speech therapy and more that are sure to get your preschool and school-aged clients engaged, excited, and looking forward to their next SLP session!

Speech and Language Exercises to Keep Your Clients Fully Engaged

You already have the skills necessary to deliver effective speech therapy exercises to your pediatric clients; now it’s time to kick your creativity and resourcefulness up a notch and turn them into games to keep those kids interested. Whether you’re looking for exercises that focus on sensory feedback, articulation, oral motor, or language acquisition, you’ll want to make sure you’re pulling out all the stops and providing them with exercises that are as entertaining as they are effective.

Get Hoppin’

Toss It Around

Bean bags are always a fun addition to speech and language exercises. Get yourself a number of small, lightweight bean bags and keep them handy when you want to practice articulation drills with your kids. Allow your littlest clients to toss a bean bag to you, to each other, or into a basket other container each time they successfully practice their target sound or word. Challenge your older kids by placing baskets at varying distances and encouraging them to hit each basket.

You can also set up a tic-tac-toe board using just a simple piece of construction paper and mark each section with a target sound or word. As you land the bean bags on the squares, you’ll each call out the proper target sound or word associated with that square.

Treasure Hunting Fun

Blow It Away

For many pediatric clients, dysarthria and other speech disorders require SLP exercises designed to strengthen the muscles of the mouth. Blowing through a straw to push a balloon or ping pong ball across the room is a great way to help them work on building these muscles. Create a finishing line and encourage your kids to see how fast they can get the ball across the room. Better still, challenge them to a race to see who can get their ball or balloon across the room first!

Hide-n-Speak

Tell Me a Story

Whether you’re looking to improve a child’s articulation, disfluency, or expressive language, you’ll find that storytelling is a great way to get them talking. Encourage your kids to make silly stories with you by taking turns telling parts of the story. For example, you can start the story by saying, “Once upon a time, there was a big dinosaur who had a cavity but was afraid to go to the dentist.” Your student can then take over the story by telling a few lines and then passing it back to you, and so on until you have created a silly story that’ll leave you both laughing.

I Went to the Store and Bought…

Here’s a great way to get your pediatric clients talking and expanding upon their descriptive word vocabulary. It also requires them to pay attention, which is always a plus! Start the game by saying, “I went to the store and bought milk.” The child then continues the grocery list by adding the item you said, along with a new item. For example, they may then say, “I went to the store and bought milk and fruit snacks.” See how many items you and the child can remember on the list! This is also a great game to play when working with multiple children in a school-based setting. Have them sit in a circle and play the game by moving around the circle and asking each child to add to the list.

Hopping Fun

Hopscotch is another great way to encourage your kids to practice their target sounds or words while getting up and moving! Create a hopscotch board using inexpensive, interlocking puzzle floor mats and then encourage the child to say the target sound or word each time they hop on the hopscotch board. Or, you can also attach target words or sounds to each hopscotch number and ask the child to sound out each word when they hop on it.

Moving Right Along

Toy cars are a fun way to get your younger kids talking. Create a roadway throughout the room using tape or yarn, and make several “stops” that include the target word, sound, or sentence. As the child reaches each stop, encourage them to sound out the target word or sentence before moving on toward the finish line.

There are complementary techniques to support speech therapy. Here’s the Top 5 Alternative and Complementary Modalities to Pair with Speech Therapy.

• Emerson College - Master's in Speech-Language Pathology online - Prepare to become an SLP in as few as 20 months. No GRE required. Scholarships available.
• NYU Steinhardt - NYU Steinhardt's Master of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders online - ASHA-accredited. Bachelor's degree required. Graduate prepared to pursue licensure.
• Arizona State University - Online - Online Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science - Designed to prepare graduates to work in behavioral health settings or transition to graduate programs in speech-language pathology and audiology.

A website dedicated to helping SLPs use PLAY-BASED speech and language therapy so they can save time and have fun!   

50 fun and easy articulation activities for speech therapy.

Articulation cards are a staple in Speech Therapy rooms. Articulation Flash Cards can be used in so many ways with preschoolers and elementary students... buuuttt sometimes they can get boring and repetitive. Check out these articulation card ideas to bring some new and exciting speech therapy activities into your therapy room! You can use these ideas in group therapy or in one-on-one sessions or even send them home for easy articulation homework ideas!

WHAT’S THERE?: Place 5 cards around the room. Ask the child to find and label the card in a particular place. For example, “What is beside the lamp?” -> “ Bee!”

MAKE A ROAD: Place target cards on the floor around the room. Drive cards over the cards. If you have a toy tractor, you can load the cards into the tractor.

FEED THE PUPPET: Feed a puppet the target cards.

FLASHLIGHT HUNT: Pin the cards around a room. Turn the lights off and give the child a flashlight to find the cards.

IS IT A ___?: Ask the child if a card is an item. For example, “Is it a cat?”. You can use the carrier phrases, “No! It’s a ____” or “Yes! It’s a ___.” Have the child complete the blank.

MUSICAL CHAIRS: Place cards on the floor. Play music and when it stops, have the child find a card to sit on.

TAKE PICTURES: Use a camera/phone to take pictures of the cards. Kids find this incredibly motivating!

BOWLING: Put the cards in paper bags. Take turns rolling a ball to knock over the ‘pins’. Say the word when you knock over a bag.

OBSTACLE COURSE: Make an obstacle course out of items that you have. Make sure to go under, over, and between objects! Place cards throughout the obstacle to practice along the way.

‘BUY’ THE CARDS: Play store! Use pretend money and have the child ‘buy’ the cards.

BEAN BAG TOSS: Place cards on the floor. Have the child throw a bean bag on the cards. For more trials, the child can also tell you which card they are aiming at.

BALL POPPER: Stand the cards up using binder clips, or stick them to a wall. Use a ball popper (or bubbles) to aim for the cards.

HOPSCOTCH: Make a hopscotch board out of tape on the floor. Place a card in each square. Say the word when you land on it.

SENSORY BIN: Place the cards in a bin filled with cotton balls, pom poms, and cut up straws - or anything you can think of! Have the child find the items using tongs or tweezers.

JENGA: Place cards between the layers of blocks.

FLY SWATTER: Place the cards around the room. Give the child a fly swatter and have the child ‘swat’ each card. Kids love running between the cards!

TELL SOMEONE: Bring the cards to show the child’s teacher/friend. Ask the student to label each card.

WHAT AM I DRAWING?: Place the cards face up, in front of you and the child. Take turns drawing one of the items. See if you can guess what it is!

HIDE UNDER CUPS: Hide the cards under plastic cups.

SNOWBALL FIGHT: Place the cards upright using binder clips. Use scrunched up paper balls to knock the cards over.

HIDE IN BOOKS: Hide cards in books. You can use Sticky Tack (or hide under flaps!) to stick the cards to the pages. Say the word when you flip to the page the card is on.

HANG AND CATCH: This activity takes a little more prep but it is so fun! Hang string with paper clips from the ceiling. Attach cards and have your students pull the cards off the string.

PLAYDOUGH: Smoosh play dough on the card each time you say the word (make sure your cards are laminated!).

TIC TAC TOE: Print a few copies of your articulation cards and play tic tac toe! Give each player 6 copies of a card.

MAKE A SHAPE: Make different shapes with your cards (square, circle, triangle).

HOPPING: Place the cards around the room on the ground. Hop from one card to another.

SIMPLE DRILL: Pair your card with a drill card and cover each number with a token or a mini object.

ROLL AND SAY: Roll a dice. Say the word the number of times indicated on the dice.

MEMORY: Print two sets of cards and play memory.

GO FISH: Use two sets of cards to play Go Fish.

MEMORY GAME: Place several cards face up on the table. Have the child study the cards. Flip them face down and see how many card the child can remember.

FISHING: Use a magnet and paper clips to create a fishing game.

WHAT’S MISSING: Put 2 or 3 cards on table, face up. Let the child take a quick peek and then close their eyes. Take one card away or turns one card over. Ask the child to guess which one is missing.

MAIL CARDS: Make a mailbox out of a tissue box. “Mail” the cards to family and friends.

EGG CARTON TOSS: Place one card in each section of the carton. Have the child toss a coin into the carton. Say the word on the card where the coin landed.

TELL A STORY: Use several cards to create a story. (This is best for conversation level).

SILLY SENTENCES: Make a silly sentence with each card.

POP IT: Use a Pop it fidget toy and have the child push one section each time they say the word.

USE CLOTHESPINS: Have the child place a clothespin on the card each time they say the word.

COLOR AND CREATE: Use black and white Articulation Cards. Allow the child to color and create their own set that they can use and take home! (My Articulation cards come in black and white and color for this purpose!)

BURY AND FIND: Bury cards under pom poms, cotton balls, or sand. Have the student use a shovel or tongs to find the cards/

BUCKET TOSS: Place cards in buckets. Throw crumbled paper or a ball in to the bucket.

MINI OBJECTS: Lay your cards on the table and cover them with mini objects. Simple but effective!

BUBBLE BLOW: Place cards on the wall using sticky tack or Painter’s Tape. Blow bubbles onto the cards. Say the word when the bubble lands on it.

MICROPHONE/TELEPHONE: Say your words into a telephone or toy microphone. You could also use paper towel rolls.

HOLE PUCH: Print Black and White Cards and hole punch the cards each time you say the word.

MAGNET WAND: Use a magnet wand and magnetic chips. Place a chip on each card the you say the word. Use the wand to pick up all the chips when you are done!

BLOCKS & CARDS: Place a block ad then lay a card on top. Continue until the tower tumbles. See how high you can build the tower before it falls!

SPOON RACE: Place the card on a spoon and see how fast you can make it across the room. Say the word when you place the card on the spoon.

FEED ANIMALS: Use toy animals and have them ‘eat’ the cards. Kids think this is hilarious!

I hope you find these articulation therapy ideas helpful. I know I am always looking for ways to mix it up and keep my students engaged.

The key to all sessions (in my opinion) is to allow a LOT of choices. If you want an Articulation Activity Choice Board (it includes 30 of the no-prep activities listed here ), sign up for my email list (link below) and you’ll get instant access!

If you're looking for some bright and colourful (and black and white) articulation cards, make sure to check out my Articulation Cards for Speech Therapy!

• Speech Therapy Tips and Tricks

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Speech-Language Pathology SLP

| 1 December 2020

15 Speech Therapy Activities and Games for All Ages

Do you have a child, family member, or student who faces challenges with speaking or communicating? Speech therapists use fun activities, from vocabulary games to board games and beyond, to help their clients practice language production. As a layperson, you can try out the same activities with your loved one or student.

The speech therapy ideas in this post are geared toward parents, family members, and teachers who are looking for language games to play at home or in the classroom. Speech therapists, also known as speech-language pathologists , and speech-language pathology assistants may find these suggestions useful for planning therapy sessions. Whether the person in your life needs practice with pronunciation, sentence fluency, or speaking in turn, these activities may help them improve. You can tailor the games to be more or less challenging depending on the person’s age and abilities. Check out the link to printables for some free therapy materials!

Speech Therapy Games for Preschoolers

These fun preschool games are perfect language activities for younger kids.

1. Hopscotch Word Fun

Draw a hopscotch on the sidewalk or driveway and write target words in each box. Then have the player say the words out loud to practice speech sounds as they skip through the game.

Helps with: Pronunciation

One player chooses an item in the room that all players can see, then offers clues so that the other players can guess the item they are thinking of. The player who guesses correctly has to use the word in a sentence.

Helps with: Speaking in turn, sentence fluency

3. The Alphabet Game

While driving in the car or walking around your neighborhood, have the player try to find all the letters of the alphabet on signs. Older players can record each letter they find on a piece of paper. See how long it takes to get all 26! For an added challenge, have them say a word that starts with each letter they find.

4. Bury Objects or Picture Cards

Hide objects or speech cards in a sandbox at the playground or under a pile of leaves, and have the player find them. When they do, have them pronounce the object’s name or the word on the card. To add another element to this game, have them use the word in a sentence.

Helps with: Pronunciation, sentence fluency

5. Word Search

Find a word search that is appropriate for the player’s age, as there are many difficulty levels. When they find a word, have them say it aloud. Download our easy printable word search activity below. It’s perfect for ages 5 to 7.

6. Hide-and-Seek with Words

Have the player find word cards you place around the house. When they find a card, have them pronounce the word on the card. For those who can’t read, use cards with pictures.

7. Articulation Station App

The Articulation Station app by Little Bee Speech is designed for kids ages 4 and up. The app offers practice at the word, sentence, and story levels. It features six activities, including flashcards, matching, rotating sentences, unique sentences, and two levels of stories.

Helps with: Word finding, sentence fluency, pronunciation

Speech Therapy Games for Adults

8. Heads Up! Smartphone Game

Heads Up! is a smartphone app game that combines trivia and charades. (You can download it from the Apple App Store or from Google Play.) The player who will be guessing the word or phrase holds the smartphone on their forehead, revealing the word or phrase to others, who act out clues.

Helps with: Learning to speak in turn

9. Yoga Speech Therapy

Combining speech therapy with yoga can double the fun. Have the yogi practice different sounds and sentences while holding yoga poses.

Helps with: Wor d finding, sentence fluency, pronunciation

10. Opposites Attract

In this game, one player makes a list of words that have a clear opposite, such as “yes,” “down,” “happy,” etc. The player reads each word aloud and the other player states the opposite.

Helps with: Word finding, speaking in turn

11. Group Chat

Set a topic, such as a movie or current event, and create a safe space for players to discuss. This is a great way to practice more natural communication.

