Are you noticing any complications in your child while he/she speaks? Do you have a gut feeling that your kid needs speech therapy? Well, not to worry at all. I’m here to hold your back. In this blog, you will find how to do speech therapy at home. They are useful and straightforward at the same time. So, why would you get yourself in a fret over such a little thing!
Table of Contents
Mindset Before Setting Forth
You want to proffer your child speech therapy at home. To make it efficient and successful, you have to keep several points in your mind. Remember one thing a perfect strategical plan will always drive you towards victory. Before starting the therapy, you have to:
Make a Time Table
Choose a specific time of the day when you and your child’s energy and focus levels are at the peaks. Catalogue speech therapy exercises for this time daily. Thus you will make it as a habit. When you make it a habit, you can maintain regularity easily. You know that consistency matters!
Please don’t make an extended plan as you have to change it as per the needs. Make 15 to 20 days line up, or one month I insist! And give your child a short break to escape the boredom and monotony.
Create a to-do list
Make a table of what to do each day and when. Don’t make a list which is full of challenging tasks. Also, avoid making an easy one. It is wise to make a ‘sandwich’ of difficulty. Start with the easier ones to warm up the brain. After that, move to more tough tasks and end with a bit easy one. It will help to lock confidence in your child.
Go for a Good Spot
Select a place in your home, which is not too dull. The spot should be colourful enough to attract your child’s attention. Choose a position which is comfortable but no too much. Or else you will end up relaxing. Still, your desk and chair need to be cosy enough. Of course, if a chair is physically unfit for sitting, you won’t be able to concentrate on your work either.
Minimise Distractions
While working or studying, we often get distracted easily, which hinders our efficiency. Moreover, background noises make it more complex to focus on. So, Turn off the TV and radio and keep your devices like mobile, iPod, iPad, etc. on silent mode. Sometimes you can try peaceful background music. It will support you in deep concentration. So could you give it a go!
9 Ways to Give Speech Therapy at Home
Now you are all set to deliver speech therapy at home. There are plenty of approaches by which you can give speech therapy at home. By searching randomly, you will probably get confused. But you don’t need to scour on the internet to gather bits of information. That is why I’m here! I’d love to ease your work by cutting the petty one.
1. Exercises
For performing the speech therapy exercises correctly, at first, you have to consult a speech therapist. After that, you can do the following facial activities at home.
Tongue In-and-Outs
- Push the tongue out
- Keep this position for a couple of seconds
- Pull it back in and hold for another 2 seconds
- Repeat these steps for 3 to 5 times
Tongue Side-to-Side
- Widen the mouth
- Touch the right corner of the mouth with the tongue
- Hold it for 2 seconds
- Redo the same on the opposite side
- Repeat these steps for 3 to 5 times also
Tongue Up-and-Down
- Open up the mouth
- Try to touch the nose with the tongue
- Stabilise for 2 seconds
- Move the tongue down to reach towards the chin and hold
- Go over again for at least three times
Keep Smiling!
- Stand in front of a mirror
- Give a wide smile
- Relax
- Repeat as far as your facial muscles allow
Duck Face!
- Pucker your lips together
- Slowly form a kissy or duck face
- Hold for few secs
- Rehearse again
Best for selfies!!! I know, right?
Assemble a Pair of Consonant and Vowel Sounds
- Take a consonant that your child has trouble saying
- Pair it with every vowel (a, e, i, o, u) to make a duo
- Try again with other consonants
Benefits: These exercises will train the tongue to move coordinately. And eventually, your offspring can utter constructive speech. These will also improve your child’s oral motor skills.
2. Word Games
Games like word searches or crossword puzzles help to increase the insight of problem-solving and visual processing.
Try different brain games regularly to boost up brain functions and speech capability.
3. Make Mistakes on Purpose
Sounds silly, right?
Go and pretend as you have mistakenly placed the plate upside down while eating or put on the wrong shoes. Let your child observe the mistakes. Give him a chance to react. Then correct the wrongdoing and explain it to them. These silly gestures will initiate communication, gain eye contact or exhibit other positive response within your kid.
4. Use Straws
Let your child drink liquids with straws or blow air out of them. This action will develop and strengthen the mouth muscles.
