activities for speech therapy for toddlers

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15 Best Speech Therapy Activities for Toddlers

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2. singing songs, 3. animal sounds, 4. name that item, 5. bubble blowing, 6. stacking blocks, 7. puzzle solving, 8. feather blow, 9. hide and seek with objects, 10. matching games.

Is your toddler babbling a storm but not quite forming words yet? There’s a lot you can do to help your toddler develop their speech skills in fun and playful ways. This blog post explores engaging speech therapy activities for toddlers that you can do at home!

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If you are looking for some screen time that doubles as speech therapy, SplashLearn is a one of the best speech therapy activities for toddlers online. Tailored for toddlers, SplashLearn uses interactive games , songs , and stories to introduce new vocabulary, practice letter sounds , and build basic grammar skills. Plus, the engaging characters and colorful graphics keep little ones entertained while they learn. It’s a win-win for parents and toddlers!

Objective: Improve language through rhythm and repetition.

Music is one of the most fun speech therapy ideas. Choose simple songs that feature repetitive phrases and easy melodies. Sing along with your toddler, encouraging them to join in. Repetition of these catchy tunes helps reinforce language patterns and boosts memory. 

Objective: Develop vocal skills through playful sound imitation.

Animal sounds are not just fun; they’re educational. This game is a hit in toddler speech therapy games, where mimicking animals’ noises—like a cow’s “moo” or a cat’s “meow”—helps toddlers practice different vocal pitches and sounds. Engage with your child by taking turns to guess the animal.

Objective: Expand vocabulary.

‘Name That Item’ is a straightforward yet powerful speech therapy activity for three-year-olds . Gather various everyday objects and place them in front of your toddler one at a time. Ask them to name each object. This not only builds their vocabulary but also enhances object recognition skills. It’s a simple and effective way to help them connect words with their corresponding objects, fostering cognitive and language development.

Objective: Stimulate motor skills and sound production.

They learn to control their breath as they blow bubbles, which is crucial for speech clarity. Encourage them to pop the bubbles while saying “pop” or asking for “more.” This activity supports motor skills through blowing and popping and introduces new sounds and words, making it a favorite among speech games.

Objective: Foster language through structured play.

Stacking blocks is a dynamic part of speech and language therapy. As you and your toddler build towers or create designs, narrate each action. Say things like, “Now I’m adding a blue block on top!” Encourage your child to make specific requests, such as asking for a certain color or size. This interaction helps them learn to use language to express their needs and desires while they play.

Objective: Enhance spatial reasoning and descriptive language.

Puzzles are a fantastic tool for developing both language and cognitive skills. Sit with your toddler and tackle a simple puzzle together. Discuss each piece, describing its colors and shapes, and discuss where it might fit on the board. This practice improves their spatial reasoning and enriches their descriptive vocabulary, making it one of the best speech therapy games.

Objective: Improve breath control, which is vital for speech production.

Feather blowing is an excellent toddler speech therapy exercise focusing on breath control, an essential aspect of speech clarity. Have your toddler try to blow a feather across a table or the floor, using only their breath. Guide them to take deep breaths and control the exhale. This activity is fun and teaches them how to regulate their breath, which is crucial for speaking clearly and confidently.

Objective: Build prepositional and spatial language.

Turn learning into an adventure with a game of hide-and-seek using your toddler’s favorite toys. Hide objects around the room and describe their locations using prepositions like “under,” “behind,” or “next to.” This 2-year-old speech therapy activity encourages toddlers to understand and use spatial terms, enhancing their grasp of language and environment.

Objective: Develop cognitive and language skills.

Matching games are excellent activities for improving speech and overall cognitive abilities. Use cards with images of common items or various objects. As you play, discuss the attributes of each item, such as their colors, shapes, and sizes. Encouraging your toddler to articulate these features enhances their vocabulary and helps them connect words and meanings.

11. Follow the Leader

Objective: Encourage imitation of actions and sounds.

“Follow the Leader” is a playful and interactive way to develop communication skills. Perform simple actions or make sounds and have your toddler mimic you. This activity makes learning fun and improves their ability to listen and replicate sounds, which is crucial in early speech development.

12. Interactive Storytelling

Objective: Engage multiple senses for comprehensive language learning.

Storytelling is an engaging way to develop language skills. Make it interactive by using different voices for characters, adding facial expressions, and incorporating hand gestures. Ask your toddler to guess what happens next or mimic the characters’ actions or sounds. This immersive approach stimulates their imagination and encourages them to use language in varied and creative ways.

13. Simple Commands

Objective: Practice comprehension and execution of verbal instructions.

Integrating simple commands into daily routines is a straightforward way to enhance your toddler’s understanding and responsiveness. Commands like “Please bring me the ball” or “Can you touch your nose?” help toddlers associate actions with words, fostering comprehension and verbal skills.

14. Rhythm and Rhyme

Objective: Improve phonemic awareness and verbal memory.

Engage your toddler with simple rhyming games or rhythm clapping. These activities are not just entertaining—they are also powerful tools in speech therapy. They help toddlers recognize sound patterns, essential for developing reading and speech abilities. The repetitive nature of rhymes enhances memory, making this a fun and effective learning tool.

15. Mystery Bag

Objective: Enhance sensory vocabulary and descriptive skills.

The “Mystery Bag” is a simple yet effective tool in our toolkit of speech therapy activities for toddlers at home. Fill a soft, opaque bag with various small, safe household items. Have your toddler reach in and pick one item without looking. Encourage them to feel, squeeze, and manipulate the item and describe it using words like “smooth,” “bumpy,” “cool,” or “flexible.” 