12. Name Game

This activity involves naming items within a certain category. The best way to play is with cards that have written directions on them, such as “Name five fruits.” In turn, each player picks a card and responds to the directions. Download our name game activity below.

Helps with: Word finding

13. Journaling

Because reading and language development are interconnected, writing in a journal can help people improve language production and comprehension. Provide a list of writing prompts that the player can choose from. Have them write without stopping for 5 or 10 minutes.

Helps with: Word finding, sentence fluency

14. Name Ten

Similar to the name game, the player is given a category and is asked to name ten things that fit within that category. For example, you can ask the player to name ten colors, fruits, animals, or sports.

15. Sound-Focused Game

Players choose a sound they want to target, such as an “S” or “T” sound. Then they take turns saying sentences aloud using as many words as possible that include that sound. For example, if players are targeting an “S” sound, one player might say, “My sister Sally sat sideways in the seat.”

Helps with: Pronunciation, word finding

Speech therapy activities are a fun way for people of all ages to develop the skills they need to communicate better and gain confidence. Check out our other resources for speech therapists as well.

For those who need more guidance, it may be helpful to work with a speech-language pathologist (SLP), who will create a custom treatment plan based on their client’s unique needs. SLPs earn their Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) degree, in which they are trained in assessing and treating disorders of speech, language, and swallowing. At the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, our MS-SLP program features online coursework and hands-on clinical practice, preparing graduates to positively impact the lives of others.

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) offers a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP). Designed for working students, the MS-SLP is an online program with four required on-campus residencies on either the USAHS Austin or Dallas campus. The program offers two intakes per year, in January and September. Prepare to make a difference in the lives of clients across the lifespan with a meaningful career in speech therapy!

Accreditation Status*

The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology education program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is a Candidate for Accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700. Candidacy is a “preaccreditation” status with the CAA, awarded to developing or emerging programs for a maximum period of 5 years.

*The candidacy status includes the MS-SLP program offered at Austin, TX and Dallas, TX locations.

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41 Free Online Speech Therapy Activities

There are many online speech therapy activities that you can do with your student or child to help them develop their language skills.

These online games and exercises are perfect for the online slps doing teletherapy and will not only be fun for both of you, but they will also provide great benefits for your child’s speech pathology goals and help improve their speech delay!

Fun Games for Online Speech Therapy Activities

In this article, we’ll highlight 41 online resources – including PBS Kids interactive games, Boom Cards, and Pink Cat Games. We hope that these online tools will encourage children to learn about social skills, vocabulary words, communication skills, and more.

The following section is a list of educational games that are great for any speech language pathologist to use during their therapy services.

Collection of Interactive Online Games

Enjoy this list below of online speech therapy games to work on your student’s or child’s speech goals and make your speech therapy session even more fun this school year.

Online Speech Therapy Activities

1. pbs kids.

One of our favorite online resources for speech therapy is the PBS Kids website. This online destination has a variety of fun, interactive games that help children work on their language skills.

Some SLP favorites include: “ Curiou s George Pop the Bubble “, “ Meatball Launcher “, and “ Daniel Tiger Bath Time Helper “.

Do you have students who love to build things? Be sure to check out this list of games: “ Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Sandcastle “, “ Hero Elementary Treehouse Trouble “, “ Hamster Run “, “ Ready Jet Go, Builder “, “ Animal Home Builder “.

All of these games are perfect for children who are in the early intervention stage or those who have autism spectrum disorder. They are also great for helping to build vocabulary skills , story telling , feelings and life skills, such as empathy, respect for others, labeling feelings, as well as others!

2. Boom Learning

Another online resource that we love are Boom Cards.

This online program makes it easy to access educational games that can help your child work on auditory processing skills, receptive and expressive language development, articulation practice, and more!

This online resource is perfect for practicing speech sounds with articulation games, vocabulary words, social skills, and following directions – all of which are important for speech development.

If you’re on the hunt for barrier games be sure to check out Boom Learning then!

SLP favorite free downloads can be found in my list of 917+ free boom cards for speech therapy !

3. pink cat games.

If you’re looking for online resources that are specifically designed for younger children, we highly recommend checking out Pink Cat Games.

This online website has a variety of great games and activities that focus on different language skills, including vocabulary development, following directions and more.

Some of our favorites include: “ Build a Monster “, “ Smarty Pants Animal Race “, and “ Quiz Wheel Game “.

All of these online resources are perfect for children in early intervention or with autism spectrum disorder, as they help to build vocabulary skills, language comprehension abilities, following directions, social communication, and more!

4. Fun Brain

This website has many online activities and games that work on vocabulary, reading comprehension, memory skill development, etc.

These online games are perfect for children who have already developed some language skills, but still need to improve their vocabulary or reading comprehension abilities.

Some of our favorite things on this site are “ Reading “, “ Games “, Grammar Gorillas , Plural Girls to work on plurals , and Simon Sees .

5. Educational Games

If you’re looking for online resources that focus on educational games, we highly recommend checking out Educational Games.

This website has a variety of online activities and games that work on different academic skills, including math, science, grammar, etc.

This online website is perfect for younger children who are just starting to learn their letters and sounds. It has a variety of online games and activities that focus on teaching the alphabet, phonics skills, vocabulary words, etc.

Some of our favorite online speech therapy activities on ABCya! include: “ Make a Cupcake “, “ Make an Ice Cream “, “ Make a Cookie “, “ Make a Pizza “, “ Make a Gingerbread House “, “ Make a Robot “, and “ Let me Grow “.

These online resources are perfect for children who are just starting to learn their letters and sounds, as well as those who need extra practice with their phonics skills. They also work great with younger children in the early intervention stage!

More reinforcement games, such as Happy Clicks, the Game of Battleship, and an Interactive Mr. Potato Head can be found in my list of 21 Best Reinforcement Games for Speech Therapy !

7. Sesame Street Games

This website offers a variety of educational games for children ages two to five. The games are designed to help with skills such as letter recognition, counting, vocabulary, and more.

Here is a list of fan favorites: “ Cooking with Cookie “, “ Ready Set Grow “, “ Brush Those Teeth “, “ Dress up Time! “, and “ Cookie Monster’s Foodie Truck “.

There are several possibilities for targeting requesting, commenting and extending utterances.

8. Match the Memory Game

If you’re on the hunt for memory games then this online memory game is a great way to help your child work on their short-term memory abilities.

9. Baamboozle

This online website is fantastic since it offers pre-made games and activities created by other SLPs that you may utilize or develop your own free games.

Simply search the games using the search bar.

Some of our favorite online speech therapy activities on Baamboozle include games with target words: “ Speech Articulation S Sounds ” by lindseycav, “ Articulation of Two or More Syllables Words in GIF ” by Susan Tourdot, and the “ /ch/ Initial Articulation ” by MG.

These online resources are perfect for children who need extra practice with their vocabulary skills or articulation. They also work great with younger children in the early intervention stage!

10. Meddybemps

If you’re looking for online speech therapy activities, look no further than Meddybemps.

They have a great selection of interactive games and activities that are perfect for helping kids with language skills.

Their games are ideal for children with autism spectrum disorder, communication delays, or other speech-language needs.

11. Jeopardy Labs

Jeopardy Labs is a great online resource for speech therapy activities. The website includes interactive games and vocabulary games that are perfect for teletherapy sessions and helping children develop their language skills.

The interactive games on Jeopardy Labs are a great way to help younger children learn new concepts in a fun and engaging way. The games are also a great way to help improve communication skills.

12. Language Play Room

The language playroom is an online learning center for children to help them learn about language.

They have activities that cover a wide variety of concepts, including reading comprehension and phonemic awareness.

13. iSL Collective Video Lessons

If I had a top pick this website would be it! I personally love using videos to make therapy more fun and interactive.

The iSL Collective is a great online resource for speech-language pathologists.

The website includes a variety of video lessons that cover topics such as grammar skills, vocabulary development, body language, and more!

If you also love using more videos in your therapy to make learning more fun then be sure to check out my list of 31 Best Wordless Videos to Teach Problem Solving .

14. Owlie Boo

This website is really easy for parents and therapists to use.

It offers several excellent games for toddlers and reinforcement games, which are also great for practice.

Poki is a great website with activities that are fun and interactive, and the games can be used as reinforcement while your students work on their specific skills or areas of development.

Poki is a great resource for parents, family members, and therapists looking for fun and digital games to use during therapy sessions.

Some favorite board games include: “ Tic Tac Toe “, “ Connect Four “, and “ Snakes and Ladders “.

16. Toy Theater

It has several free interactive games that you can use with your students. They can play along with you if you share your screen and let the student control (Zoom).

If you’re looking for multiplayer be sure to check out the Goose game and Snakes and Ladders game at Toy Theater.

Some of our favorite online speech therapy activities on Toy Theater include “ Stack ” and the “ Classroom Timer “.

17. Room Recess

Room Recess is an educational website that offers educational games and activities for children.

The site is free, easy to use, and provides educational online resources for kids of all ages.

Room Recess has a large library of educational games for early learners from preschool through middle school including a math tab, reading tab, word tab, lab tab, extras tab, and themes tab.

18. Mystery Animal

The Google Mystery Animal is a 20-question quiz. It’s free and very entertaining for all ages and fun for a variety of goals.

Kahoot is a perfect website for high school students or older students and a great way to review material with a class or as a family.

It is an interactive quiz game that can be used for educational purposes. Kahoot offers many different types of games, including vocabulary and grammar exercises.

SEE ALSO: 21 Best Reinforcement Games for Speech Therapy / Teletherapy

20. quizlet.

Quizlet is a website that has a variety of resources for all grade levels, including interactive flashcards and vocabulary games.

Quizlet also offers a great way to study for exams with its “learn” mode. This mode helps you memorize information from a provided list of terms, definitions, and examples.

21. Cookie  

This site has 13+ great language activities that help students build vocabulary in an engaging way.

22. Global Allied Health

This site is divided by goal area.

These online resources are perfect for teachers who have older children in the school-aged stage!

23. Highlights Kids

This website is jam-packed with secret pictures, making it ideal for vocabulary practice or as a fun reinforcement game.

The website is also a great resource for parents and family members who want to help their children with language development or those that are working on improving communication skills.

The types of activities available on Highlights Kids will keep children entertained while they learn at the same time!

There is something for everyone on this website. It is a great resource for parents and speech-language pathologists alike! Check it out today!

The website Quia.com is an educational website that allows you to create online lessons and quizzes for free. This can be a great resource for finding educational games and activities to supplement speech therapy sessions.

Quia offers a variety of different types of educational games and activities, including vocabulary games and interactive activities for younger children.

The website is easy to use and can be accessed from any computer or mobile device.

Here is a fun game for working on multiple meaning words !

25. Wheel of Names

The Wheel of Names is a fun game that is perfect for using it as a spinner.

For example, you can use it to choose who goes next. Or put vocabulary words in the boxes and then spin and have your student define their vocabulary words.

Another idea is to work on synonyms or antonyms. Place different words, such as big or tall in the spinner and then hit spin. The child then says the best synonym or antonym for that word. 

SEE ALSO: 279+ Free Speech Therapy Digital Materials

26. kids national geographics.

The Kids National Geographic website is a great educational resource for children of all ages.

It features interactive games and activities, educational articles, and videos from the popular magazine.

Children can learn about everything from dinosaurs to space exploration on this website. There are also puzzles and quizzes to help reinforce what kids have learned.

This is a great way to keep children engaged and entertained while learning educational topics.

27. Bou n cy Balls

This is a fun way to manage classroom noise or visualize music.

You can choose from a variety of themes that will help your students visualize the noise in the room!

28. Sheppard Software

This website has a great variety of educational games and activities for younger children.

Their website has hundreds of free, online, learning games for kids.

But anyone interested in online learning can use this site with access to activities in many subjects – (geography, math, animals, science, language arts, creative activities, health).

29. Mr. Nussbaum  

Here is an educational website that features many free resources to help kids.

It offers dozens of interactive games designed to reinforce essential concepts taught in elementary years, and themes that make learning enjoyable.

30. Arcademics

Arcademics is a website that offers educational games for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.

There are over 50 games to choose from, and students can practice math, reading, science, social studies, and more.

The educational games are separated by grade level and subject, so students can easily find what they need.

31. Junior Brain Pop

One educational website that is great for speech therapy activities and games is Junior Brain Pop.

This website includes a variety of interactive games and videos that target a range of skills, including language. The games are all engaging and provide a fun way to work on important skills.

32. Splash Learn

Splash Learn has a variety of educational games to choose from that provide practice in vocabulary, phonology and grammar skills.

It also offers educational lesson plans and ideas, tips on how to use the site, FAQs and more!

33. Turtle Diary  

This site offers a large, free collection of educational games and activities to help children learn. These tools can be helpful for speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, parents and teachers who are looking for ways to support language skills in young children.

The site includes many different types of educational games that will engage your child: vocabulary building games where kids match terms to definitions, interactive short stories that teach grammar and syntax, educational quizzes, math challenges and more.

One of the best features of Turtle Diary is that many of the games are designed for specific age groups. You can easily find activities tailored for preschool students, elementary students or older students. This is a great way to target your child’s specific educational needs.

SEE ALSO: 917+ Best free Boom Cards for Speech Therapy

34. learning games for kids.

This site includes educational games for kids to make learning fun with math facts, language arts, and more.

Want educational games that make learning fun for your students? You’ve come to the right place!

