Top 10 Speech Therapy Exercises to Help Your Child with Speech Delay at Home

Speech delays in children can be concerning for parents. However, with the right strategies and exercises, many children can improve their communication skills significantly. Here are the top 10 speech therapy exercises you can practice with your child to help them overcome speech delays. These exercises are designed to be engaging and effective, offering practical ways to enhance speech and language development.

1. Mirror Exercises

Objective: To help your child see how they form words and sounds.

How to Do It: Sit with your child in front of a mirror and slowly pronounce different sounds and words. Encourage your child to watch your and their lips, tongue, and jaw movements. Repeat sounds like 'ba', 'da', and 'ka', focusing on how the mouth moves.

2. Picture Cards

Objective: To improve vocabulary and initiate speech.

How to Do It: Use picture cards with images of everyday objects. Show a card to your child and pronounce the name of the object. Ask your child to repeat after you. Gradually, ask them to identify the object in the card by themselves.

3. Singing Therapy

Objective: To enhance speech rhythm and fluency.

How to Do It: Sing simple songs with clear and slow lyrics. Encourage your child to join in and sing along. Songs with repetitive phrases are excellent as they help reinforce language structures.

4. Blowing Activities

Objective: To strengthen the muscles used in speech.

How to Do It: Activities like blowing bubbles, blowing a whistle, or blowing on a pinwheel require control of breath, which is crucial for speech. These fun activities can also help in prolonging the duration of sounds.

5. Tongue Twisters

Objective: To improve articulation.

How to Do It: Start with simple tongue twisters and gradually move to more complex ones as your child's clarity improves. For instance, start with "Big black bug bled blue-black blood" and work up to more complex phrases.

6. Flashlight Game

Objective: To focus on specific sounds.

How to Do It: In a dim room, use a flashlight to highlight your mouth while making specific sounds. This visual aid can help your child understand where and how different sounds are produced.

7. Interactive Storytelling

Objective: To boost language comprehension and speech.

How to Do It: Read a story with your child, pausing to let them fill in words or phrases. Ask questions about the story to encourage them to form responses using their own words.

8. Peanut Butter Fun

Objective: To practice mouth movements.

How to Do It: Spread a small amount of peanut butter on the roof of your child’s mouth. Encourage them to lick it off. This activity helps strengthen the tongue, which is essential for producing certain sounds.

9. Speech Delay Progress Chart

Objective: To provide visual feedback and motivation.

How to Do It: Create a chart that tracks your child’s progress with these exercises. Reward them with stickers or small treats for improvements and effort.

10. Technology-Assisted Practice

Objective: To use apps and software for speech improvement.

How to Do It: Use speech therapy apps designed for children. These apps provide interactive activities that make practicing fun and engaging.

Implementing the Speech Therapy Exercises

To effectively use these exercises, consider the following tips:

• Consistency is Key: Regular practice is essential as speech therapy at home. Aim for short sessions (10-15 minutes) a couple of times a day.

• Positive Reinforcement: Always encourage and praise your child for their efforts, regardless of how small the progress might seem.

• Customization: Tailor the exercises to suit your child’s specific needs and interests to keep them engaged.

Tracking Progress:

To help visualize your child's improvements and motivate them, use a progress chart. Here’s an example of how you might set it up:

Week	Mirror Exercises	Picture Cards	Singing Therapy	Interactive Storytelling
1	✔️	✔️		✔️
2	✔️		✔️
3	✔️	✔️		✔️

Legend: ✔️= Completed; (Blank)= To Be Completed

This table helps both you and your child see the progress being made, providing a clear and motivating overview of achievements and areas needing more focus.

Conclusion

Using these top 10 speech therapy exercises, you can play a proactive role in helping your child overcome speech delays. Remember, every child is different, and patience and persistence are crucial. For more personalized guidance or if progress seems slow, consulting a professional speech therapist is highly recommended. Need personalized support for your child’s speech delay? Book a 15 Minutes free consultation with Ritu Jain today