5 Benefits of Speech Therapy Activities for Toddlers

Speech therapy activities for toddlers offer numerous benefits that are crucial for early childhood development:

• These activities help toddlers learn new words, improve their pronunciation, and form complete sentences, facilitating better communication at a young age.
• Engaging in speech therapy activities stimulates thinking, problem-solving, and memory. Toddlers learn to follow instructions, identify objects, and match their attributes, which boosts their overall cognitive abilities.
• As toddlers learn to express themselves more clearly, they gain confidence in social settings. Participating in group activities and games enhances their social interaction and turn-taking skills.
• Through interactive and repetitive exercises, toddlers improve their ability to listen carefully and understand spoken instructions and stories, vital skills for academic success.
• Speech therapy activities are designed to be fun and engaging, making learning a positive and enjoyable experience. This encourages toddlers to love learning and participating in educational activities.

Incorporating speech therapy activities into your toddler’s daily routine can significantly enhance their communication and cognitive skills in a fun and engaging way. By fostering these skills early on, you’ll provide your child with a strong foundation for successful learning and interaction in their future years.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are nonverbal communication games for kids.

Nonverbal communication games for kids include activities like charades , where children guess the word or phrase acted out without speaking, and emotion cards, where kids identify and mimic emotions displayed on cards. These games enhance understanding of body language and facial expressions.

How can I help my toddler with speech sounds?

To help your toddler with speech sounds, engage in activities like mimicking animal noises, reading books aloud emphasizing certain sounds, and singing songs that focus on repetitive phonetics. These playful interactions promote accurate articulation and sound recognition.

What are gesture games for speech?

Gesture games for speech involve activities where children use hand movements to communicate ideas or words. Games like “Simon Says” or creating a story using only gestures help children associate actions with words and improve their ability to express themselves without verbal cues.

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Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers

When your toddler has a speech delay, it may be tough to help build confidence with their communication skills. 

Keep a calm, patient, positive attitude. The more time you spend working with your child, the better their speech skills will develop over time!

Don’t let your anxiety make them feel pressured to speak clearly.

We’ve compiled a number of activities, games, toys, and tips for you to make progress today, all in the comfort of your own home. 

Our top picks: best toys for speech delayed toddler

Toys are a great way to get your toddler involved, excited, and entertained. Having a calm, positive attitude will make speech easier… for both you and your toddler!

Try these top toys for your speech delayed child:

• Traditional, old-school toys: wood blocks, cars, legos, play dough
• Doll houses, dolls, tea sets, stuffed animals

What’s important is these toys will help your child get the ball rolling with making noises, talking, and speaking. When you join in with them, you’ll encourage language development!

How can I help my toddler with speech therapy at home? Try our top 5 games:

If you’re waiting to consult with your pediatrician or speech language pathologist about your child’s speech delay or pronunciation challenges, don’t be worried. 

There are a number of activities for you to participate in that may help your child’s speech now. Give these a try and see what works best for you and your child. Here’s our top 5 games for speech therapy at home:

• Goof off : Set the tone to relax and have fun. Get your child giggling with a goofy face, silly noise, or crazy expression. Emphasize a letter sound, maybe the /r/ sound with RAZZLE DAZZLE or /hip/ in HIPPOPOTAMUS! Use a goofy tone and get into it. Try something so crazy you can’t help but laugh! You’ll have them smiling, laughing, or happy and relaxed in no time. They’ll try to repeat you, and in turn, practice these sounds for their own speech. Use the same words over and over, and perhaps mix it up with different words using sounds your child may have difficulty pronouncing properly.
• Play the ping pong ball game : as they drink water or juice from a straw, your child’s mouth muscles will grow stronger. These are the very same muscles used for speech. Get a small ping pong ball and make it a race to see who can blow it through a goal post or down a hallway faster, using only a straw to propel the ball forward. This game can even be a competition between siblings!
• Read and repeat : find a book your child enjoys and read each page aloud to them. If they’re able, they should repeat each sentence or page after you’ve read it aloud. This repetition will be especially helpful to reinforce clear speech, including proper articulation and language comprehension over time. Before you know it, your child will be reading their favorite book to you. 
• Bubbles : Another fun game to try, blowing bubbles! Pick up a small bottle of bubbles and have your child blow away. They’ll “workout” their facial muscles used for speech, and have fun watching the bubbles fade away! You can even try this during bath time with a bottle of bubble bath. Repetition is the key to success!
• There’s an app for that : Type “speech therapy” into your App Store and you’ll find many options. Give Otsimo Speech Therapy a try. This app is designed with all kinds of games to entertain your toddler, keeping them engaged in speech activities. The product is ad-free and safe for kids, using a method known as augmentative and alternative communication.

What do speech therapists do for toddlers?

If you’ve never had a speech therapy session before, you may be wondering exactly what to expect.

How does it work? When it comes to sessions, we have a process to ensure a perfect fit for you, your toddler, and your speech language pathologist.

• Your experience begins with an introductory call to determine if we’re a good fit for your needs
• Techniques may include signing or typing, analyzing facial muscles to improve speech or articulation, altering tone, and other approaches to help your toddler improve communication skills
• Our sessions take place over Zoom: therapists interact with clients and engage in practice skills, games, repetitions, and other activities to overcome speech challenges
• Therapists will often provide homework for you and your toddler to practice together between sessions, truly integrating you into your child’s speech therapy
• Each client’s program is unique to their specific needs and goals, but most consist of 12-week modules, with two 30-minute sessions each week
• At the end of each module, our team will reach out to ensure you’re on track with your goals and progress

How do I find the right speech therapist for my toddler?

Since this person will be working with your toddler, it’s important to do your own research. Consider the following traits when selecting your child’s speech therapist.

• Personality: is this someone my child will enjoy being around? Are they someone I trust? Do they seem patient, understanding, and kind? Do they love what they do?
• Clarity: is the instructor clear? Do they explain their process? Do you and your child understand what they’re saying, what to expect from each session, and what kind of progress you’re making?
• Experience: Speech language pathologists receive extensive training to work with a variety of people experiencing complex communication disorders — you’ll want to ensure whoever you choose to work with has experience and passion for working with children.
• Schedule: is the therapist available on a schedule that works for you and your family?

When should a toddler start speech therapy?

It’s critical for your child to hit their 1 year old speech milestones . If you’re concerned about their progress, seek professional help.

