10 practical speech therapy exercises for parents

As a parent, you want to help your child with speech and language development. The good news? You can already do a lot at home. Regular practice in a familiar environment helps children learn speech and language better. It doesn't have to be complicated training. With fun exercises of 5 to 10 minutes a day, you'll already see a difference.

This article gives you 10 practical exercises you can do with your child. Everyday items are usually enough. Make it a fun moment, not boring drilling. For more background information on how speech therapy exercises are effective, read our article about speech therapy exercises for home. For specific ages: speech therapy exercises for adults and speech therapy exercises for 3 year olds.

Why Practicing at Home Works

Children learn best through regular practice. Every day a little works better than once a week for a long time. Practicing at home has three advantages:

1. Familiar environment: Your child feels safe and dares to try more
2. Fixed routine: Building short sessions into the day helps with remembering
3. More repetition: The speech therapist may see your child once a week, at home you can practice every day

Important: practicing at home doesn't replace the speech therapist. It's a supplement. Always discuss with the speech therapist which exercises are good for your child.

Practicing Gets Easier: Logiland Is Coming

Logiland launches soon. This is a digital environment where children can do speech therapy exercises at home in a fun way. With interactive games and fun characters, children stay motivated to practice regularly. Parents can track progress and speech therapists can assign specific exercises. Keep an eye on our website for more information.

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Exercise 1: Bubble Blowing and Blowers

What Do You Need

• Bubble solution
• Cotton ball or paper snippets
• Optional: straw, whistle, or candles

How It Works

Blowing is fantastic for lip strength and breath support. Both are important for clear speech. The nice thing is that children simply enjoy it.

Five ways to blow:

1. Bubble blowing: Go outside or in the bathroom and blow bubbles together. Try to make large and small bubbles.

2. Blow football: Place a cotton ball or paper snippets on the table. Blow the cotton to the other side. Who blows the hardest? Make a competition out of it.

3. Straw game: Blow through a straw against a ball or pumpkin. Try to make the ball roll.

4. Candles blowing out: At a birthday or just in the evening. Let your child blow out the candles. Count how many blows it takes.

5. Whistle or harmonica: Make music together. Children love making sounds.

Why Is This Good

Blowing strengthens the lips and helps children use their breath better. This benefits sounds like p, b, m, f, and w.

Tips for Parents

• Do it together and make a game of it
• Start with easy things like bubble blowing
• Practice briefly but often, for example after eating or before bedtime
• Give many compliments, even if it's not perfect yet

Suitable for

Children from 3 years. Young children often really enjoy blowing because they see immediate results.

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Exercise 2: Tongue Games

What Do You Need

• Mirror
• Spoon
• Optional: raisins or small fruit pieces

How It Works

The tongue is one of the most important muscles for speech. Almost all sounds need the tongue. With these games you make the tongue stronger and more flexible.

Five tongue games in front of the mirror:

1. Stick out tongue: Stick your tongue straight forward. Try to touch your nose and then your chin. Do this alternately 5 times. Say: "to the clouds" and "to the ground".

2. Tongue left to right: Move your tongue from corner to corner. Pretend you're painting a picture with your tongue. Repeat this 10 times.

3. Lick spoon: Spread some jam or peanut butter on a spoon. Let your child lick the spoon with only the tip of the tongue. This requires precision.

4. Tongue in cheek: Push your tongue into your left cheek, then into your right cheek. Pretend you have candy in your cheek. Switch 10 times.

5. Pick up raisin: Place a raisin on the table. Try to pick it up with your tongue without using your hands. This is quite difficult, but children often find it a fun challenge.

Why Is This Good

A strong, flexible tongue helps with pronouncing sounds like t, d, n, l, r, s, and z. Almost all difficult sounds need a strong tongue.

Tips for Parents

• Do the exercises together in front of the mirror
• Make it playful with stories ("the tongue goes on an adventure")
• Practice about 5 minutes a day
• Start with the easy exercises and build up slowly
• Laugh together when it doesn't work, no problem

Suitable for

Children from 3 years. Young children love seeing themselves in the mirror. Older children can try the harder exercises like picking up the raisin.

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Exercise 3: Lip Games

What Do You Need

• Mirror
• Optional: small clip or folded paper

How It Works

Many sounds require strong lips. The p, b, m, w, and f appear in almost every word. These games make the lips stronger.

Five lip games:

1. Give a kiss: Pucker your lips as if giving a kiss. Hold this for 5 seconds. Do this 10 times. Say "kiss for mommy" or "kiss for daddy".