35. Time for Kids

The website ‘Time for Kids’ is a great educational resource that provides articles and videos geared towards children of all ages.

Time for Kids is a great resource for educational activities, making it the perfect place to find digital resources for speech therapy.

It’s also a great way to keep younger children entertained and engaged while practicing their language skills.

Scroll down to the latest articles and stories for the free resources.

36. The Kidz Page   

Here is another educational website that provides free educational games and activities for children.

There are hundreds of free kids games, puzzles, activities, fun coloring pages, clip art & more.

You are sure to find something on this site that will help reinforce what you’re teaching your students in the classroom.

37. Disney Now Games

Disney Now has a great selection of educational games for children.

The games are designed to help kids learn math, reading, and science skills.

There are also games devoted to social skills development.

38. Word Wall

A great way to help young children learn new words and their definitions is by using a word wall.

A word wall is a collection of words, usually posted in a designated area, with each word printed or written on a separate piece of paper or card. The definition of the word can also be included.

This is a great visual aid for children and can help them learn new words in a fun way. It is also a great resource for parents and family members who want to help their child with their language development.

39. Birthday Song

Does your child or student have a birthday coming up?

Then be sure to check out this website where you type your child or student’s name and you can sing the child happy birthday with their name!

40. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Their website also has a few articles of ideas for using online speech therapy ideas that might be worth checking out.

41. Book Trust

If you want your child or student to listen to a free book then be sure to check out this website where your child or student can watch and listen to the interactive children’s books and then play a game, such as the Jigsaw Puzzles , Coloring Pages , or Faces and Feelings .

Conclusion : Online Speech Therapy Activities

Here is a list of 41 online speech-language therapy activities and games to help your child work on their language skills!

These resources are a great way to use online technology and are perfect for children with autism spectrum disorder, communication delays, or other speech-language needs.

They are a great way to improve vocabulary skills, phonemic awareness, reading comprehension, and more. Try out these online resources today!

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Parent's Academy › Activities for Kids › Language Activities › 4 Kids’ Oral Motor Exercises for Muscle Weakness

4 Kids’ Oral Motor Exercises for Muscle Weakness

Stacie bennett.

Speech-Language Pathologist , Trenton , New Jersey

Feb 14, 2022 Parents asked: "My son started to babble like he wants to have a conversation with me. I noticed he doesn't use his tongue. What kind of kids' oral motor exercises should I do?"

Are you starting to think that your child has trouble speaking? Ok, stay calm. If you see your child not using a part of their mouth that they need to use, especially at around 2–3 years old, you need to get them evaluated by a speech pathologist to rule out any type of oral-motor disorder. Articulation issues are just one sign that help may be necessary.

The good news here is that a child who is babbling is attempting to communicate. Babbling is a precursor for language, so if your child is doing that, they are on the track to communicating more through words.

What is an Oral-Motor Disorder? 

Oral motor disorders can fall into three main categories:

• Oral or verbal apraxia : the inability for the mouth to do what the brain tells it to do due to motor planning difficulties;
• Dysarthria: the inability to eat safely or speak clearly due to muscle weakness or sluggishness;
• Delay in the development of musculature for eating .

Causes of Oral-Motor Disorders

Oral motor disorders can be caused by incorrect motor programming of the muscles of the mouth – the brain sends a message to the mouth muscles, but the muscles either don’t receive or misinterpret the message.

Then the muscles don’t move or move in the wrong way, making it difficult to manage food in the mouth and to produce intelligible speech.

Some children may have difficulty remembering the movements, which then makes it difficult to make the sounds automatic.

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Low muscle tone of the lips, tongue, or jaw can be another cause. I don’t know the details about the child in question, but if your child is showing issues with movement of certain parts of their mouth, watch them eating, as well.

If it’s a true issue, they will have difficulty moving food around in their mouths. They may also have issues drinking from straws if they have lip or tongue weaknesses. 

Get Evaluated for Speech Therapy 

If you suspect an oral motor disorder, your pediatrician can refer you to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) who can properly diagnose your child.

The therapist will interview you to see what you are noticing at home, but will also perform an assessment on your child.

This assessment may include the following: 

• Checking for signs of weakness or low muscle tone in the lips, jaw, and tongue.
• Seeing how well the child can coordinate mouth movements by having her imitate non-speech actions such as moving the tongue from side to side, smiling, frowning, and puckering the lips.
• Evaluating the coordination and sequencing of muscle movements for speech while the child performs tasks such as the diadochokinetic rate, in which the child repeats strings of sounds such as puh-tuh-kuh as fast as possible.
• Testing the child’s skills in “real-life” situations , such as licking a lollipop, and comparing this to skills in “pretend” situations, such as pretending to lick a lollipop.

If therapy is recommended, the therapist will instruct you on what movements and exercises you can do based on your child’s weakness.

4 oral-motor exercises for speech clarity to try at home

Here are four toddler activities that include articulation and other speech exercises:

• Blowing bubbles . This is for lip and cheek weakness, but it’s fun and kids will play with bubbles without even knowing it’s therapy.
• Using straws to drink. This works on every aspect of a child’s mouth. Children should be using straw cups by 1 year of age.
• Making funny faces. Have your child look in a mirror and imitate funny faces. Again, these faces will depend on what weakness your child is displaying. Also practicing chewing exercises for toddlers will help!
• Lollipops. Yes, they can be used in therapy. Your therapist will have your child lick the lollipop or different candies using their tongues in different positions so that the tongue gains strength. Doing tongue exercises for speech therapy is very important.

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The author’s views are entirely his or her own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Blub Blub Inc. All content provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgement, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

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I created these free speech and language worksheets so you can easily download and print them out to use as part of your speech therapy program.  Just scroll down the page to view the worksheets by topic.  You will find free speech therapy worksheets for articulation, vocabulary , grammar, holiday articulation and language games…and lots of other miscellaneous speech therapy creations that I love!  If you would like more information on what articulation therapy is you might like to read a post I have written called  Teaching Speech Sounds: The Process of Traditional Articulation Therapy

Parents:  If you are a mommy or a daddy (or grandma or grandpa) who wants to work with your child at home, you can use these speech therapy activity pages for extra practice.  Just choose the sound position to work on (initial, medial, or final) and click on the corresponding link to view and print the worksheets.  To help make practice more fun, you can print out two of the same page so you have pairs, cut them out, and use them to play a game of memory or go fish. You can also use them as flashcards.  You will find free speech therapy worksheets by sound and at a variety of levels; word level, phrase level and sentence levels!

Articulation Worksheets

Speech Sounds in Syllable Wheel

/th/ Sound Voiceless

/th/ Sound Voiced

Grammar Worksheets

Regular past tense.

Irregular Past Tense

Third Person Singular

Vocabulary Worksheets – Holiday and Seasonal Themed 

Fall & autumn memory game, christmas vocabulary 1, christmas vocabulary 2, summer vocabulary, summer vocabulary companion, grammar bingo games – holiday and seasonal themed, grammar bingo games.

Vocabulary BINGO Games – Holiday and Seasonal Themed

Vocabulary bingo - winter, concepts bingo - christmas, conceptual vocabulary bingo - back-to-school, conceptual vocabulary bingo - fall, conceptual vocabulary bingo - spring & easter, lemonade stand bingo - summer, 4th of july vocabulary bingo - summer.

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Fun Speech Therapy Exercises You Can Do at Home with Kids

Virtual speech therapy llc.

• May 16, 2024

Reviewed by Dr. Joyce Richardson, PhD .

If your child is falling behind on their speech and language milestones, you may be working, or considering working, with a speech and language therapist.

In those pediatric speech therapy sessions, your therapist will engage in a series of fun speech therapy exercises tailored to address your child’s specific speech difficulties.

But you might also want to continue these exercises at home or explore some additional activities yourself.

We’re here to give you some ideas.

Importance of Continuing Exercises for Speech Therapy at Home

The benefits of speech therapy shouldn’t be confined to the therapist’s sessions alone.

Parental involvement in continuing speech therapy exercises at home can enhance a child’s progress and development. Here’s why:

• Reinforces Skills Learned in Therapy Sessions: Practice makes perfect, and repetition is key to solidifying new skills. By practicing speech therapy exercises at home, children solidify techniques learned in therapy and improve speech clarity.
• Consistency Matters: Regular practice ensures steady progress and skill development. Just like learning a musical instrument or a new sport, regular practice is vital for skill development in speech therapy.
• Integration into Routine: Rather than viewing speech therapy as a separate activity, integrating exercises into routines such as mealtimes, playtime, or bedtime makes it feel like a natural and enjoyable part of the day. This integration fosters a positive attitude towards speech therapy and encourages active participation from the child

Types of Speech Therapy Exercises

If you know which specific areas of speech and language development your child is struggling with, it may help to know which types of exercises target those specific areas.

Here are a few common types of speech exercises your child may encounter in pediatric speech therapy:

• Articulation exercises: aimed at improving speech clarity and pronunciation .
• Language development activities: to enhance vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension skills.
• Oral motor exercises: designed to strengthen the muscles used in speech production.

If you’re not sure what type of exercises your child needs most, the best thing to do is to consult with a licensed speech therapist. They can evaluate your child and recommend the best course of action.

Fun Speech Therapy Exercises for Home

We’ve gathered some simple yet effective exercises that parents and caregivers can incorporate into their daily routines to reinforce speech therapy goals and cultivate ongoing improvement. Let’s take a look.

Articulation Exercises

• Tongue Twisters: Tongue twisters engage children in repetitive phonetic exercises that target specific speech sounds. Challenge your child to tackle classic tongue twisters like “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers” or “She sells seashells by the seashore.”
• Sound Scavenger Hunt: Encourage your child to find objects around the house that start with a specific sound, such as “b” or “s.” They will have to actively listen for and identify specific sounds in their environment which is great for reinforcing their understanding of sound-symbol correspondence.
• Silly Sound Repetition: Encourage your child to repeat silly sounds like “buzz,” “pop,” or “zoom” multiple times, focusing on clear pronunciation and exaggeration. This will target specific speech sounds while promoting vocal exploration, oral motor coordination, and speech fluency.
• Name that Sound: Play a game where you make various sounds (e.g., animal noises, vehicle sounds) and have your child identify and imitate each sound. This activity enhances phonemic awareness, auditory processing, and sound production skills
• Word Search Relay: Create a word search puzzle with target words related to your child’s speech therapy goals. Have them search for and read aloud each word they find, turning it into a fun competition or race against the clock.

Language Development Activities

• Story Stones: Spark creativity with story stones! Paint or draw pictures on small rocks, and watch your child’s imagination soar as they use the stones to craft their own tales. This activity encourages expressive language skills, narrative development, and creativity as children weave together plots, characters, and settings
• Word Jar: Write different words on small pieces of paper and place them in a jar. Each day, your child can pick a word from the jar and weave it into a sentence. It’s a simple yet effective way to expand your child’s vocabulary and encourage sentence formation.
• Rhyming Bingo: Make bingo cards with rhyming words and call out words that rhyme for your child to match on their card. Rhyming can play a huge role in language and literacy development because it helps children recognize and manipulate sounds, so this is a great exercise for that. 
• Category Sort: Give your child a collection of objects or images and ask them to sort them into categories (e.g., animals, food, toys) while naming each item. This will help strengthen their language development and cognitive flexibility in a hands-on and interactive manner.
• Picnic Basket: In this game, tell your child to imagine going on a picnic and think of things they want to bring. you start by saying “In my picnic basket, I packed sandwiches.” Then your child repeats the previous item and adds a new one, like, “In my picnic basket, I packed sandwiches and a big juicy watermelon.” This is also a great game to play with more than one kid if you have a few.

Oral Motor Skill Exercises

• Straw Rockets: Use a straw to blow small paper rockets across a table or floor. This activity not only entertains but also strengthens oral muscles, promoting better breath control and coordination.
• Straw Painting: Dip a straw into paint and blow it onto paper, encouraging controlled airflow and muscle coordination. This activity fosters artistic expression while enhancing oral muscle strength and control.
• Bubble Pop: Have your child practice controlled breathing by blowing bubbles and then trying to catch and pop them before they hit the ground.
• Straw Tower: Challenge your child to stack small objects using only a straw to blow them into place, promoting oral motor control and coordination.
• Chewy Snack Time: Offer your child chewy snacks like dried fruit or chewy granola bars as a tasty way to exercise their jaw muscles. Encourage them to chew slowly and thoroughly, focusing on strengthening their oral muscles.

Practical Tips for Implementing Speech Therapy Exercises at Home

Now that you have some ideas to get you started, here are some practical tips to help you make the most of your at-home speech therapy sessions.

Make it fun

In successful speech therapy, enjoyment is key. When exercises are fun and engaging, children are more likely to actively participate and maintain their focus.

By infusing elements of play, creativity, and interactive learning into the exercises, you can boost your child’s enthusiasm and willingness to take part.

Praise their efforts

Remember to acknowledge and celebrate your child’s efforts and progress. Praising their achievements fosters a positive attitude towards speech therapy and motivates them to continue practicing at home.

Be consistent

Consistency is crucial for effective speech therapy. Set aside dedicated time each day for speech therapy exercises and stick to the schedule as much as possible.

Consistent practice reinforces learning and helps your child develop and retain new speech skills over time.

Break it down

Break down speech therapy exercises into manageable tasks or steps to prevent overwhelming or frustrating your little one.

Start with simpler exercises and gradually increase the complexity as your child becomes more confident and skilled.