If you believe your toddler has a speech delay, express your concerns with your pediatrician. They’ll recommend an assessment with a speech language pathologist, an expert when it comes to speech communication.

We encourage you to schedule your introductory call today for a no-pressure consultation on personalized virtual online speech therapy for your toddler.

10 Speech Therapy Activities You Can Do at Home With Your Toddler

Believe it or not, your child’s speech development isn’t confined in a speech therapist’s office. In fact, speech therapy activities are best done at home, where your child is comfortable. After all, where else would your child want to be than at home with you?

Even if you don’t have a speech therapist yet, nothing’s stopping you from encouraging your child to talk. Here are some recommended speech activities and routines that you can do together at home.

Speech and Language Activities While Bonding with Your Toddler

1) read books or magazines.

One of the best toddler speech activities goes back to the basics: reading. Reading aloud to your child will help them listen to how you form words and develop their vocabulary. Learning through reading may even lead your child to be an avid lover of books. They might even request their favorite book from time to time.

When they are already able to form words, encourage them to repeat the words from the book after you. This will help strengthen their articulation and literacy over time. Eventually, you can leave out some words and pause so that your toddler has a chance to speak up and fill in those words.

For the reading materials, you don’t even have to limit yourself to books. Some educational and children’s magazines can also be a good source of reading time. Magazines that are full of pictures are great for looking at together. You can also point at the pictures and ask them “What’s that?” to get them to engage.

2) Play With Your Child

Extra perks come with learning through a fun activity. Some of them include motor skill development, enhanced imagination, and better social skills with less pressure to speak up.

Toys are an amazing way to facilitate play. But, steer clear of battery-operated ones when choosing toys. You want your child to make sounds, and having toys that do it for them will not help with their development. This is especially true for those experiencing speech delays. Stick to toys that encourage:

• social interaction and communication
• usage of motor functions
• imagination and creativity

One classic way to play is using flashcards and blocks. Images and colors printed on these materials encourage word association.

You can also have your child group the cards or blocks together by various categories (animal, fruits, etc.). This will introduce the idea of related words. Plus, moving cards and blocks around will improve your child’s motor skills too.

Don’t forget to let your child lead during playtime. You will help them be confident with making choices on what to play with. It will also be easier to start conversations with them when they are having fun with it.

3) Use Hand Gestures and Sign Language

At around 8 to 9 months of age, children should start using gestures. Teaching them gestures or signs won’t cause a language delay, especially when you link them to spoken words. In fact, it is an effective tool for late talkers to start communicating .

You can start with waving and saying ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ for simple gestures. You can also create gestures for actions that your child loves doing. For example, you can say “hug” and wrap your arms around you to connect that word with the gesture.

One of the things you can also do to take this further is to teach your child sign language. Focus on words that are easy and functional, like more, help, please, thank you, and even Mom or Dad. Think about which signs would help your child the most.

Signs that are functional to them will encourage your toddler to use them daily. They can start using it to request items they want or need like milk, blanket, or even their favorite toys.

4) Singing and Rhyming

Nursery rhymes and songs can help improve your toddler’s language skills. Singing stimulates a different part of the brain, and the rhythm of songs helps your child remember words better. Some classic nursery rhyme songs you can use include:

• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
• Old MacDonald Had a Farm
• The Itsy Bitsy Spider
• Mary Had a Little Lamb

Songs accompanied by gestures are also excellent for motor skills. Don’t even worry if you’re not a good singer, what’s important is facilitating this interaction with your toddler.

If they can already sing along with you, leave out some of the words, pause and wait for your child to sing the missing words. It gets even better when they can already sing the entire song on their own.

Day-to-Day Speech-Language Practices

Speech learning needs a parent’s support during learning and playtime. But what about other times around the house with your toddler?

You can incorporate many things in your daily lives that can help your child develop their language skills. Here are a few of them:

5) Speak Slowly and Clearly

You can help improve your child’s speech skills when you practice speaking to them slowly and clearly. With the proper articulation, they will pick up on the right sounds to make from the get-go .

Eye contact also helps with communication. Making a proper facial expression helps too, as children also pick up on this and they will imitate it.

6) Introduce New Sounds and Words

As your toddler grows, so does their ability to learn new words. By gradually introducing them, your child won’t feel overwhelmed in remembering them.

You can do this by pointing or picking up items and saying what they are, like lifting a toy ball and saying “ball”. Pointing to yourself and saying “Mommy”/”Daddy” works too, so they can associate the words with the person.

You can also help them learn new words by adding them to learned ones . For example, adding the new word “big” to the learned word “ball” will help them link the words together. Use two to three variations with the same word (“soft ball”, “green ball”) to build further vocabulary.

7) Tell Them What You’re Doing

Whether it’s cleaning the home or even getting dressed, tell your toddler what you are doing . The most ordinary things to you are absolutely new to a learning child. You can also talk about how something looks, tastes, and feels. This will improve their listening skills as well.

When you describe what you are doing, keep it short . You want to speak in phrases that are as long as they can manage to say. Speak and repeat when necessary. It will take patience, but children learn best with repetition.

8) Turn Off the TV

Prevent slow learning by turning off your TV especially when your toddler is in the room. Much like battery-operated toys, it will not help when your child is not repeating what they hear.

TV doesn’t only affect your child: it can also draw your attention away from them. That means less time for you to communicate and bond with each other.

In a study published on JAMA Pediatrics, each hour of TV exposure with sound resulted in fewer vocalizations in children. The study discouraged Tv viewing for children under 2 years in the conclusion. They instead suggest that parents focus on creating an interactive play environment.

Remember: Children are in their best learning state when they are talking to real people at home.

9) Teach Them to Ask For Things

Your toddler most likely wants a lot of things. Whether it’s food or toys, start teaching them to ask for it by letting you know what they want.

One of the ways to get your child to start communicating is to put things out of reach. Place their toys on a shelf or food on an unreachable counter. This will prompt them to call for your help.