2. Wide smile: Pull your lips wide into a big smile. Try not to show your teeth. Hold for 5 seconds. Alternate between kiss and smile, 10 times in a row.

3. Horse snort: Let your lips vibrate while you exhale. Make the sound of a horse. This is difficult but very funny. If it doesn't work, that's not a problem.

4. Hold clip: Hold a small clothespin or folded paper between your lips. Don't use your teeth. Try to hold this for 30 seconds without it falling.

5. Puffy cheeks: Puff out your cheeks without air escaping. Hold this for 10 seconds. Then let the air escape slowly.

Why Is This Good

Strong lips help with clearly pronouncing sounds. Children who often have their mouth open or have slack lips benefit especially from this.

Tips for Parents

• Do the exercises together in front of the mirror
• Exaggerate the movements yourself, children find that funny
• Practice about 3 to 5 minutes a day
• If your child finds it difficult, start with the easy exercises
• Don't make it a punishment, but a nice moment

Suitable for

Children from 3 years. These exercises are playful and children see directly what they're doing in the mirror.

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Exercise 4: Read and Discuss Together

What Do You Need

• A children's book at your child's level
• A quiet place to sit

How It Works

Reading aloud is one of the best ways to learn language. It helps with vocabulary, sentence structure, and reading comprehension. The nice thing is that it's also cozy.

How to read with practice:

1. Before reading: Look at the cover together. What do you see? What could the story be about? Let your child predict.

2. While reading: Stop occasionally to ask questions. "What do you think happens now?" or "Why did he do that?" Point to pictures and name what you see.

3. Unknown words: If your child doesn't know a word, explain it. Give an example or point to it in a picture. Repeat the word a few times.

4. After reading: Discuss the story. "What was the best part?" or "Who was your favorite character?" Let your child retell the story in their own words.

5. Variation: Read the same book multiple times. Children learn through repetition. The second time you can let your child fill in words or finish sentences.

Why Is This Good

Reading aloud helps children learn new words. They hear how sentences sound and learn how stories are structured. This helps later with reading and writing.

Tips for Parents

• Make it a daily ritual, for example before bedtime
• Choose books your child likes
• Read with intonation and do voices, that makes it more fun
• Ask open questions instead of yes/no questions
• Be patient when your child tells slowly or searches for words
• Don't read too fast, give your child time to look at pictures

Suitable for

All ages. Start with babies with simple songs. Older children can learn more complex songs and sing along themselves.

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Exercise 5: Rhyming and Sound Play

What Do You Need

• Just your imagination
• Optional: rhyme booklets or songs

How It Works

Rhyming helps children hear and recognize sounds. This is important for later learning to read. Children who can rhyme well usually learn to read more easily.

Five rhyming games:

1. Guess rhyme words: Say a word and let your child think of rhyme words. "What rhymes with sun?" (fun, run). Start with easy words.

2. Fill in rhymes: Say a rhyme and let your child guess the last word. "The cat sat on the..." (mat). "The mouse lives in a..." (house).

3. Sing rhyme songs: Sing familiar children's songs with rhyme. For example "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or "Humpty Dumpty". Emphasize the rhyme words.

4. Rhyme or not rhyme: Say two words. Let your child say if they rhyme. "Tree and bee, does that rhyme?" (yes). "Table and chair, does that rhyme?" (no).

5. Make your own rhymes: Think up funny rhymes together. It doesn't have to make sense. "The bear has no pear" or "The cat wore a hat".

Why Is This Good

Rhyming teaches children to listen well to sounds. They learn that words consist of different parts. This helps later with spelling and reading.

Tips for Parents

• Start simple, it doesn't have to be perfect
• Laugh together about funny rhyme words
• Use rhyme in daily life ("time for bed, said Ted")
• Practice briefly but often, for example in the car
• If your child finds it difficult, start with recognizing instead of making up themselves
• Use pictures or objects to make it easier

Suitable for

Children from 3 years. Young children start with recognizing rhyme. From 4 to 5 years, most children can think of rhyme words themselves.

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Exercise 6: "I Spy With My Little Eye"

What Do You Need

• Just your surroundings
• Works everywhere: at home, in the car, in the waiting room

How It Works

This classic game is perfect for vocabulary. Your child learns new words and practices describing. It works everywhere and costs nothing.

How to play it:

1. Basic game: Say "I spy with my little eye something..." (color). Your child guesses what you mean. Take turns so your child can also think it up.

2. Extension with details: Instead of just color, give more hints. "It's blue and hangs on the wall" or "It's round and you can play with it".