5. Listen More and More
Keep the kids busy by asking many many questions. Comprehend their reply with ample attention. Please don’t interfere while they are answering. It will draw the situation even worse by making them anxious. Keep it as a natural conversation and ignore perfection.
6. Give Choices
Avoid giving your child anything straight away. Always offer two things and ask them to pick one. It will reduce his/her confusions in the long run, and he/she will come out as a confident adult!
7. Keep Things Away!
No, not in a negative manner!
Keep a child’s favourite toys, food, shoes or any other things a bit away from them. This situation will force your youngster to initiate some sort of conversation with you. It helps to build communication skills and reduce fear in starting conversations.
8. Have a Helping Hand
A partner can be a great help in speech therapy at home. A helper can tell you whether an answer is accurate or precise, give clues when you’re in the dead-end, or participate in the conversation to help you practice a place of action.
9. Have Some FUN
While giving speech therapy at home, put some essence of entertainment. It will work like magic! Don’t you believe me? Just try the following activities with your child, and thank me later.
Discover the World
Grab a world map and find out all of the cities, states, or countries with their speech sound and practice the pronunciations. Thus your child can practice hard words and develop his/her speech quality. Moreover, you can roam all over the world with your child while sitting on your couch!
Play Games
Learning while playing is a very productive way of speech therapy at home. Play with your child and make them learn the names of the toys. Make sure your child rehearses one word before catching their turn.
If the weather allows you, go out for a walk. Play with chalk on the footpath or sidewalk of a park, draw or write target words and learn.
Read Story Books
Grab a book with pictures and read aloud with them. Ask questions about the story and observe their views. Don’t confine to only fictions or fairy tales. Select a wide range of books from fantasies to non-fictions. Help them to imagine, to daydream. Sometimes daydreaming is essential to deal with the rational world.
Sing!
Songs contain a variety of words with different pronunciations. Sing songs with your child together, if you can make one! It is a fantastic way to practice with specific sounds.
Cook Together
Please don’t call me a freak! It really helps!
Nowadays, the internet and smartphones are available. So go to youtube and search for some delicious recipes. Target their sound or ingredients and practice while you whisk up something yummy.
Prepare for the mess though!
Make a Short Film
It’s a fun way of learning.
Grab your phone. Make some videos of your child practice reciting lines from their favourite movie, book, or poem using their best speech. Also, ask them to tell about their family, friends, and day to day activities, and record these. It will help in anxiety cases for sure.
Pro Tip: To keep things working, reward your child with some gifts or some chocolates!
Cheerio!
Before saying goodbye, I would love to give you a piece of advice. Please don’t make the therapy session tough or tedious that your child feels to skip it every day. Go with ease. For the best outcome, go with their natural flow.
I hope these useful and fun tricks will help you to practice speech therapy at home. Maintain excellent work and result will be in front of you. Just don’t get cold feet.
Good Luck. Catch ya later!!
FAQs
1. How to give speech therapy at home?
Speech therapy at home involves practicing exercises like articulation drills and language games, using visual aids, and providing consistent feedback to improve communication skills.
2. How to do speech therapy at home?
Speech therapy at home involves practicing speaking exercises, using apps or online resources, and setting regular sessions to improve communication skills with targeted activities and routines.
3. How can I treat speech delay at home?
Treating speech delay at home involves practicing speech exercises, using flashcards, reading aloud together, and encouraging conversations. Consistent practice and patience are key.
4. How can I continue speech therapy at home?
Continuing speech therapy at home involves practicing daily exercises, using online resources, and incorporating speech activities into your routine. Regular practice helps reinforce skills and progress.
5. How can I help my child with speech therapy at home?
Help your child with speech therapy at home by creating a consistent routine, practicing simple sounds and words, using engaging activities like storytelling and games, and offering plenty of encouragement.
Read more
- The Health and Social Care: Stress-Free Service Guide
- How Old Must You Be to Buy Paracetamol
- What are Functional Skills? From Theory to Practice
- Modal in Maths: Mode, Mean, and More Explained!
- How to Support People with Learning Disabilities?
- 21 Basic Computer Skills You Must Have in 2024
- How to Be a Primary Teacher: Best Practices and Insights
- 21 Duties of a Health & Safety Officer You Must Know
- Collaborating with SENCOs: Best Practices for Teachers
- Top 6 Online Courses to Improve Your English Writing Skills