Remember to reinforce and enhance the interaction when they do ask for something. If they ask for a banana by pointing, you can confirm “Do you want the yellow banana?” and introduce “want”, “yellow” and “banana” into his vocabulary.

There will be times that your toddler is unsure of what they want, or is having a hard time using words to describe what they want. In cases like this, you can help them with the process by giving them a choice (“Do you want a red apple or a yellow banana?). That way, you make it easier for them to think of words especially when they can imitate what you just said.

10) Repeat and Expand

Earlier we discussed how to introduce new words by linking them with already learned ones. You can also use a similar method to help with new words, which is repeating and expanding.

Repetition is crucial to language learning. Repeat what your child says, and expand on the topic. For example, if your child says, “Dog run!” you can reply with “Yes, the dog is running. He is running very fast.”

Try to keep the expansion sentences as correctly as possible. Like we said earlier, it’s important to speak clearly for your child to learn the words right from the get-go.

What if your child is using baby words? There’s no harm in starting with baby words but you should expand on what they are saying and say the correct word. If your toddler says “ba-ba” while pointing at their bottle, you can repeat (“Do you want ba-ba? Yes, here’s your bottle.)

Nowadays, speech-language pathologists can also be accessible online at home. If you’d like to learn more about how online speech therapy can help your family at home, get a consultation from us. No commitments, no contracts!

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Speech Therapy for Toddlers: Enhancing Communication Skills Through Play

As your child grows, they are constantly learning new skills in different areas of development, one of the main areas being communication. Young children learn how to pronounce sounds, produce words and sentences, listen to and understand others, make requests, ask and answer questions, interpret facial expressions and gestures, and so much more. If you have concerns about your child’s ability to do these things, speech therapy for toddlers can help.

The development of speech and language skills impact a toddler’s learning and development in all other areas, including working memory, cognition, literacy, focus and attention, and social and emotional skills. Therefore it is important that toddlers receive support in the form of toddler speech therapy if they exhibit a delay in their communication skills. Targeted early intervention can greatly improve a toddler’s overall development. Identifying normal communication development as well as warning signs helps you know when to seek assistance for your toddler’s speech and language skills.

What is Speech Therapy for Toddlers

Toddler speech therapy assesses and treats specific speech and language disorders. The goals and objectives of speech therapy for toddlers may include:

• Improving their receptive language skills (their ability to understand language)
• Improving their expressive language skills (their ability to use language)
• Increasing their vocabulary
• Improving their social communication skills
• Improving their production of specific speech sounds
• Reducing the use of filler words

Speech and Language Milestones in Toddlers

While each child develops at his/her own rate, there are speech and language milestones that most children reach within a specific age range:

By 12 months:

• Understands words for familiar people and items
• Begins to respond to simple words and requests (e.g., “no,” “come here,” “more?”)
• Uses gestures and vocalizations to gain attention
• Babbles long strings of sounds (e.g., bababa, mimi)
• Imitates different speech sounds
• Says one or two words, but may not be clear

By 2 years:

• Follows one-step directions
• Responds to simple questions (e.g., “Where’s your hat?” “Who is that?”)
• Points to named body parts or pictures in a book
• Says many new words
• Uses /p, b, m, h, w/ sounds
• Begins naming pictures in books
• Asks simple questions (e.g., “What’s that?” “Where’s daddy?”)
• Combines 2 words (e.g., “more banana,” “no sleep,” “daddy hat”)

By 3 years:

• Follows two-step directions
• Understands new words quickly and uses a word to represent almost everything
• Uses /k, g, f, t, d, n/ sounds
• Are understood by familiar listeners
• Combines 3 words

If your child does not exhibit the above milestones by their corresponding ages, consider consulting a speech therapist.

Does My Child Need Speech Therapy? Signs and Symptoms

If you have concerns, but aren’t sure if your child is exhibiting speech or language delays, there are some signs you can watch for. When you meet with a speech therapist, they will ask you about your concerns, so these are things to make note of.

A child who needs speech therapy may exhibit several of these signs:

• Not babbling
• Not interacting with others (smiling and playing)
• Not using gestures such as waving or pointing
• Making only a few sounds
• Not understanding what others say
• Saying only a few words or no words
• Using less than 50 words
• Not combining 2 words
• Difficulty understanding what others say
• Errors in production of the following sounds: /p, b, m, h, w/
• Difficulty interacting with peers
• Errors in production of the following sounds: /k, g, f, t, d, n/

Keep in mind that exhibiting any of these signs does not automatically indicate that your child has a speech or language disorder. Please seek out a professional speech therapist for a consultation and/or evaluation.

When to Start Speech Therapy for a Toddler

If your child is exhibiting any of the above signs, or if you have other concerns, don’t wait. It is better to seek help early than wait and see what happens. Seek out a licensed speech language pathologist to have your child evaluated.

Causes of Speech Language Issues

Speech and language disorders in toddlers can have various causes. Children with medical, genetic, or developmental conditions often have speech or language disorders. Examples of these conditions include:

• Down syndrome
• Cerebral palsy
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Hearing loss
• Childhood apraxia of speech
• Cleft palate

If your child has been diagnosed with any of these conditions, the medical professional involved will often recommend speech therapy services.

It can also be helpful to consider whether you as the parent or another of your child’s relatives stutters or received speech therapy services in the past. Children with a family history of speech or language disorders are also at higher risk of having a communication disorder.

Toddler Speech Therapy Techniques and Activities

The best way to facilitate toddler speech therapy sessions is through the use of interactive and play-based activities. Speech therapists will use a variety of exercises during their sessions that parents can continue to use at home. Examples of these activities include the following:

Reading Picture Books

This activity targets a variety of speech and language goals. While reading, parents can ask questions about the story and the pictures, point to and label specific items, and pause while reading familiar books to allow your child to complete the sentence. These tasks can help improve vocabulary, comprehension, and grammar.

Blowing Bubbles

Pair this task with words or simple phrases, such as “bubble,” “blow,” “more bubble.” After multiple models, stop and wait, encouraging your child to use the word or complete the phrase in order to request more bubbles.