Stay patient and positive

Speech therapy progress can take time, so it’s important to remain patient and positive throughout the process.

Encourage your child, offer support and reassurance, and celebrate their achievements, no matter how small. A nurturing and positive environment will keep your child motivated and engaged in their speech therapy journey.

Supporting your child’s speech development at home isn’t just a bonus, it’s key to their speech therapy progress and success.

If you’re looking for some professional support from speech therapist experts, consider Virtual Speech Therapy LLC.

Our team of experienced therapists offers online speech therapy services for children and adults from the comfort of your own home.

We also prioritize teaching parents and caregivers so they can continue integrating the skills their kids learn in our sessions at home.

Reach out and schedule a session with us today !

More on Speech Therapy

Complete Guide: Preparing for Your Kid’s Speech Therapy Evaluation

Language Development Activities for Infants & Toddlers

Articulation vs Phonological Disorder: What’s the Difference?

How Much Does Speech Therapy Cost?

Signs of Tongue Thrust in Adults And How to Treat It

8 Common Symptoms of Autism in Women

Empower your voice.

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6 Free Online Speech Therapy Resources For Kids

As parents, you know there are many ways to enrich your child’s speech and language skills, including games, books, and language modeling activities. Online speech therapy resources offer your child a way to refine and practice their speech and language skills at home. Sometimes your child needs a little extra speech therapy, whether it is to refine certain skills they are learning on at school, reinforce what they are working on with their SLP, or just an extra resource to help build speech sounds. When looking to enhance your child’s speech therapy using online resources, we have located a few favorites that won’t take a bite out of your wallet.

Looking for Virtual Speech Therapy?

Speech Buddies Connect is the first online network for parents to find and book appointments with top-quality, certified & local speech professionals. You can filter your search to find Speech-Language Pathologist that offer virtual therapy in your state.

The Best Tools & Games for Speech Practice at Home

Speech Delay Book Bundle:  This Speech Delay Book Bundle encourages first words. Memorable songs and silly questions entice children to express themselves and help speech delay. These books are great for children ages 1 year to 6 years old and are perfect for any child learning to talk.

6 Favorite Online Speech Therapy Websites:

StoryPlace.org :  StoryPlace.org is a website that has a number of online stories and interactive activities for preschoolers and elementary-aged students. Each theme includes an online story, online activity, printable “take-home” activities and suggestions for parents. A booklist that corresponds to each theme is also offered.

FunwithSpot.com  is a cute website for preschoolers and young children. Children familiar with the Spot book series will love the fun language-based games. There are also parent and teacher resources.

FunBrain.com ;  This website offers a number of free online games for kids. Games touch upon a variety of topics, including vocabulary, grammar, reading, math and some that are just for fun! Check out Plural Girls, Grammar Gorillas or click on the reading tab for some great language activities.

Scholastic.com :  Scholastic.com’s Family Playground is a great website for preschool and school-age children and their parents. This website includes a variety of games and activities for children related to popular characters and children’s books such as Clifford, Magic School Bus, Walter Wick, and I Spy.

Articulation Games (by Tracy Gefroh Boyd) :  This is a great site where children plan a variety of games to practice r’s, s’s, l’s, sh’s and ch’s.

The Tongue Twister Database:  A fun collection of tongue twisters to practice speech sounds and giggle at the same time!

Tell us some of your favorites! We’d love to build our collection!

Looking to Put Your New Tablet to Use?

An important part of using online speech therapy tools is to interact with your child while he or she is online. The best online speech therapy sites are not intended to engage your child passively, (think staring at a video game on tv), rather they are to be used as a tool to engage your child and get his brain making connections. Making learning fun is also a crucial component to get your child engaged. Playing online speech therapy games should not feel like homework for your child, rather, a fun activity that you can do together. Here are a few of our favorites, what are some of yours?

Update: The Speech Buddies Team just added some boards to the FREE Bitsboard app !  It’s easy to download and play speech games today on your iPad or iPhone! Bitsboard is a revolutionary app that allows anyone (educators, education companies like Speech Buddies, and even parents) to customize fun, visually pleasing, and versatile games around a given theme.

We share belief that iPad/tablets in general will revolutionize children therapy. We created comprehensive tool for children with development or behavioral disorders, it’s called DrOmnibus.com Feel free to check it out, each of our games focus on one particular skill (also speech skills!). Right now it’s available on Android, but we aim to launch on iPads in June :)

Thanks for the tip Simon, we’re looking forward to checking it out.

Comments are closed.

At-Home Speech Therapy Exercises To Do With Your Kids

During the height of COVID-19, school children across the country had to transition from traditional in person classes to strictly online learning.

When it comes to childhood education, online learning boasts several unique advantages.

For instance, online learning helps your child develop valuable digital and information technology skills.

Additionally, it can help parents and extended family members feel more included in their child’s learning journey.

However, these advantages can sometimes come at a cost.

For example, many children struggle to pay attention when learning from home.

And while we do offer speech therapy treatments for ADHD , it’s not always related to that.

Here at District Speech, we know all too well the challenges of making sure that your kids are getting the education they need when they can’t be in school.

We also know that it can be difficult to keep them motivated while they’re stuck at home.

In fact, this 2020 research study lists student lack of interest and motivation as one of the major challenges for online learning amongst the COVID-19 pandemic.

There’s a lot of methods you can use to help spark your child’s interest in at home learning, but what if you could help them build their vocabulary as they play?

Here at District Speech, we’ve devised some fun speech therapy for kids that you can do with your children at home.

If you’d like to know more about pediatric speech therapy, we also offer speech teletherapy so that we can help guide you through speech therapy exercises remotely.

In the meantime, check out these ways to turn playtime into speech therapy exercises, and have so much fun they won’t even realize that they’re learning.

1. Reuse Your Plastic Easter Eggs

Remember those old holiday decorations you have stuffed in a closet?

Why not make use of them?

Easter might seem like it was months and months ago, but there’s still more you can get out of it.

The great thing about plastic Easter eggs is that they’re extremely versatile when it comes to arts and crafts.

If you still have small plastic Easter eggs at home, you can use them to develop your kids’ verbal routines.

You can help them associate phrases to meaning.

For instance, shaking the egg while repeating “shake, shake, shake” helps your child associated the word “shake” with its meaning.

You can also open the egg while repeating “open, open, open”.

Then, give them a chance to play and encourage them to say “shake” and “open” as they explore the egg.

You can also try “knock, knock, knock… open” while getting your children to try knocking on the egg.

Encourage your kids to ask questions about where things are when they are hidden in the egg.

This is a great chance to practice prepositions.

Eggs are also a great way to teach your kids to recognize when to say “hello” and “goodbye.”

Try putting toys in and out of the eggs while waving and saying “hello” and “goodbye” as you open and close the egg.

Haven’t got any leftover Easter eggs?

No problem.

You can still practice prepositions and other language skills with your child using speech and language phone apps, such as Splingo’s Language Universe and Articulation Station .

2. Practice Your Verbs With Play Doh

Play Doh has been one of the most popular kid toys for generations.

One of the reasons kids love it so much is its versatility.

From making fun sculptures and new shapes to rolling it between your palms to create colorful little snakes – Play Doh can keep your child busy for hours.

At District Speech, we like to recommend yet another use for Play Doh: speech and language skill development.

Many people don’t realize that Play Doh can double as a learning tool for speech therapy.

However, Play Doh is a common speech language pathology tool for children .

For example, consider asking your kids to make things with Play Doh, and then ask them to explain how they did it in sequence, as though they are teaching you.

This exercise can be particularly helpful for children diagnosed with a speech disorder, such as childhood apraxia of speech or stuttering.

RELATED: What Is Stuttering And How Can A Speech Therapist Help?

Sculptures aren’t the only thing you can build with Play Doh.

It’s also a great tool in building your child’s vocabulary.

Take the chance to introduce them to verbs relating to fabrication, such as close, cut, push, open, roll, smash, squeeze and take out.

3. Play With Toy Cars

Toy cars are another classic kid’s toy that can be incorporated into your kids’ at home speech therapy.

When your kids play with toy cars, they can learn how to follow directions – both spatially and in terms of instructions.

If your kids have a track, even better.

You can build a race track or road together by telling them which pieces to add, and when.

If you don’t have a race track, you can use household objects to come up with a route.

It might go around a chair leg and under a table, for example.

Or, you can take the fun outdoors and use sidewalk chalk to design your very own race track.

RELATED: Kid’s Speech Therapy Exercises You Can Do With Sidewalk Chalk

Your – and their – imagination is the limit.

4. Play The Board Game “Guess Who?”

“Guess Who?” is a popular children’s game that gets you to ask a variety of questions in order to determine your opponent’s card.

It’s all about describing the appearance of people.

When playing the game, kids can get used to identifying different facial features and describing people from a wide range of backgrounds.

In the process, your kids get to practice their articulation skills in a fun way.

Structured games like this also provide the opportunity for children to understand the importance of rules and turn-taking, as well as their language skills.

5. Play With Blocks

Using building blocks can support symbolic play, which is the ability to understand that one object represents another.

For example, your kids might stack bricks and say that it’s a mountain, or stack two bricks and say it represents a house.

Encourage your children to be imaginative and to build fantasy worlds, or scenes where there are a lot of things to see.

You can even encourage them to build the people and places they read about during story time.

RELATED: The Benefits Of Reading To Your Child

You can add to the fun by including some of their regular toys in with their blocks.

They’ll be building houses for the teddy bears to live in no time.

Book An Appointment With District Speech

Speech is an important stage of development and we don’t want any child to miss out when they’re at home.

These exercises are only some of the ways that you can support your kids’ speech and language development from home.

There are many more different types of games and toys that promote articulation and other speech and language skills.

Even Mr. Potato Head can help!

If you’d like to make the most out of your playtime opportunities with your children and you would like help keeping them educated and entertained, book an appointment with District Speech.

Our speech therapists are experienced in working with children and building speech capabilities.

During your first appointment, you and your speech therapist will chat about what you’d like your kids to work on most, and the specific challenges you’re facing.

From there, we’ll come up with ideas that work for you and your family to keep your kids on track with their speech and language abilities.

Book your appointment with District Speech today .

District Speech and Language Therapy specializes in speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy solutions, for both children and adults, in the Washington D.C and the Arlington Virginia areas.

Ways to Exercise with Your Child & Incorporate Speech Therapy for Kids

Use these kid-friendly exercises to get your mind and body moving and practice speech therapy goals with your kids!

In this article we will discuss:

Exercise and speech therapy practice tips

Fun exercises and games for your child in online speech therapy for kids, rewards for speech therapy practice, online speech therapy for kids.

Incorporating physical activity and exercise into your child’s life is essential not only for mental and physical health, but also for growth. Research by Marijke Mullender-Wijnsma et al showed that kids learn better when they’re moving. Pairing a body movement with a speech and language goal can help parents and children work together to keep their mind and body flowing!

Emphasizing fun is important for your child. Whether this is through a sport or a task they enjoy, you can be the role model for your child. If they see you enjoying a physical activity, they are more likely to want to join and practice alongside you. All of the tasks and exercises below are developmentally appropriate, but they can also be modified for older children based on their interests.

Having tangible items integrated into each activity can also aid in improved attention to tasks. For example, when playing hopscotch, have your child throw a ball back and forth with each turn. They will be actively participating in this game, and thus be more attentive to the task.

Need help with your child's speech development?

Many parents are familiar with playing hopscotch from their own days on the playground. Hopscotch is a versatile game when it comes to incorporating practice of speech sounds, and can be played indoors or outdoors. Indoors, you can use painter’s tape to make the squares, or your carpet may already have a pattern to follow. Outdoors, you can use sidewalk chalk to draw your own hopscotch game, or visit a park or playground that has one painted on the ground.

Have your child pronounce a speech sound, words, or a phrase they need to practice every time they hop to a new box. You can have them pronounce one syllable of the word each time they hop. Once your child has gone through 10 words, you can have them increase complexity and/or receive their target reward.

You can even write the words or syllables to repeat in each box, to make it easier to remember. Use one-syllable words, or choose multi-syllable words, and write one syllable in each box. If you want, you can also create a sentence or phrase for your child to repeat.

Here are some examples of multisyllabic words to repeat/write in the boxes (remember to use age appropriate words for your child):

Here are some examples of words targeting specific sounds (for this example, we target the sound /k/ in medial position):

Here are some examples of phrases you can have your child repeat:

My/name/is/James.

I/am/four/years/old.

Using phrases will also provide your child with a step by step direction on how to construct a sentence that is grammatically correct, while also playing a game that is fun! Download our Hopscotch for Speech pdf to see more fun ways to use this activity!

Lily Pad Jump

Create lilypads out of construction paper (click here to download our outline) and create a pathway on the floor for your child to follow. Or, outdoors, draw the lily pads somewhere safe with chalk.. Have them start at the first lilypad, and then jump to each lilypad along the path by following your instructions written on each lilipad (see examples below). Once your child reaches the final lilypad, they win!

This game incorporates following directions, receptive language skills, and language comprehension, including wh-questions such as what, where, why, etc.

Give your child a prompt which either provides them with a 1-step direction or a wh-question. See the following examples:

“Jump 1 time and clap your hands.” (If they do the task correctly they get to move forward to the next lily pad.)

“Jump 2 times and touch your toes.” (If they do the task correctly they get to move forward to the next lily pad.)

“Answer this question: Where do farm animals live?” (If they respond correctly they get to move forward to the next lily pad.)

“Answer this question: What color is a panda bear?” (If they respond correctly they get to move forward to the next lily pad.)