3. Categories: Make themes. "I spy an animal" or "I spy something to eat". This teaches children about groups and types.

4. Describe without color: Challenge your child to describe without naming the color. "It's big and stands in the room and you sit on it". This is harder.

5. Reverse version: You describe something in detail, your child must guess what it is. This trains listening.

Why Is This Good

This game helps with vocabulary and describing things. Children learn words for colors, shapes, sizes, and properties. They also learn to look and listen well.

Tips for Parents

• Play it in the car during long drives
• Use it in the waiting room or supermarket
• Start easy and slowly make it harder
• Help your child through hints
• Use it to learn new words ("Do you see that object? That's called a...")
• Don't make it too difficult, it should be fun

Suitable for

Children from 3 years. Young children start with just colors. Older children can give more detailed descriptions.

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Exercise 7: Listening Games and Listening Exercises

What Do You Need

• Objects that make sounds (keys, bell, spoons)
• Optional: alarm clock or phone with timer

How It Works

Good listening is the basis of language. Children must be able to hear sounds and words to say them. These games train hearing.

Five listening exercises:

1. Guess sounds: Make sounds with objects while your child isn't looking. Rattle with keys, tap with a spoon on a cup, shake with coins. Let your child guess what it is.

2. Find the alarm: Hide a ticking alarm clock or phone with music in the room. Let your child search based on the sound. This trains directional hearing.

3. Animal sounds: Imitate animal sounds and let your child guess which animal it is. Take turns, let your child also make sounds.

4. Story with mistakes: Read a familiar story but change words. "Little Red Riding Hood went to the supermarket" instead of "to grandmother". Let your child notice the mistakes.

5. Clap at the word: Read a story and choose a word. Every time you say that word, your child must clap their hands. This requires concentration.

Why Is This Good

Listening exercises help children focus well and hear small differences. This is important for learning new words and sounds.

Tips for Parents

• Make it exciting and mysterious
• Start with clear, different sounds
• Make it harder if your child finds it easy
• Practice in a quiet room without background noise
• Give compliments for good listening
• Keep sessions short, 5 to 10 minutes is enough

Suitable for

Children from 3 years. Young children often find guessing sounds very fun. Older children can do the harder exercises like story with mistakes.

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Exercise 8: Singing and Songs Together

What Do You Need

• Familiar children's songs
• Optional: YouTube or Spotify for music

How It Works

Singing is a wonderful way to practice language. Children learn words more easily through music and rhythm. It's also just very cozy.

Five ways to sing:

1. Familiar songs: Sing classic children's songs like "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star", "Mary Had a Little Lamb", or "The Wheels on the Bus". Most children already know these a bit.

2. Movement songs: Combine singing with movement. "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" or "If You're Happy and You Know It". This makes it more interactive.

3. Songs with repetition: Choose songs where words are repeated often. "Old MacDonald had a farm" or "The Wheels on the Bus". Repetition helps with learning.

4. Sing slowly: Sing deliberately slowly so your child can hear and sing along all the words. Not too fast, otherwise they lose track.

5. Make up own songs: Make up a simple song about the day together. "We go to school, we go to school, tra-la-la". It doesn't have to be pretty.

Why Is This Good

Singing helps with vocabulary, rhythm, and intonation. Children learn new words and sentences through the melody. They also hear how words sound and how sentences are structured.

Tips for Parents

• Sing every day, for example while getting dressed or in the bath
• Don't make it an assignment, but a cozy moment
• Sing yourself too, even if you sing out of tune
• Use gestures and movements with it
• Let your child choose songs themselves
• Repeat the same songs often, children like repetition

Suitable for

All ages. Start with babies with simple songs. Older children can learn more complex songs and make up their own.

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Exercise 9: Use Daily Routines

What Do You Need

• Just the daily activities you already do anyway
• Optional: sticky notes as reminders

How It Works

The best practice moments are the moments you already have anyway. By building language into daily activities, you practice without extra time.

Ten moments in the day:

1. While getting dressed: Talk about what you're putting on. "We're putting on your blue sweater. Does it feel soft?" Name colors, clothes, and feelings.

2. At breakfast: Discuss the food. "Do you want bread or yogurt? How many breads?" Count together, name taste.

3. Brushing teeth: Talk about what you're doing. "We're brushing teeth clean. Top and bottom, left and right." Give direction.

4. In the car: Name what you see. "Look, a red car. And there drives a truck." Talk about where you're going.

5. Grocery shopping: Let your child help search. "Where are the apples? What color bananas do we take?" Let your child choose and name.

6. Cooking together: Discuss what you're making. "We're cutting the tomato. Now we're stirring in the pan." Name ingredients and actions.