Playing with Toys

Playing with toys such as farm toys, cars, and trains. Incorporate sounds of the vehicles and animals: “beep beep, choo choo, moo, baa, etc.” You can also introduce phrases such as “Ready, set, go!” After multiple models, stop after saying “ready, set…” to encourage your child to complete the phrase.

Singing Nursery Rhymes and Songs with Actions

Music and movement are great for language and literacy development. Focus on one or two songs at a time so your child can learn them and participate with you.

Incorporating Sign Language

Demonstrating and teaching simple signs, such as “more,” “please,” and “all done” give your child a way to communicate before they can speak verbally. Responding to their attempts to use these signs shows toddlers that words have meaning and they can use them to get what they want or need. It is never too early to introduce sign language!

Narrating Daily Tasks

You can start doing this the day your baby is born. Talk through what you or your child are doing. For example, if you take your child to the grocery story, you can tell them what you are going to do there: “First, let’s get a grocery cart. You can sit inside and I’ll push. What do we need to buy? Let’s check our list. Let’s start in the produce section and get some bananas. Your favorite! Mommy also needs broccoli for dinner. Once we find everything we need, we have to pay up front and carry our food to the car. You are a great helper!”

Modeling Age-Appropriate Language

Your child learns language from those around him. You can help your toddler by using simple words, phrases, and sentences with correct sentence structure. You can also expand on what your child says. If they use one word, add another word or two to make it a complete phrase or sentence. When your toddler labels a toy (”ball”) or asks for food (”apple”), respond by saying “blue ball” or “more apple.”

Placing Desired Items Out of Reach

Placing highly desired items out of reach to model and practice requesting. If your child has access to everything he or she wants or needs, they will have less of a need to communicate. If they are unable to access certain items, they will need to ask for them. To avoid frustration, begin with modeling the request (”I want ball” or “Ball please”) and then give them the item with no expectations. After multiple repetitions, encourage them to imitate the request by waiting to give them the item until they ask. This helps your child understand that his or her communication has meaning!

Tips on How to Choose a Speech Therapist for Your Toddler

There are several methods you can use to find a speech therapist for your child:

• Bring up your concerns to your child’s pediatrician or family doctor. Your child’s doctor has a list of recommended providers and can refer you to a local speech therapist.
• Check with your health insurance. They may have a list of in-network providers.
• Look for a speech therapist that is certified by ASHA, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. ASHA has a searchable online directory of providers.
• Seek out recommendations. Check with teachers or school staff. Ask friends or family members whose children have received speech therapy.
• A good therapist will be skilled and qualified. Therapists need to hold a state and national license and keep up to date with new research. They adhere to a code of ethics and are willing to try new methods and materials in order to help your child succeed.
• Search by specialization. Many therapists specialize in a certain area, such as articulation disorders, language disorders, fluency disorders, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, autism, etc. Look for a speech therapist that has experience in your child’s area of need.

Collaborating with Speech Therapists and Parental Involvement

It is essential for the speech therapist and parents or caregivers to collaborate in order to achieve successful outcomes in toddler speech therapy. Formal speech therapy sessions are short, so collaboration is important. Usually, the speech therapist will include you in planning the goals for your child and expect your input. Here are some things you need to be involved in:

• Communicating what your child currently can and cannot do, what skills they struggle with, when they become frustrated, what you would like them to be able to do, etc.
• Parent coaching or training should be a component of each speech therapy session. This occurs after the clinician models a technique or works on a skill with your child. They will then explain how you can recreate a similar activity or target the same skill at home.
• Ask questions. Use the parent training as a time to ask questions and learn how to support your toddler’s speech and language development at home.
• You will receive regular progress updates on how your child is doing. This is often given in both written form and face-to-face.
• If you have specific concerns or if your child presents differently at home, record your child at home and share the video or audio with the speech therapist to show how your toddler behaves at home and how practice is going.

Creating a Language-Rich Environment at Home

If your toddler has delayed speech and language skills, do not leave everything up to the professional. Ask your child’s speech therapist how you can set up a supportive environment at home. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Respond to Your Child’s Facial Expressions, Gestures, and Words

Repeat what they say and make faces back to them. If your child smiles or laughs, mirror them by smiling or laughing back to show that you share their joy. Expand their utterances by adding on to what they say. If your child says, “Daddy go,” you can expand on that by saying “Yes, daddy goes to work.”

Talk to Your Child

Narrate mealtime, bath time, and other daily routines. Tell them what you will do and who they are going to see. Speak clearly and model good speech.

Keep books in sight and within reach. Read to your child daily, pointing out specific items and asking them questions about the pictures.

Learn New Words Together

Introduce new words to expand their vocabulary. Name items and use specific details to describe the items.

The Benefits of Using Forbrain in Speech Therapy

Forbrain is an auditory stimulation headset. This is a complementary tool that can be used at home to support formal speech therapy. Forbrain uses bone conduction technology to improve auditory processing. This can in turn improve several components of speech and communication in toddlers, including sound discrimination, voice quality, toddler stuttering , and early literacy skills.

What Should I Expect in a Speech Therapy Session for Toddlers

Depending on the services available in your area, your child’s speech therapy session may take place at home, in a school, at a clinic, or via telepractice. You will be an essential part of each session. Since you are your child’s primary caregiver and spend the most time with your child, you have the potential to make the biggest impact on their communication skills.

Each speech session typically includes treatment, practice or coaching, and homework discussion components. Toddlers learn through play and everyday activities. A toddler speech therapy session is play-based. After the speech therapist reviews your child’s speech and language goals with you, they will use toys and fun age-appropriate activities to target those goals. The provider will also model and teach you how to practice the same skills with your child at home and give you activities to work on.

FAQs About Speech Therapy for Toddlers

How do speech therapists help toddlers talk.