Kettlebell or Weight Workouts

If you like kettlebell or weight workouts, try this! While you are working out using your kettlebells or weights, have your child use children’s kettlebells or weights, soup cans, or any child friendly object so that they can work out with you as well. During each rep, have your child repeat a target phrase and/or word that they are working to perfect. For example:

Window: Win- (up) -dow (down)

Necklace: Neck- (up) -lace (down)

Water: Wa- (up) -ter (down)

Bucket: Bu- (up) -cket (down)

Bacon: Ba- (up) -con (down)

Jumping Rope

This task can be done indoor or outdoors. Jumping rope allows you to target phoneme segmentation or syllable segmentation with each jump. You can alternatively target word segmentation (when learning to produce a multisyllabic word). For example:

Real (jump)

Pract- (jump)

Gets (jump)

sults (jump)

Scavenger Hunt

While not technically an exercise, this can be a fun way to get your kids up and moving! Families can incorporate a different version of this to ‘find’ different items around the house. You place specific toys around the house, with tasks (written on post-it notes or index cards) along with them. These tasks can include things such as:

Jump 5 times

Say “bucket” 10 times

Clap your hands 3 times

Say “water” 5 times

Feel free to use whatever sounds or words your child is currently working on in speech therapy for kids. Then tell your child you’re going to play a fun game called “Find Your (Animal) Friend.”

Start by asking your child to go find the Owl.

When your child finds the Owl, read the post-it note: “Great job! Now, say the word ‘Owl’ five times, then go and find the Giraffe.”

Continue with different animals or toys.

Be sure to target language goals, like working on consonants, the “R” or “F” sounds, etc. For example, the Giraffe is a great toy to use for practicing “R.”

Yoga for speech practice

Parents often use yoga as a way to relax amidst their daily routines and schedules. You can invite your child to practice yoga with you. During yoga, children of all ages can target speech therapy goals. For example:

Hold a speech sound: While both you and your child are holding a yoga pose, hold a speech sound (such as /m/) for the period of the pose. This is a task that can target voice, speech sounds, and breath support.

Drill: While in a downward dog pose, use a ‘drill method’ to target a list of vocabulary words. Repeat a target word for a specific amount of times while holding the pose. You can also target a list of specific words, moving through the list as you hold the poses.

“ Should I reward my child when they practice their speech? ”

We often receive this question from parents. Rewards come in many forms. Not all rewards have to be tangible and/or unhealthy. You can even come up with the next task as a reward once you have gauged interest from your child.

At Better Speech, we know that you deserve ideas and therapy that works for you and your family. We have experts in your child’s speech needs and assign the right therapist; not just the therapist that happens to be in your area. We offer online speech therapy services convenient for you and tailored to your child's individual needs. Our services are affordable and effective - get Better Speech now.

About the Author

Cheri Gipson

I am a speech-language pathologist who specializes in language skills and pronunciation. I obtained my Master’s of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Western Illinois University and I have worked in the field of speech pathology for over 20 years. One of the things I enjoy most is helping people learn.

In my spare time, I enjoy writing tips on how to improve online teaching for both the larger language schools and also as a private ESL teacher. Teaching is my passion, and I love seeing students make progress. Every day is a new adventure, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help people learn and grow!

• Articulation Speech Therapy

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I'm not an English native speaker and I wanted to improve my speech. Better Speech onboarding process is AWESOME, I met with different people before being matched with an AMAZING Therapist, Christina. My assigned therapist created a safe place for me to be vulnerable and made all the sessions fun and helpful. Thanks to her, I received great feedback from my clients.

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​ Better Speech is an excellent opportunity to improve your speech in the convenience of your home with flexible scheduling options. Our therapist Miss Lynda was nothing short of amazing! We have greatly appreciated and enjoyed the time spent together in speech therapy. Her kind, engaging and entertaining spirit has been well received. She will surely be missed.

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FREE Speech Therapy Exercises and Resources for Children

Our exclusive collection of free pediatric speech-language pathology resources.

Explore our exclusive collection of downloadable proprietary pediatric resources, specially designed by the Open Lines® team of expert licensed speech-language pathologists. These educational tools and speech therapy exercises were designed specifically to strengthen carepartner knowledge and to support the growth of every child’s speech, language, and cognitive-communication skills!

Vocabulary: How many words should my child have?

Developmental Red Flags: Signs your child may have a receptive-expressive language delay/disorder.

Typical age and development of skills for learning to talk

Tips for supporting language development at home

What articulation errors are developmentally appropriate?

Play Skills: Typical age and development of skills

Typical age and development of babbling skills from 0-12 months

Average age of speech sound acquisition

How much of my child’s speech am I meant to understand?

Visualize overall progress: Hierarchy of articulation skill development

Visualize articulation accuracy and progress

Word Lists: SH beginning of word

Word Lists: SH middle of word

Word Lists: SH end of word

Word Lists: CH beginning of word

Word Lists: CH middle of word

Word Lists: CH end of word

Word Lists: R beginning of word

What’s the difference between voiced and voiceless sounds?

What is speech and what does an articulation delay look like?

What’s the difference between receptive, expressive, and pragmatic language?

Got something to say but it’s not the right time?

Not sure how to ask for help? Try these tips!

Linking Language: Visual tool to help your child share their stories

How do children become bilingual?

Bilingualism: Know the Facts

What is language and what does a language delay look like?

Purchase Our Exclusive Speech Therapy Exercises for Articulation Therapy and Phonology Therapy!

Open lines® is excited to offer our first exclusive product available now for purchase all open lines® products are created by doctoral level and expertly-trained speech-language pathologists..

• Designed by the Open Lines® team of expert, licensed speech-language pathologists
• Sold individually or in a bundle
• Targets common articulation errors or phonological processes that occur in children with speech sound delays
• Exercises include suggested activities and instructions about how to provide cues and support along the way
• Features minimal pairs, words that differ by one sound but have completely different meanings (e.g., “Tan” vs. “Can”; “Wing” vs. “Ring.”)
• Uses the minimal pairs approach, a research-based therapy technique that shows a child that the way they say their sounds matters!

This product is ideal for caregivers who are looking to support a child’s speech sound development by improving speech clarity and communicative confidence!

This product is available as a complete bundle that includes all of the following phonological processes or purchase each process separately at the links below:

• /k/–/t/ (e.g., “Can” vs. “Tan”)
• /g/–/d/ (e.g., “Go” vs. “Doe”)
• Final Consonant Deletion (e.g., “Plane” vs. “Play”)
• Final Consonant Devoicing (e.g., “Bug” vs. “Buck”)
• /f/–/p/ (e.g., “Cough” vs. “Cop”)
• /f/–/b/ (e.g., “Phone” vs. “Bone”)
• /s/–/t/ (e.g., “Sew” vs. “Toe”)
• /s/–/d/ (e.g., “Sun” vs. “Done”)
• /z/–/d/ (e.g., “Zoo” vs. “Do”)
• /v/–/b/ (e.g., “Vest” vs. “Best”)
• /sh/–/t/ (e.g., “Shoe” vs. “Two”)
• /ch/–/t/ (e.g., “Catch” vs. “Cat”)
• “juh”-/d/ (e.g., “Jog” vs. “Dog”)
• “th”–/d/ (e.g., “They” vs. “Day”)
• /s/ clusters (e.g., “Snail” vs. “Sail”)
• /l/ clusters (e.g., “Blue” vs. “Boo”)
• /r/ clusters (e.g., “Frog” vs. “Fog”)
• /l/–/w/ (e.g., “Lay” vs. “Way”)
• /r/–/w/ (e.g., “One” vs. “Run”)
• Corresponding picture cards
• Clear instructions for practice activities in caregiver-friendly language

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15 Speech Therapy Exercises For Children With Autism

Enhancing Communication: 15 Speech Therapy Exercises for Children with Autism-Speech therapy plays a pivotal role in the developmental journey of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by challenges in social interaction, communication, and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Among these challenges, communication deficits are one of the most significant areas affected in children with ASD. However, with appropriate interventions, including speech therapy exercises, significant improvements can be achieved. In this article, we will explore 15 effective speech therapy exercises tailored specifically for children with autism, with a focus on the utilization of play therapy and the Miller Method, as implemented in clinics like the Autism Center for Kids.

Speech Therapy Exercises Understanding the Role of Speech Therapy

Speech therapy for children with autism encompasses a range of techniques and exercises aimed at improving communication skills, including expressive language, receptive language, pragmatics, and articulation. These exercises are designed to address the unique needs of each child and are often integrated into their daily routines to maximize effectiveness.

• Play-Based Communication Activities : Incorporating play into speech therapy sessions can enhance engagement and motivation. Activities such as playing with toys that involve turn-taking, imitation, and labeling can help develop language skills in a natural and enjoyable way.
• Social Stories : Social stories are short narratives that describe social situations in a simple and structured manner. They can be used to teach children with autism about appropriate social behaviors and communication strategies in various contexts.
• Visual Supports : Visual supports, such as picture cards, schedules, and visual cues, can help children with autism better understand and communicate their needs and preferences. These supports provide a concrete way to represent language and concepts, making them easier to comprehend.
• Echoic Training : Echoic training involves prompting the child to repeat sounds, words, or phrases spoken by the therapist. This technique can help improve speech clarity and articulation skills by encouraging vocal imitation.
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices : For children with limited verbal communication abilities, AAC devices, such as communication boards or speech-generating devices, can serve as valuable tools for expressing thoughts, needs, and desires.
• Joint Attention Activities : Joint attention refers to the ability to share focus on an object or event with another person. Speech therapy exercises that promote joint attention, such as pointing to objects of interest and following gaze cues, can facilitate communication development in children with autism.
• Functional Communication Training (FCT) : FCT involves teaching children alternative ways to communicate their needs and desires effectively. This may include teaching them to use gestures, signs, or picture symbols to request items or express themselves.
• Pivotal Response Training (PRT) : PRT is a naturalistic intervention approach that targets pivotal areas of development, such as motivation, responsivity to cues, and self-regulation. Speech therapy exercises based on PRT principles focus on increasing the child’s interest and engagement in communication activities.
• Verbal Behavior Therapy : Verbal Behavior Therapy (VBT) is a form of applied behavior analysis (ABA) that focuses on teaching language by breaking it down into functional units, such as manding (requesting), tacting (labeling), and intraverbals (conversational skills). VBT techniques can be incorporated into speech therapy sessions to target specific communication goals.
• Sensory Integration Activities : Many children with autism have sensory processing difficulties that can impact their ability to communicate effectively. Speech therapy exercises that incorporate sensory integration techniques, such as deep pressure massage or sensory bins, can help regulate sensory input and improve communication skills.
• Narrative Therapy : Narrative therapy involves using storytelling as a means of enhancing language comprehension and expression. Speech therapy exercises based on narrative therapy principles encourage children to sequence events, describe characters and settings, and create imaginative stories.
• Desensitization Activities : Some children with autism may have aversions or sensitivities to certain sounds or sensations, which can interfere with their communication development. Desensitization activities, such as gradual exposure to auditory stimuli or tactile sensations, can help reduce these sensitivities and increase tolerance.
• Peer-Mediated Interventions : Peer-mediated interventions involve pairing children with autism with typically developing peers to facilitate social interaction and communication. Speech therapy exercises that involve structured play activities or cooperative games with peers can help children with autism learn from their peers’ communication behaviors.
• Parent Training and Involvement : Parents play a crucial role in supporting their child’s communication development. Speech therapy sessions may involve coaching parents on how to implement communication strategies and exercises at home, fostering consistent practice and reinforcement outside of therapy sessions.
• Miller Method Techniques : Developed by Dr. Arnold Miller, the Miller Method is an innovative approach that focuses on addressing the underlying sensory and motor challenges associated with autism. Speech therapy exercises based on the Miller Method often involve structured movement activities, rhythmic patterns, and tactile experiences to promote communication readiness and coordination.

Integration into Clinic Settings:

Clinics like t he Autism Center for Kids provide a supportive environment for implementing speech therapy exercises tailored to the unique needs of children with autism. These clinics offer multidisciplinary services, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, and behavioral therapy, allowing for a comprehensive approach to intervention.

At the Autism Center for Kids, the therapists collaborate closely with other professionals to develop individualized treatment plans that address each child’s specific communication goals and challenges. The use of play therapy and the Miller Method techniques are integrated into therapy sessions to create engaging and effective learning experiences for children with autism.

Therapy plays a vital role in helping children with autism develop essential communication skills that are fundamental to their overall development and quality of life. By incorporating a variety of speech therapy exercises, including play-based activities, AAC devices, and sensory integration techniques, therapists can support children with autism in reaching their full communication potential. With the support of clinics like the Autism Center for Kids and the implementation of innovative approaches such as the Miller Method, children with autism can make meaningful progress in their communication abilities, empowering them to better connect with others and navigate the world around them.

Speech Therapy Exercises to Try at Home

What is speech therapy.

Speech therapy is the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of speech and language disorders and other communication challenges. The goal of speech therapy is to improve speech, language, and communication skills, focusing on things such as fluency, phonology, and articulation . 

Speech therapy also helps to boost comprehension abilities, independence and confidence. Speech therapy is successful when it results in clear and effective communication skills, as well as strong comprehension and interpretation skills. Getting started with speech therapy through Great Speech is simple and easy. Start your speech therapy journey by scheduling your free introductory call today! 

How Does Speech Therapy Work for Children?