7. Playtime: Play along and talk about it. "The train drives to the station. Choo choo!" Make sounds and tell stories.

8. Tidying up: Give clear instructions. "Put the blocks in the box. Now the stuffed animals on the shelf." Use place indications.

9. Bath time: Talk about washing. "Now we're washing your hair. Is the water warm?" Name body parts.

10. Before sleeping: Evaluate the day. "What was the nicest today? Where are we going tomorrow?" Encourage telling.

Why Is This Good

Language in daily life provides repetition and context. Children learn words better when they use them in real situations. It costs no extra time.

Tips for Parents

• Start with a few moments and slowly expand
• Use sticky notes as reminders at places in the house
• Speak calmly and clearly
• Ask open questions instead of yes/no questions
• Give your child time to answer, don't fill in too quickly
• Repeat what your child says in correct form without correcting

Suitable for

All ages. Adjust the level to your child. Young children: simple words. Older children: more complex sentences.

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Exercise 10: Make Up Stories Together

What Do You Need

• Just imagination
• Optional: dolls, toys, or pictures as inspiration

How It Works

Making up stories stimulates creativity and language. Children learn to form sentences, use words, and build a story. It's also fun and personal.

Five ways to make stories:

1. Take turns telling: Start a story. "Once upon a time there was a little mouse who..." Your child continues with one sentence. Continue like this until the story is finished.

2. Story with toys: Take dolls or cars. Make up a story together with these characters. "The bear goes on an adventure. What happens?" Let your child continue.

3. Pictures tell: Lay down three random pictures. Make up a story in which all three pictures appear. This requires creativity.

4. Make day story: Before sleeping, make a story about the day together. "Today you went to school. What happened?" Let your child tell.

5. Silly stories: Deliberately think up silly combinations. "An elephant in an airplane" or "A fish on a bicycle". Children find this funny and it stimulates imagination.

Why Is This Good

Making up stories helps children form sentences and maintain a logical order. They learn to combine words and tell longer. It also stimulates vocabulary.

Tips for Parents

• Start short, a few sentences is enough
• Help your child if they get stuck with questions ("And then?", "What did he do next?")
• Accept all answers, there's no right or wrong
• Don't make it too complicated
• Sometimes write down a story and read it back later, children like that
• Use photos from vacation or outings as inspiration

Suitable for

Children from 4 years. Young children can make simple stories of 3 to 5 sentences. Older children can think up longer, more complex stories.

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Tips for Successful Home Practice

1. Short Sessions, Repeat Often

Practice rather twice a day for 5 minutes than once a week for 30 minutes. Children learn better through regular repetition. It doesn't have to be long training.

2. Make It Fun and Enjoyable

No boring drilling. Make a game out of it. Use toys, think up stories, make funny voices. If your child finds it fun, they stay motivated.

3. Build It Into Your Routine

Link exercises to fixed moments. For example, always after brushing teeth or before bedtime. This way you forget it less quickly and it becomes a habit.

4. Give Many Compliments

Celebrate small steps forward. "Well done!" works better than pointing out mistakes. Children try hard, show that.

5. Be Patient

Progress goes slowly. Not every day will be equally good. Sometimes it seems to stand still. That's normal. Keep going.

6. Follow the Speech Therapist's Instructions

Every child is different. Ask the speech therapist which exercises are good for your child. Discuss what works and what doesn't. Take videos if necessary to show.

7. Don't Force Anything

If your child is tired or doesn't feel like it, stop. A bad session is worse than no session. Try again later.

8. Practice Together

Do the exercises yourself too. Children learn by watching. If you demonstrate, your child understands better what's meant. It also makes it more fun.

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Conclusion

Practicing at home with your child doesn't have to be difficult. With these 10 practical exercises you can help a bit every day with speech and language development. It's about short, fun moments that you build into your daily life.

Don't forget that every child is different. Choose the exercises that fit your child and the speech therapist's advice. Start small with a few exercises and see what works. The most important thing is that it stays fun for your child and for you.

Practicing at home doesn't replace the speech therapist. It's a supplement. Together with the treatment it can accelerate progress. Your child practices in a familiar environment and learns to use language in real situations.

Soon practicing at home becomes even easier with Logiland. This digital platform helps children practice in a fun way and gives you insight into progress. Keep an eye on our website for more information about when we launch Logiland.

Want to Know More?

• For adults: see our article about speech therapy exercises for adults at home
• For young children: see speech therapy exercises for 3 year olds
• For general principles: see how to give speech therapy exercises at home