Speech therapists begin with evaluating toddlers to determine their needs. They then use the information from this assessment to plan therapy activities that build on their strengths while addressing their weaknesses. Areas of delay are targeted through play activities to elicit the child’s expressive language, practice specific speech sounds, or work on improving comprehension. Providing age appropriate models and repetition of activities leads to improvement of communication skills in toddlers over time.

How effective is speech therapy for toddlers?

The most effective speech therapy outcome is achieved when children are young. Their brains are ready to learn and pick up new information, and potential bad habits have likely not been engrained yet. Most skills can be taught and acquired through play, so they won’t even know they are working hard!

How do I help my 2-year-old with speech therapy?

Since your toddler will have limited time with the speech therapist, your support is crucial to their success. Ask your child’s speech therapist what you can do at home in between sessions. Talk to your child throughout the day, respond to them, discuss new words, and read to them daily!

How to evaluate a 1-year-old for speech therapy?

During your toddler’s evaluation, the speech therapist will complete a thorough and comprehensive evaluation. This usually includes an interview with you where they will ask about your toddler’s medical history, your concerns, and your goals for your child. The speech therapist may conduct an oral-motor examination in which they look inside your child’s mouth to determine whether the structures needed for speech are functioning correctly. The therapist will also engage your child in a variety of play activities in order to assess their communication skills in a natural context. They may also administer a formal speech or language evaluation if your child is able to participate. The speech therapist will use all of this information to make recommendations on if speech therapy is needed and how often.

Final Words

Early intervention in speech therapy can have a positive impact on the lifelong development of your child. As parents, it is important to seek help from a professional speech therapist at a young age if you have any concerns about your toddler’s communication skills.

ASHA. “Activities to Encourage Speech and Language Development.” ASHA, Accessed 18 June 2023. https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/activities-to-encourage-speech-and-language-development/

ASHA. “Early Identification of Speech, Language, and Hearing Disorders.” ASHA, Accessed 18 June 2023. https://www.asha.org/public/early-identification-of-speech-language-and-hearing-disorders/

ASHA. “How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?” ASHA , Accessed 19 June 2023. https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/chart/

ASHA. “Speech Sound Disorders.” ASHA, Accessed 18 June 2023. https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/Speech-Sound-Disorders/#:~:text=Your child may have speech problems if he,damage%2C like cerebral palsy or a head injury.

ForBrain. “Discover the Science Powering ForBrain.” ForBrain, Accessed 19 June 2023. https://www.forbrain.com/how-it-works/

Amanda Unrau

Speech Therapy Care

Author: shadase

15 Most Effective Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers

Speech therapy activities for toddlers can help them learn the basic skills needed to develop strong communication. While these activities should be fun and engaging, they can also be quite challenging.

Speech therapy can be an important part of your toddler’s development, particularly if they are having difficulty communicating effectively and expressing themselves clearly.

In this blog post, we’ll provide you with some great ideas on speech therapy activities you can do at home that are both fun and effective when it comes to helping your toddler build their communication abilities.

Here are some of the most effective speech therapy activities that you can use with your toddler and also recommend it to others in your family or close friends!

#1. Narrative Activities

Narrative activities like storytelling allow your child to practice speaking as well as comprehending language. You can read a story together or create a narrative using pictures and objects. Asking questions throughout the activity encourages conversation while providing an opportunity to correct errors in grammar and pronunciation.

#2. Flashcard Games

Using flashcards is another great way to teach new words and concepts to your toddler. You could play simple memory games, have them match pictures to words, or even create your own flashcards for more specific topics.

#3. Articulation Exercises 

Articulation exercises help young children learn the correct way to pronounce sounds and syllables. To make it more fun, you could play a game where you blindfold your child and ask them to correctly identify objects by their sound.

#4. Oral Motor Activities

Oral motor activities work on strengthening the muscles in the mouth that are used for speaking. You can do this with games such as tongue twisters or by blowing bubbles together.

#5. Play-Based Activities

Last but not least, play-based activities are important too! Playing with toys or interactive games encourages natural speech, giving your toddler the chance to practice their skills in a more relaxed environment. Additionally, playing with toys helps develop fine and gross motor skills which will also be beneficial for their speech development.

#6. Art activities

Use art projects like drawing, cutting and pasting to work on fine motor skills as well as language development. For example, ask your toddler to draw a picture of something they learned or simply tell them what color they should use to draw an object. This activity is also a great way to introduce new words to your toddler while helping them learn how to express themselves artistically.

#7. Music and Movement

Get up and dance! Music can be used in many ways during speech therapy sessions with toddlers, such as singing songs that help reinforce specific speech goals or having the child move along with the beat of a song. Music has been proven to activate both sides of the brain at once while providing a fun, interactive way for children to learn and practice language skills.

#8. Picture books

Picture books are great for toddlers because they provide visual cues that help the child understand what is being said. Read a book together, discussing each page and pointing out the pictures as you go along. This activity can also help your toddler learn new words while allowing them to have fun with stories they already know.

#9. Playdough activities

Playing with playdough helps develop fine motor skills, which are important for speech development. Have your toddler roll, squeeze or shape the playdough into different things while you name objects or colors in order to reinforce these words. You can also use it to introduce new vocabulary by guiding your child to make the objects you name.

#10. Pretend Play

Pretend play is a great way for toddlers to use their imaginations and practice using language in different contexts. Whether it’s playing with dolls, kitchen sets or cars, pretend play can help your toddler learn how to express themselves more clearly and articulate their needs and wants. Use this time as an opportunity to ask questions, give directions or introduce new words and ideas.

#11. Puzzles

Puzzles are excellent tools for speech therapy sessions because they require problem-solving skills which can be used when learning new language concepts. Have your toddler work on simple puzzles while you discuss each piece of the puzzle together or even have them put the pieces together while narrating what they are doing. This activity is great for working on language comprehension and vocabulary development.

#12. Speech Sound Games

There are plenty of fun speech sound games you can do with your toddler to help them practice their talking skills, such as “I Spy” or animal sound guessing games. These activities provide an opportunity for your child to practice saying certain sounds and words in a pressure-free environment while having fun at the same time.