Speech therapy for children begins with a thorough evaluation of the child’s communication skills, identifying the areas of particular difficulty, and establishing short and long-term goals. From there, the speech therapist will design a fully customized treatment plan to optimize the speech therapy appointments and help the child reach their goals. There are a variety of approaches and techniques that a speech and language pathologist will use when working closely with a child. Some of these include: 

• The Use of Picture Boards
• The Use of Sign Language , Hand Writing, or Typing to Communicate
• Modulation of the Tone of Voice
• Interpreting Body Language and Facial Expression
• Targeting Specific Letter Sounds and Sound Combinations
• Opportunities to Practice Conversation Skills
• Playing with Volume, Pitch, and Speed of Speech

These techniques focus on empowering the child and equipping them with the skills and techniques necessary for them to succeed in social, academic, and personal situations. Speech therapy is a great option for all children, even those who are on track with their communication skills and development. Getting started is as easy as scheduling your free introductory call today! 

What are Some Speech Therapy Exercises to Try at Home? What Exercises Help with Speech?

While speech therapy with an experienced speech and language pathologist is the best resource when it comes to improving communication skills, there are lots of ways to work on your child’s communication skills at home. Here are some of the best free exercises to engage in at home to work with your child to help them communicate more effectively and feel more confident.

Communicate with your Child – While this may seem overly obvious or simple, communicating consistently with your child is of vital importance. Starting from birth, talk to your child, and repeat their sounds back to them as they experiment with their voice. As the child grows, engage with them by telling them what you are doing, naming objects and loved ones, and spending time talking together. When there is a focus on communication in a child’s environment, the child will be more inclined to participate in the communication. 

Sing Songs – Singing is another wonderful and fun way to encourage your child to develop their speech and language skills. Songs will help the child to learn and master the use of new words, as well as teach them about rhyming words and playing with the pitch, tone, and speed of their voice. 

Read Together – Reading to your child is deeply important when it comes to helping them develop their communication skills. Start reading to your child as an infant, choosing age-appropriate books that will encourage them to pay attention, match words to pictures, and encourage them to learn new words. Reading aloud is one of the best ways to expand a child’s vocabulary. 

Engage in Daily Activities Together – Invite your child to participate in routine activities with you. Doing things together such as making a grocery list, planning a party of celebration, creating a menu for the week ahead, or writing in a journal are great ways to collaborate with your child, encourage their communication skills, and teach them valuable lessons about navigating daily life. 

Storytelling – Storytelling is another fun and simple way to practice communicating with your child. You can try telling them a short story and having them repeat it back to you. You can also play games such as “fortunately, unfortunately” where you take turns adding a sentence to the story. These games help encourage your child to listen and understand the story, as well as retain the information and recall it. 

Limit Access – One very simple technique to encourage your child to communicate is to limit their access to certain items. By putting a beloved toy in the closet or a favorite snack in a cupboard they can’t reach. The child is then encouraged to make a verbal request for that item. 

Play Games – Playing games with your child, whether it is a simple game of hide and seek or a board or card game, playing games helps to establish some essential skills. Skills such as taking turns, listening to and understanding directions, and following rules are the building blocks of strong social and communication abilities. 

Listen! – While this may seem like another overly simple or obvious exercise, listening to your child when they speak is essential to building confidence and communication. Allow the child the time that they need to think and respond. Resist the urge to finish their sentences or immediately fill any pauses or silences when your child is speaking. 

Make Silly Sounds and Faces – This activity can be done in front of a mirror, and you and your child make silly faces while looking at your reflections. You can also experiment with different sounds and vocalizations. This encourages the child to play with their facial features and their voice, which in turn encourages a sense of control and mastery while also boosting articulation and personal and spatial awareness. 

Engage in Physical Activities – Activities such as blowing bubbles and blowing up balloons help to strengthen the muscles required for speech, and encourage the child’s physical abilities and mastery of their breath.  

Ask Lots of Questions / Play Interview – Asking questions of your child is a great way to encourage them to communicate and practice the give-and-take of natural conversation. Be sure to engage them in topics that are of particular interest to them, to encourage their participation more fully. 

While there are lots of wonderful ways to encourage the development of your child’s speech, language, and communication skills at home, the best resource for a child’s communication is speech therapy. Speech therapy is a great option for all children, even those who are developing as they should. Get your child started on a path to improved communication and increased confidence by scheduling your free introductory call today! 

•   Tuesday, June 18, 2024
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Fun Speech Therapy Exercises for Kids

Speech therapy exercises for kids can be fun and easily done at home with the help of parents. For any young child, you might want to try these fun games and exercises to improve their speech and language development.

Oral Exercises for Improved Speech Articulation

Oral/motor exercises, using the tongue, lips and palette can help a child get in touch with her own mouth and better use her mouth and its parts for speech articulation.

Simple household items can help a child develop better oral motor control. Exercises you can try that might prove interesting and beneficial include the following.

• Use a straw to blow an object across a table or keep a feather in the air
• Blow bubbles.
• Invent some fun tricks with the peanut butter and the tongue.

Use Mirrors for Instant Feedback to Your Child

Mirrors can be an invaluable tool for a child struggling to make correct sounds. The mirror reflects the child’s image and can show her how differently her mouth is shaped when attempting to imitate the sounds that an adult models.

Mirrors aren’t very expensive and can be permanently attached to a wall in a child’s room for safety. Place the mirror at the child’s level so that it is most convenient for her/him to see.

Add Visual and Auditory Clues

Visual cues, like making a smile to say a long “e” sound or the sound of “y” at the end of boy also help remind a child of how her mouth needs to be shaped to make correct sounds. Other visual cues not associated with mouth shape, can be used to help a child remember how to make a certain sound.

Auditory cues can help a child learn syllables. Beat out the number of syllables by clapping hands or tapping on a table.

Sometimes a child can’t really focus on how their voice sounds as they say a word or phrase. An audio recorder helps a child listen to her voice separate from the process of speaking.

Try Language Development Programs and Music

The language master is an excellent tool and can be adapted with pictures and large print to simultaneously help kids hear their voice, see an image, and recognize letters. The language master can prove great fun when used with a small group and helps develop fine motor skills as well.

Some children learn wonderfully through music. Don’t hesitate to put those difficult words and sounds into a song and sing your way to speech success! The song doesn’t always need to include words either. Songs that repeat sounds in rapid succession are great fun and good exercise for a child with speech/language difficulties.

Remember to make speech/ language fun. That way, kids are engaged and naturally spend longer on the speech therapy exercises and language activities.

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Home • Kid • Development

Speech Therapy For Kids: What It Is, Exercises And Tips

Speech therapy can help your child communicate with others fluently.

Dr. Mubina Agboatwalla is a well-known pediatrician, practicing paediatrics since the last 20 years in Karachi Pakistan. She is the head of the department of Pediatrics in Karachi Liaquat Hospital, as well as her private practice in three s... read full bio

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Speech therapy for children has numerous benefits. Children with speech delays may have problems with the smooth flow of words. They may not be able to speak complete sentences as the words or syllables break when they convey their thoughts. They may stammer and may not be able to speak with clarity. Such problems could become a barrier to a child’s communication and may lead to issues with self-confidence and self-esteem. Read this post as we talk about the indications of speech therapy in children and more.

What Is Speech Therapy?

Speech therapy is a language intervention method that focuses on improving a child’s speech, their ability to discern speech, and overcome problems like poor articulation, disfluency (repetition of a sound, word, or phrase), and phonological i Phonological relates to studying how speech sounds are distributed in a language. and voice disorders (1) . It is designed to help children with various communication disorders, including, speech sound disorders, problems with the receptive language, and social communication difficulties.

It helps a child express themselves better through verbal and non-verbal language. It focuses on (2) :

• Articulation and fluency to form sounds, words, and sentences. Children affected with speech problems are not good at articulating words and speaking fluently. Speech therapy aims to work on this difficulty to help articulate words better.
• Regulation of the volume of speech. Often kids with speech problems speak in either low volume or high. Speech therapy focuses on helping kids articulate words clearly and regulate pitch and volume.
• Expressive language through pictorials, signs, and written forms. Children who suffer from speech disorders find it difficult to convey a message to others using words, sentences, and writing. They also struggle to use grammar correctly and frame words in a sentence and describe incidents. Speech therapy aims to work on these areas.

In general, children are reluctant to talk or talk with breaks. It is difficult to understand what they want to say. But it doesn’t mean the child needs a therapy.

How To Know If Your Child Needs Speech Therapy?

You need to understand the levels of the problem when speech therapy becomes necessary. Here are some criteria (3) :

1. Your child needs speech therapy if:

• People find it difficult to understand what your child says as the speech is not clear.
• Your child struggles in uttering words or translating their thoughts into words.
• The child’s speech is disturbed with stuttering, repetition, prolongation, and blocks.
• The child utters only one or two words like mama, papa rather than two-to- three-word sentences.
• Your child has not developed on social skills like making friends , having direct contact, learning play skills, and engaging with others.

2. Your child may have perfect pronunciation and may also be an early reader. But they may still need speech therapy to hone their pragmatic language skills or the process of using language aptly in social scenarios to have a conversation, make new friends or simple requests to someone.

3. A child may also need speech therapy due to disabilities, or medical conditions like autism or hearing impairment as they affect the ability to communicate.

Dana, a mother of three and author of the blog Made Everyday With Dana, talks about how her daughter Clara experienced a delay in her speech. She says, “We don’t know why she’s speech delayed, but she’s about a year behind her peers. When she was 2 years old I didn’t worry too much about it, since the other two kids were late talkers. But by 2 1/2 she still wasn’t progressing. So we went to see a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) to have an evaluation done, and we had her hearing checked as well. The good news is that her comprehension is right on-par for her age, and her hearing checks out fine. It’s always amazing how much you can communicate with your child without words. 90% of the time I know exactly what she wants and needs and what’s bugging her. But I know there is so much more she wants to share with us. Maybe your child is experiencing, or has gone through speech issues too?

“Our pathologist wondered if it was apraxia of speech, which is more of a neurological disorder rather than a muscle issue. But as Clara learns and progresses, we’ve ruled that out. Mostly she has an articulation problem–trouble making the proper sounds—and her language is behind as well, but largely because she can’t articulate what she wants to right now. BUT. She has made huge progress in the last 6 months since we started therapy! I am amazed. So, we continue to see a Speech Pathologist once a week and we work on words with her at home. And little by little it’s coming together ( i ).”

Even if your child is enrolled in a speech therapy service, you may still practice speech therapy exercises at home to support the treatment. For children with conditions like dysarthria, you can opt for alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) with the help of the therapist.

If the speech, is delayed then the first thing to consider is if the hearing of the child is fine. This can be assessed at home to see if the child responds to loud sounds or turns towards the music or sound from the television.

Tips For Parents On Speech Therapy At Home

One of the most important things to do is to avoid any negative comments about your child’s speech. If your child is stuttering, don’t pressurize them. Instead, follow the below tips (4) (5) :

• Encourage conversation: Ask your child thought-provoking things like, “What would you do if you have a bird for a friend?” By asking questions that extort detailed response, you are encouraging your child to express their ideas.
• Listen carefully. Listen to your child with attention even if they are taking time to complete their sentences. When you are listening, your child gets the confidence to speak. They try their best to talk fluently.
• You can try this exercise: Get your child and their friends or siblings together and make a circle. Whisper a sentence to one child, and they will pass it on to the other and so on. Ultimately, the sentence announced by the last child should be the same that you told the first child.
• Make your child read: Buy some interesting story books or pick up a news piece that is of interest to your child and ask them to read it aloud. Tell them to repeat it twice or thrice. Such activities foster speaking as well as language skills.
• Do an assessment: Evaluate your child and see in which areas your child is delayed. This will help you know if speech issues are standalone or are connected with other developmental problems. You can analyze by comparing your child’s performance with the normal milestones in children of that age.
• Target areas: Choose specific problem areas that you want to address and resolve. Keep the goals achievable both for you and your child. Focus on age-specific goals that the children of that age normally reach.
• Address one sound at a time: Begin with breaking down a problem into simpler and smaller versions and then teaching them specifically.

If you want to teach your child how to use the f sound correctly, start by showing them how to utter the sound first ( fff ), then teach syllables ( fuh / oof ), then move on to words ( f f or fish ) and finally use those words in sentences and conversation.

You can try several activities to improve your child’s speech. But remember that your child should enjoy them. They may not cooperate if they feel bored.

Speech Therapy Activities And Exercises

Each of the exercises we share below engages the child and stimulates speech production.

1. Flashcards and question cards

Place a few flashcards with pictures in front of your child and ask them to say what they see on the card. Start with a few cards and increase the pictures as you progress. If your child struggles with certain words, you will understand where you need to invest more time.

Question cards have simple questions for children. Choose one card at a time and slow down to have a conversation. This can be a grand strategy to pull your child into a conversation. The questions can be like, “If you were to receive one present right now, what would it be?”/ “If you could change one thing about school, what would that be?”

2. Mirror exercise

Mirrors provide visual feedback. Most children with articulation problem do not know how to move their mouth to form sounds accurately. Speaking in front of a mirror helps a child watch how they move their mouth when making that particular sound.

Stand in front of the mirror and produce each sound for your child. Then, help them discern the differences through the mirror.

3. Hop and speak

This game makes your child repeat the word nine times. Start with the words you want your kid to practice.

Draw hopscotch with 1-9 numbers and ask the child to utter the word each time they hop on a number. Once they complete hopping up to 9, change the word and let them hop again, this time with the new word.

You can begin with fewer words and increase them gradually.

Once they complete the game by saying the words correctly, reward them with a gift. This increases the child’s confidence .

4. Play catch

Take a ball and throw it back and forth. Play catch with your kid as they practice their words. This way they are doing two exercises at a time.

5. Go for a walk

If you are walking somewhere with your kid, have them take one step ahead for every correct repetition. You may try this when you are in a park or entering your house.

In addition to playing such games with your child, you need to make them exercise their oral muscles.

Oral Motor Exercises

Oral motor refers to the use of muscles inside the mouth, including the lips, cheeks, jaw, and tongue. All these parts are tied to muscles, which can be strong or weak, coordinated or uncoordinated.

We need strong oral motor skills to be able to talk, eat, swallow or drink. Here are different oral motor exercises for your kids to practice in the comfort of home.

1. Lip movements

These lip movements make for an excellent oral exercise for kids.

• Say ooo, then eee. Combine “oo-ee.” All these utterances have different movement patterns.
• Ask the kid to smile big, relax and repeat.
• The child can puff out their cheeks while not opening the lips. Alternatively, they may puff one cheek and rest the other.
• Ask the child to blow a balloon or whistle.
• The same can be done with lips. Puff the upper lip followed by the lower lip. Relax. Repeat.
• Make the child drink from a straw instead of a cup.

2. Tongue movements

Image: IStock

Try these ‘tongue twisters’.

• Make your child practice tongue tip sounds like “t-t-t-t,” “d-d-d-d” “p-p-p-p.”
• Say “go” with exaggeration
• Have your kid hold their tongue and not rest it on the lips or teeth. They have to tighten the tongue and then relax.
• Ask the child to protrude the tongue and make circular movements.

3. Cheek movements

You can strengthen the child’s cheek muscles with these movements:

• Ask your kid to keep their lips sealed and contract the cheeks.
• Make an “o” with the lips and move them in a circular motion. Relax and repeat.
• Use a straw to drink water.

A few other exercises for oral motor skills

4. blow bubbles.

Let your child blow bubbles for breath-control as well as for the lips. It makes children purse their lips, which is an oral motor exercise.

5. Tune the harmonica

Blowing the harmonica helps in breath-control and lip-pursing. If your kid’s breath-control is weak, have them make louder sounds from the harmonica, and if their lip strength is weak, focus on playing one note at a time.

6. Peanut butter

Who doesn’t love peanut butter? Rub some on the child’s lips and have them lick it. Apply the butter from one corner to the other so that the tongue reaches from one side to another.

Besides these activities, you can encourage your kid to talk and develop their speech with simple activities right from their infancy.

Age-wise Activities For Speech Development

Here are some activities you can try at home.

Remember that children learn to speak naturally and hence you should not put any pressure on them. These activities may be taken up only if the child is liking them. Do not force the child to do these activities.

Birth to 2 years

At this age, the baby cannot speak but make some sounds. Hence you cannot know if they need any speech therapies. You can take up the below exercises if you want to encourage your infant to make sounds/ utter syllables.

• Make sounds like “ ma, ” “ ba, ” “ da ”. Eventually, your baby might repeat them.
• Pretend to have a conversation with your baby whenever they make sounds. Talkback and repeat whatever they say. This encourages them to ‘talk’ more.
• Teach your baby to clap hands .
• Talk to your baby while bathing, walking or feeding them. You may talk about anything.
• Use gestures like waving and pointing.
• Talk to your baby about animal sounds, like, “The dog says bow-wow”.
• Use vowels in the words.

2 to 4 years

• Speak with clarity so that the child learns that from you.
• Repeat what your child speaks to tell them that you understand.
• Add on to what they say. Example: “Mango juice? I have juice. I have mango juice. Do you want mango juice?”
• Help your child understand and ask questions. Play the yes/no game. You may have them come up with sentences like, “I can fly,” “A tree can walk” , and then you answer in yes or no.
• Put familiar objects in a box. Have your child take one out at a time and tell you what its name is and how to use it. “This is a pencil. I use a pencil to draw sketches. I also write using this pencil.”
• Ask the child to read aloud slowly, pronouncing each word separately.

You may also use speech development toys and speech therapy books.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. At what age should a child have speech therapy?

Some children might talk sooner than others. The pediatrician may advise you to wait until the child is 24 months old as children usually start talking between 18 and 24 months. However, if you notice the issues continuing beyond 24 months, you should contact a speech therapist (6) .

2. What does a speech therapy session look like?

Speech therapy includes different activities. The therapist may use a picture book and engage the child in talking, playing, and repetition to build language skills . They may teach the child how to move the tongue while making certain sounds or pronouncing some words. Tongue, lip, and jaw exercises may also be taught. The speech therapy may also involve swallow therapy and oral feeding. These activities are offered either one-on-one or in a group (7) .

3. What causes speech delays?

Speech delay may happen due to structural defects in the tongue, lips, palate, or frenum or may be a symptom of disorders such as hearing loss, expressive language disorder, psychosocial deprivation, elective mutism i An anxiety disorder exhibited as reluctance or inability to speak in social situations , autism i A neurological and developmental disorder that may impact the way they socially interact, communicate, and learning , receptive aphasia i Receptive aphasia is when the person speaks fluently, but their speech does not make any sense , and cerebral palsy i A neurological disorder affecting a person's muscle control, thus affecting posture and balance . It is also seen in children from bilingual backgrounds or may occur due to maturation delay (6) (8) .

4. How long does speech therapy last?

Short-duration therapy interventions may be offered in segments, such as one hour a week for six weeks. Some therapists may prefer a long-haul, daily treatment approach, such as that given in schools. On average, most sessions are relatively short (about 20 hours) (9) .

5. What are some common speech therapy techniques used for children?

Speech and language therapists use behavioral techniques such as imitation, modeling, repetition, and extension. These features are used to draw the child’s attention. Several repetitions of such tasks are needed for the child to practice and eventually be motivated to speak (10) .

6. How long does speech therapy take to show results?

The therapy duration depends on the issue’s severity and the child’s progress. Children may show immediate or gradual improvement. Progress is usually evaluated every three to six months (11) .

7. How can technology be used in speech therapy for children?

Various mobile apps may assist children in their speech therapy journey. Therapy is also available online, available from the comfort of one’s home. Artificial intelligence and virtual reality may improve the efficacy of such treatments (12) .

It takes patience and a positive attitude to deal with a child’s speech disorder. Before introducing speech therapy for kids, it is important to understand the specific area they face trouble with. Kids with speech problems may face issues with pronouncing words or regulating their volume. Speech therapy for kids is designed to target all of these problems associated with the disorder. You may try some practical activities to encourage your child to speak better and more fluently. Above all, remember to be empathetic for fruitful results.

Infographic: How To Employ Speech Therapy For Children At Home?

If your child’s speech is unclear, or they struggle or stutter when speaking, these could indicate that your child needs speech therapy. While a professional therapist is surely helpful, the following infographic provides some suggestions for speech therapy you can employ at home for children.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Key Pointers

• Speech therapy can help develop children’s speaking skills, articulation, expressive language, speech volume, and ability to understand speech.
• Speech therapy is necessary if speech is unclear, if there is difficulty expressing thoughts, if there is stuttering, or if social skills have not developed.
• Children with autism or hearing impairments may require speech therapy to learn how to communicate effectively.
• If your child is struggling with speech, avoid negative comments and encourage conversation, listening, reading, and focusing on one sound at a time.
• Flashcards, question cards, mirror exercises, and hop and speak are some speech therapy exercises for children.

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Are you concerned with your child stuttering? Do you wish to help your child get over it? Get tips on how to support them in this video on speech therapy tips.

Personal Experience: Source

MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.

• What is speech therapy? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK561506/
• Speech Therapy. https://childrenstherapy.org/
• Speech and language therapy interventions for children with primary speech and/or language disorders. https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD012490/full
• Speech therapy tips for parents to use at home. https://www.reidhealth.org/blog/speech-therapy-tips-for-parents-to-use-at-home
• Delayed Speech or Language Development. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/not-talk.html
• At what age should speech therapy begin? https://www.woosterhospital.org/at-what-age-should-speech-therapy-begin/
• Speech Therapy for Children: What are the Benefits? https://napacenter.org/importance-speech-therapy/
• Evaluation and Management of the Child with Speech Delay https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/1999/0601/p3121.html#:~:text=A%20delay%20in%20speech%20developmentto%20maturation%20delay%20or%20bilingualism
• James Law et al.; Speech and language therapy interventions for children with primary speech and/or language disorders https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6464758/
• James Law et al.; (2017); Speech and language therapy interventions for children with primary speech and/or language disorders https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6464758/
• Speech and Language: Frequently Asked Questions. https://clarityupstate.org/speech/frequently-asked-questions/
• How Technology is Changing the Field of Speech-Language Pathology. https://blog.carlow.edu/2022/03/14/how-technology-is-changing-the-field-of-speech-language-pathology/
• Fact-checker

Dr. Mubina Agboatwalla MBBS, DCH, MCPS

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Down Syndrome: 9 Best Speech Therapy Exercises for Children

Down syndrome or Trisomy 21 is a genetic disorder. It is the most common genetic disorder diagnosed at birth in the US. Those with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21. The extra genetic material may cause the individual to have –

• Eyes that slant upwards
• Small ears with folded top
• Small mouths
• Small nose with a flattened bridge
• Small hands with very short fingers
• 2 palm creases instead of 3
• Short stature
• Loose joints

A majority of all children with Down syndrome also exhibit –

• Hearing problems
• Vision problems
• Speech problems
• Learning disorders

Since it is a genetic disorder, there is no cure for Down syndrome. However, your child’s speech and communication abilities can improve a great deal with speech therapy.

How Can Speech Therapy Help Treat Down Syndrome?

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) does a complete assessment of the child to identify their strengths and weaknesses in communication. The SLP will evaluate their receptive and expressive language skills, play skills, oral skills, syntax, social skills, and oral-motor strength and planning abilities.

Your child’s treatment plan will depend upon the thorough evaluation report. The symptoms of Down syndrome will vary between two children. Therefore, their treatment plans cannot be identical. A speech therapist will determine the specific activities & speech exercises that can benefit a child with Down syndrome.

It is always better to speak with a speech therapist or SLP before getting started with speech therapy exercises for children with Down syndrome at home.

Here in this post, we will shed light on the most common speech therapy exercises for kids with Down syndrome that are frequently recommended by experienced speech-language pathologists around the world. Read on.

Speech Therapy Exercise #1: Teach Them Simple Gestures

Your child's ability to understand and communicate may surprise you if you begin by teaching them simple signs and gestures.

If your child has Down syndrome, they may be a late-talker . You can begin early intervention by teaching them simple yet clear signs for everyday objects & activities. For example, you can teach them gestures for when they are hungry, or when they have to use the toilet.

Repeat or mirror the gesture after your child with verbal descriptions. For example, if your child makes the gesture of "hungry," go ahead and say, "Oh, you're hungry! Let's go grab some snacks."

It is one of the easiest speech therapy exercises for children with Down syndrome who exhibit signs of speech delay.

Don’t forget to praise them whenever they use these gestures correctly.

Speech Therapy Exercise #2: Begin With Singing

Singing a song with your child can help motivate them to vocalize with you. Choose a song they like or start with something simple like “Wheels of the Bus.”

Make hand gestures and use models while singing with your child.

Starting with a song can provide a clear cue that their therapy session is about to begin. It will also add the much-needed fun element to a structured learning environment for a young child with Down syndrome.

Speech Therapy Exercise #3: Take Turns

For this exercise, you may need more than one person. Sit around a table and use a toy to teach your child to take turns.

Give the toy to your child and say, "It's now your turn to play." After a minute, prompt your child to pass the toy to someone else and say, "It's now Ms. X's turn to play."

Let Miss X play with the toy, pass it back to your child, and so on.

Turn-taking is a crucial skill for all children since it can be the foundation of developing communication and social skills.

Turn-taking activities support the attention span and augment receptive language skills in children with Down syndrome. Your child will learn to wait for their turn, share, make choices, play games, and solve problems by learning this simple exercise.

Speech Therapy Exercise #4: Recognizing Facial Expressions

Children with Down syndrome may struggle to express how they feel. Working with mood boards or picture cards showing different emotions can help your child identify and express how they feel.

Use simple pictures or even emojis to signify “happy,” “sad,” “excited,” “angry,” or “disappointed.” Label these pictures or cards.

Once your child can identify their emotions, encourage them to link an experience with the feeling. For example, your child points at "happy." You can prompt them to expand on the feeling by saying, "Are you happy because we got ice cream today?"

Do not fill in the gaps for your child. Let them explain why they are happy or sad. You can correct them if they misplace an emotion or misidentify a feeling.

Speech Therapy Exercise #5: Learning The Simple Words

Every child struggles to learn and say their first few words. If you are a parent of someone with Down syndrome, you must be patient since your child may need extra time and impetus.

Use turn-taking games and activities to teach your child simple words like "up," "down," "big," "small," "start," "stop," "in," and "out." Using an interactive toy your child likes can help you and your family teach them simple but necessary words.

For more ideas on how to improve your child’s vocabulary through turn-taking activities for children with Down syndrome, you can consult one of our speech therapists .

Speech Therapy Exercise #6: Teaching Simple Instruction Sequences

Merely expanding your child’s vocabulary isn’t enough. Your child needs to understand the meaning of these simple words when they are used as instructions.