#13. Storytelling

Stories are a great way to engage your toddler during speech therapy, whether it’s a story you make up together or one they already know. As you tell the story, have them chime in by providing snippets of dialogue or making suggestions about what might happen next. This activity is great for introducing new words, practicing language concepts and engaging your toddler’s imagination.

#14. Toy Cars

Playing with toy cars can be a great way to work on following directions as well as working on expressive language skills. Have the child drive their car around while giving them commands such as “go left, turn right or speed up” and encourage them to narrate what they are doing with the car.

#15. Word Games

There are plenty of word games you can play with toddlers that will help develop their communication skills in a fun way. Try playing rhyming games, categorization games or even just have your toddler describe what an object is without saying its name. Word games are a great way to introduce new vocabulary and help your toddler understand the connection between words and their meanings.

These 15 activities for speech therapy with toddlers provide an excellent foundation for helping children develop their language skills. Remember that it’s important to make these activities fun, engaging and interactive in order to keep your toddler motivated and interested in learning.

With consistent practice and dedication, you can help your child reach their goals and guys if you liked it then please share it with others on social media!!

About the Author: shadase

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5 Speech Therapy Games for Toddlers and Preschoolers

When you’ve got a toddler at home, it’s not always easy to think of new activities and games to play together. Sometimes you just run out of ideas (and energy!). And if your child is in speech therapy, when it comes to  practicing   their speech and language at home, you  really  need to find something fun and motivating.

When work feels more like play, everyone is happy. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of five simple speech therapist-recommended games you can play to keep the   learning going .

1. Touch and feel activities

This is one exciting activity that your child won’t want to stop playing! Take a box, a bag, or any container that your child can’t see into. Grab some items from around the house to place inside. Here are a few ideas: A small stuffed animal, Play-Doh or slime, an apple, a ball, a toy car, and a hairbrush.

Place each item in one by one, without your child seeing. Then have your child reach in, feel the item, and guess what it is.

To target speech and language skills, they can try to describe what they feel by using words like “cold” or “soft.”

You can also help your child guess by giving them clues about each item. For example, “We use this to comb your hair,” or “This is one of your favorite snacks.”

This game is great for helping your child practice saying new words and growing their vocabulary. It’s OK to throw some items in the box that they don’t know the name of. This helps them learn even more!

2. Freeze dance

Who doesn’t love freeze dance? Your toddler or preschooler definitely will! Turn on some of their favorite music and dance together. Depending on your child’s age, you can vary this game slightly. Here’s how to play.

For toddlers or kids working on more basic vocabulary, use words like “stop” and “go” throughout the game. Explain that when you say “Stop,” your child should stop dancing and stand completely still. You can show them what you mean to help them understand.

Then go on to explain that when you say “Go!,” they can start dancing again. This helps them learn the meaning of these words. And if they aren’t already saying these words, they may begin to use them, as well! So cue up the music and dance together. Say “stop!” and “go!” throughout the song.

For older preschoolers, feel free to use the word “freeze” each time you want them to stop dancing. You can even say words that rhyme with “freeze” to work on their listening abilities and word discrimination skills. You might try saying “Cheese!” or “Keys!” Your child will be anticipating the word “freeze,” so they’ll really have to listen to your words before moving. Check out this kid-friendly  video  for an example of how to play this game.

3. Movement and physical games

Never underestimate how much kids enjoy physical games that involve movement. These can be simple activities like having a tickle fight, giving a piggyback ride, having a race, or building an indoor fort.

Children love spending time with their caregivers. The one-on-one attention you give them during these activities–not to mention how much fun they are–can help your child in different areas of speech and language development. Let’s look at some things you can target during these games:

Tickle fight:  This is a perfect activity for children learning to talk. They can request “more” or “stop” by verbalizing independently, imitating after you, or even signing! They may request “more” tickles but quickly say “Stop!” when it’s just too much. The giggles and smiles from your little one will make this a favorite game to play!

Piggyback rides : Most kids love a piggyback ride. You can work on having your child use single words to request what they want, like “up.” For older children, you can focus on sentence structure and length, such as, “I want a piggyback ride.” Having a race:  Racing each other is a helpful way to practice verbs. You can have one race where you  run , one where you  skip , one where you  spin  to the finish line, or maybe even one where you  roll !

For younger children learning to talk, you can work on naming the verb in the race you just completed and using it in small phrases, such as, “We run!” or “I skip!” For older preschool children, you can work on using the right verb tense, such as “We ran a race” or “I skipped to the finish line” for past tense. You can also practice present tense: “I am skipping.”

Building a fort:  This is a good opportunity to work on spatial concepts. You can say things like, “Go  in  the fort,” “Stand  behind  the fort,” or “Put the pillow  on top. ” See how well your child can follow these directions. It’s OK if you need to help them out.

4. Scavenger hunt

What’s great about a scavenger hunt activity is that you can play indoors or out! Give your toddler or preschooler some clues of items to find. You can make the clues as easy or as hard as you want, depending on your child’s age.

You may say something like, “Go find something that keeps us warm.” Your child may find a blanket or a coat.

If you’re outside on a scavenger hunt, you can give your child clues to find items like sticks, leaves, or flowers.

For children practicing  sound production , have them look for items that use their target sounds. For example, if your child is working on the /k/ sound, they can practice saying that they found a “rock.” Or if they’re working on the /b/ sound, they can practice saying they found a “bug.”

You can also practice   receptive language   tasks with your child, such as identifying items or following directions. Ask your kiddo to find the “hose” or pick the “flower.” Or target following single- or multi-step  directions . Give a direction such as “Pick up the ball,” or “Pick up the ball and then put it by the door.” See how easily your child can follow these directions. If they need a little help, try repeating the directions or gesturing to show them what you mean.

A classic game like I Spy can be easily repurposed for speech therapy practice! As you and your child find items to “spy,” you can focus on whatever goals may be most beneficial to them.

For instance, if your child is working on sound production, practice “spying” items that begin with or have the target sound in the word.