Just like the previous activity for children with Down syndrome, you can use some interactive toys to convey simple, one to two-step instructions to your child, such as, "start, pass the toy to your left" or "go up and stop."

This exercise for children with Down syndrome will improve their receptive abilities, and problem-solving skills and help them learn how to follow simple instructions in daily life.

Speech Therapy Exercise #7: Blowing Bubbles

Most children love to blow bubbles! So, why not turn this into a useful speech therapy exercise for children with Down syndrome?

Blowing bubbles will help your child strengthen the muscles of their mouth. At the same time, it will give them some time to unwind between two or more speech therapy exercises.

Blowing bubbles helps in the development of oral-motor skills necessary for clear speech. It will teach your child to round their lips, retract their tongue and blow out air with control.

Speech Therapy Exercise #8: Model Speech

You can be the best teacher your child has at home. Therefore, you should speak clearly, steadily, and correctly at home.

Speak in a clear voice, enunciate new words, and remember to hold a steady pace. Don't rush through your speech. Let your child hear what model speech sounds like.

Young children with Down syndrome are more likely to emulate what they hear. If they are trying to mimic your speech and make some mistakes, correct them gently once in a while. Don't scold them or shut them down.

Speak to your child’s speech therapist if your child is having recurring troubles with particular consonants or omitting parts of words regularly.

Speech Therapy Exercise #9: Read To Them Daily

Reading to your child before bedtime is a great way to boost their attention span and listening skills. Pick a book with lots of illustrations and pop-ups for each day's reading.

Try to dedicate at least 15 minutes each day to this exercise. Read aloud. Ask your child for their input.

It will stimulate your child's cognitive skills and improve their communication skills significantly.

Final Words

Children with Down syndrome experience speech delays . Speech therapy recommended by skilled SLPs can help your child talk.

You can teach your child speech & language skills through simple, daily activities discussed above. However, consulting an SLP is always advisable before chalking up a therapy schedule for your child.

An experienced speech therapist can help rule out hearing problems and other oral-motor disorders before beginning speech therapy.

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Helping a young boy gain confidence through speech therapy

Owen's story.

Video transcript

Piano music plays throughout. White text appears over a blue banner in the lower left of the screen. A montage shows an aerial shot of the ocean. It then transitions to a boy playing the piano, then to Jonathan Brandan interviewing on the front porch of his home.

ON SCREEN TEXT:       Punta Gorda, FL

JONATHAN: He's a phenomenal pianist. Touching the keys. He's like my little prodigy when it comes to being in the piano world.

ON SCREEN TEXT:       Jonathan Brandan

                                     Owen’s dad

JONATHAN: My name is Jonathan. I'm Owen's dad.  We're from Punta Gorda, Florida.

White text appears over a translucent blue background with video shot of a boat in the ocean.

ON SCREEN TEXT:      Owen and his family shared their story at

                                     UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation's

                                      Florida Fishing Fundraiser.

A montage shows photos of Owen growing up. Jonathan continues speaking.

JONATHAN: Owen, growing up, he was just smiling all the time. He was a special boy. He brought so much joy to our family. I started to notice that he was a little more delayed in his speech. He wasn't enunciating things, pronouncing things, and he was diagnosed with social communication disorder. They told us that he would need speech therapy, maybe occupational therapy as well. When we moved to Florida, it was a struggle to find help. We were spending a lot of our money just to try to get him to the help that he needed.

White text appears over a translucent blue background with video behind it of Owen and his family walking on the beach.

ON SCREEN TEXT:      Owen's family received two

                                    grants from the UnitedHealthcare

                                    Children's Foundation to help

                                    fund his speech therapy.

Jonathan continues interviewing on his front porch followed by a montage of family footage on a dock.

JONATHAN: I remember opening that email and it says, "Congratulations, we're taking you on as a recipient of the grant." And we were so excited for him to get the help he needed financially to say, "Yes, we are ready to start therapy. We have the means now. "Everyone was very excited for Owen because we knew that he was just going to...Sorry, I'm getting choked up. That we knew he was going to get the help that he was needing. Having that financial help really made an impact in my family. To be able to say, "We know we need this help. Where can we make adjustments in our budget to get Owen what he needs?" We can just say, "Yes, go ahead and start that speech therapy. Yes, go ahead and start the occupational therapy," without hesitation because we knew we had the help.

The video shows Owen playing the piano then bounces back between Jonathan on the porch and Owen on the dock. Jonathan continues speaking.

JONATHAN: Leaps and bounds of progress within the first six months. He's expressing himself more. He's speaking more in complete sentences.

Owen: I've been able to make a lot more friends.

JONATHAN: The UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation is making an impact on these kids' lives. And the donations that come in is having generational effects. So that continual development where he feels that he can talk to anyone about anything and express himself and communicate well, that's my hope and my dream is that that continues and that he doesn't shy away from it.

Blue text over a white background appears with a butterfly logo. The music fades out.

ON SCREEN TEXT:     UnitedHealthcare

                                    children’s

                                    foundation

The text fades to black.

Eleven-year-old Owen’s happy place is on the pitcher’s mound, with dirt under his cleats and a baseball in his hand.

“He is our starting pitcher, phenomenal pitcher,” said Jonathan Braden, Owen’s dad.

Owen is not just a fantastic young athlete, he is also impressive behind a piano.

“He’s like my little prodigy when it comes to being in the piano world,” Jonathan said. “He’s a phenomenal pianist.”

While Owen has all the confidence in the world when throwing a fastball or playing the keys, it’s been a journey to find that same assurance in everyday social situations.

Owen was born with hemifacial microsomia and after cosmetic ear surgery at a young age, a therapist recommended a speech evaluation.

“We were of course on board just because of some of the delays in his speech,” Jonathan said. “He wasn’t enunciating things, pronouncing things.”

Owen was diagnosed with social communication disorder and would need speech and occupational therapy. He started speech therapy at the age of 5. After his family relocated to Florida, the cost of continued therapy began to cause financial strain.

Through the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF), Owen’s family qualified for a grant to help cover the cost of speech therapy. Since 2005, UHCCF has awarded more than 34,000 grants valued at over  $70 million.  The funding pays for children’s medical expenses not covered, or not fully covered, by a commercial health insurance plan

“We were in tears, something that we have prayed about as a family,” Jonathan said. “Everyone was very excited for Owen because we knew … that he was going to get the help that he needed.”

Jonathan and his wife have already seen the benefits from therapy sessions as Owen’s relationships have greatly improved — not just with his family, but anyone he meets. It’s given him confidence in social situations.

“He loves talking to anybody his age, younger, older, he will talk to anybody. Just go right up and have a conversation. That has helped tremendously in his growth,” Jonathan said. “That continual development where he feels that he can talk to anyone about anything and being able to just express himself, that means a lot. My dream is that he continues and that he doesn’t shy away from it, because communication is always going to be something that we all need.”

Is your child eligible?

• Grant recipients must be 16 years old or younger at the time of application
• Must meet eligible  income requirements
• Must be children under the care of a licensed medical professional with services rendered within the United States
• Primary coverage for a child must be by a commercial health plan, either through an employer or individually purchased. Secondary insurance through Medicaid or CHIP is permissible.
• Children do not need to be insured by UnitedHealthcare.

Do you know a family who could benefit from a children’s medical grant?  The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation will begin accepting grant applications, starting Sept. 3. Visit  UHCCF.org  for more information on how to apply.

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Press Release June 5, 2024

New Gene Therapy Trial Shows Restored Hearing and Speech in Children Born Deaf, Treated in Both Ears

Media contact.

Ryan Jaslow 

Program Director, External Communications - Research, Mass General Brigham [email protected]

Administering gene therapy in both ears of five children with DFNB9 led to additional benefits compared to previous trial, including sound source localization and hearing in noisy environments.

Key Takeaways

• A new clinical trial in Shanghai, China, in partnership with Mass Eye and Ear researchers, demonstrated the restoration of hearing in both ears in five children born with autosomal deafness caused by mutations in the OTOF gene.
• All children gained ability to determine locations that sounds came from and improved speech perception in noisy environments.
• The trial is the first to provide gene therapy for this form of inherited deafness to children in both ears, and the researchers hope to expand this work internationally.

Boston, Mass. — A novel gene therapy designed to target a form of inherited deafness restored hearing function in five children who were treated in both ears. The children also experienced better speech perception and gained the ability to localize and determine the position of sound. The study, the world’s first clinical trial to administer a gene therapy to both ears (bilaterally), demonstrates additional benefits than what were observed in the first phase of this trial, published earlier this year, when children were treated in one ear. The research was led by investigators from Mass Eye and Ear (a member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system) and Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, and findings were published June 5 th in Nature Medicine .

The researchers noted their team’s goal was always to treat children in both ears to achieve the ability to hear sound in three dimensions, a capability important for communication and common daily tasks such as driving.

“Restoring hearing in both ears of children who are born deaf can maximize the benefits of hearing recovery,” said lead study author Yilai Shu MD, PhD, professor, director of Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Genetic Hearing Loss affiliated with the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, “These new results show this approach holds great promise and warrant larger international trials.”

Over 430 million people around the world are affected by disabling hearing loss, of which congenital deafness constitutes about 26 million of them. Up to 60 percent of childhood deafness is caused by genetic factors. Children with DFNB9 are born with mutations in the OTOF gene that prevent the production of functioning otoferlin protein, which is necessary for the auditory and neural mechanisms underlying hearing.

This new study is the first clinical trial to use bilateral ear gene therapy for treating DFNB9. The new research presents an interim analysis of a single-arm trial of five children with DFNB9 who were observed over either a 13-week or 26-week period at the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Shu injected functioning copies of the human OTOF transgene carried by adeno-associated virus (AAV) into the inner ears of patients through a specialized, minimally invasive surgery. The first case of bilateral treatment was conducted in July 2023. During follow-up, 36 adverse events were observed, but no dose-limiting toxicity or serious events occurred. All five children showed hearing recovery in both ears, with dramatic improvements in speech perception and sound localization. Two of the children gained an ability to appreciate music, a more complex auditory signal, and were observed dancing to music in videos captured for the study. The trial remains ongoing with participants continuing to be monitored.

In 2022, this research team delivered the first gene therapy in the world for DFNB9 as part of a trial of six patients in China treated in one ear. That trial, which had results published in The Lancet in January 2024, showed five of six children gained improvements in hearing and speech. Shu initially presented the data at the 30th annual congress of European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ESGCT) in Brussels, Belgium in October 2023, becoming the first in the world to report clinical data on using gene therapy to restore hearing.

“These results confirm the efficacy of the treatment that we previously reported on and represent a major step in gene therapy for genetic hearing loss,” said Shu. Shu trained under Chen for four years as a postdoctoral fellow at Mass Eye and Ear, with their collaboration continuing for more than a decade since he returned to Shanghai.

“Our study strongly supports treating children with DFNB9 in both ears, and our hope is this trial can expand and this approach can also be looked at for deafness caused by other genes or non-genetic causes,” added Chen, who is also an associate professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at Harvard Medical School. “Our ultimate goal is to help people regain hearing no matter how their hearing loss was caused.”

Currently, there are no drugs available to treat hereditary deafness, which has made room for novel interventions like gene therapies.

Mass General Brigham’s Gene and Cell Therapy Institute  is helping to translate scientific discoveries made by researchers into first-in-human clinical trials. Chen and his colleagues are working with the Institute to develop platforms and vectors with good manufacturing practice standards that would enable his team to more easily test this therapeutic approach with other genes in the future.

The authors note that more work is needed to further study and refine the therapy. The bilateral study requires more consideration compared to the unilateral (one-ear) study as operations in both ears, in the course of one surgery, doubles the surgical time. Furthermore, by injecting double doses of AAVs into the body, the immune response is likely to be stronger and the potential for adverse effects could be greater. Looking ahead, more patients as well as a longer follow-up duration are necessary, and continued analysis of gene therapies and cochlear implants in larger randomized trials will be valuable.

Disclosures: Kaiyu Gao is a staff of Shanghai Refreshgene Therapeutics Co., Ltd. Zheng-Yi Chen is a co-founder of Salubritas Therapeutics. The other authors declare no conflict of interests.

Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Key R&D Program of China, Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Shanghai Clinical Medical Research Center for Otolaryngology Diseases, Fudan University, and the science and technology innovation Program of Hunan Province. Zheng-Yi Chen was supported by the Ines and Fredrick Yeatts Fund. The study was also funded by Shanghai Refreshgene Therapeutics Co., Ltd.

Paper cited: Wang, H et al. “Bilateral gene therapy in children with autosomal recessive deafness 9: single-arm trial results”. Nature Medicine . DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-03023-5

About Mass Eye and Ear

Massachusetts Eye and Ear, founded in 1824, is an international center for treatment and research and a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. A member of  Mass General Brigham , Mass Eye and Ear specializes in ophthalmology (eye care) and otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (ear, nose and throat care). Mass Eye and Ear clinicians provide care ranging from the routine to the very complex. Also home to the world's largest community of hearing and vision researchers, Mass Eye and Ear scientists are driven by a mission to discover the basic biology underlying conditions affecting the eyes, ears, nose, throat, head and neck and to develop new treatments and cures. In the 2023–2024 “Best Hospitals Survey,”  U.S. News & World Report  ranked Mass Eye and Ear #4 in the nation for eye care and #7 for ear, nose and throat care. For more information about life-changing care and research at Mass Eye and Ear, visit our blog, Focus , and follow us on Instagram , Twitter  and Facebook .

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