If your child is working on  imitating  phrases or learning to use phrases on their own, they can practice saying “I spy…” over and over. Repeating a familiar phrase like this, and simply adding one new word each time, is a great way to practice.

As you can see, speech therapy games and activities at home don’t have to be anything elaborate. The key is finding a game that will interest your child, then working your child’s specific goals into the activity. The more fun they’re having, the more practicing they’ll complete. Plus, the two of you are enjoying one-on-one time together. That’s a win for everyone!

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Speech Therapy for Toddlers

What is speech therapy.

• Language Development
• Signs of Delay
• Speech Therapy Activities
• A Parent's Role

Frequently Asked Questions

Speech therapy is a treatment led by a speech and language pathologist (SLP) or speech therapist. It helps a person communicate and speak more clearly. Toddlers may develop language or speech impairments due to illness, hearing problems, or brain disorders.

This article covers speech and language milestones, causes of speech disorders, diagnosis, what happens in speech therapy, and how parents can help their toddlers. 

Dragana991 / Getty Images

Speech therapy is a treatment that helps a person speak or communicate more effectively. It is performed by specially trained speech and language pathologists (SLPs) or speech therapists. They help their patients better understand others, pronounce words clearly, or put words together. 

There are different types of speech therapy and their use will depend on the age of the child and what they are experiencing. For example, therapy practices vary for children with apraxia (difficulty pronouncing different syllables), stuttering, aphasia (difficulty speaking due to damage to the brain), and difficulty swallowing, and for late talkers.

Language Development (Newborn to Toddler)

While delay does not always mean there’s a problem, it’s important to recognize when a toddler misses a developmental milestone. The following are general guidelines of speech and language development for babies and toddlers:

Newborns communicate through crying. Their cries may sound the same at first but start to vary as they grow. They also cry to express emotions, and parents begin to understand what different cries mean.

High-Pitched Crying

A high-pitched cry not resolved by comforting or eating may mean that an infant is experiencing discomfort or pain.

Newborns pick up on rhythms of speech and their parents' voices within the first few weeks of life. Between 1 and 4 months old, they become more alert to sounds and may startle more easily or turn to look for the source of the noise. 

Around 2 to 3 months old, infants start smiling and cooing, which often sounds like "ah" or "eh." Babies begin laughing by 3 to 4 months old.  

By 5 or 6 months old, infants imitate adult sounds produced by babbling or shrieking. Babbling involves repeating sounds such as "ba," "ma," or "ga."  

7–12 Months

Seven-month-old infants hear words as distinct sounds and try to repeat them. By 9 months old, they start to understand expressions and simple commands like "no," recognize words for objects, and respond to their names.

Ten- to 12-month-olds follow simple commands such as "give mommy your cup." They also begin to say simple words such as "dada" or "bye-bye."

A Toddler's First Words

Most 1-year-olds can say a few words such as “up” or “dog” but do not put words together in a sentence.

13–18 Months

By 18 months, a toddler puts two words together and says phrases such as "push it." They often communicate in gestures that get more complex over time.

Toddlers this age start recognizing objects, body parts, pictures, or people. For example, if you ask, "Where is your nose?," they will be able to point to it.  

19–24 Months

By 24 months old, toddlers know and say 50 or more words. They start to form two- to three-word sentences. Two-year-olds can usually communicate their needs, such as “I want more milk,” and follow two-step commands.

Speech and Language Developmental Timeline

Children develop at different speeds and may not follow the typical timeline. If you are concerned about the delay, contact your pediatrician or healthcare provider as soon as possible. Early treatment can make a difference.

Signs of Speech or Language Delay in Toddlers

The following are general guidelines to help parents know if they should have their young child evaluated for speech or language problems:

• A baby who does not vocalize or respond to sound
• A 1-year-old who does not use gestures, such as pointing
• An 18-month-old who would rather use gestures than sounds
• An 18-month-old who has difficulty imitating sounds or understanding simple requests
• A 2-year-old who imitates speech but doesn’t talk spontaneously
• A 2-year-old who can say words but not communicate more than their immediate needs or follow simple directions
• A 2-year-old who has a raspy or nasal-sounding voice

Understanding the Words of a Toddler

Parents and regular caregivers usually understand about 50% of a toddler’s speech by 2 years old and 75% by 3 years old.

Speech or language delays can occur due to problems with the structures of the mouth, head injuries, chronic illnesses, or brain disorders.  

If the cause is a brain disorder, it can be difficult to coordinate their tongue, lips, and mouth to make sounds or words. 

Hearing problems can make it difficult to imitate or understand language. This is not always a problem that is apparent at birth. Chronic ear infections can cause hearing damage in one or both ears.

A speech therapist will perform tests with your toddler to check the following:

• What your child understands
• What your child can say 
• Clarity of speech
• How the structures in their mouth work together to form words and eat

The following are diagnostic tests or scales a speech therapist may perform with your toddler:

• Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (Bayley-III) : Bayley-III is used worldwide to measure all aspects of development from birth to 42 months. A speech therapist administers the language portion by watching the child follow instructions and identify people and objects. It helps them know if the child is on track or needs further evaluation. 
• Preschool Language Scales–Fifth Edition (PLS)-5 English : The PLS-5 is an interactive screening tool designed for infants and young children. Speech therapists measure all areas of language through a play-based approach. 
• Differential Ability Scales Assessment–Second Edition (DAS-II) : The DAS-II provides a scale to help speech therapists better understand how a child processes information. This allows them to develop appropriate activities for therapy.
• Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation 3 (GFTA-3) : The GFTA-3 involves asking a child to identify colorful drawings and measures their ability to pronounce consonants.
• The Rossetti Infant-Toddler Language Scales: This test is specifically designed for children from birth to 36 months old. It involves a parent interview, as well as observation of the child performing tasks.

What Happens During Speech Therapy?

The speech therapist will plan and perform activities to help your toddler with skills based on their specific needs. Therapy may occur in small groups or individually. 

Language building activities include using picture books, repetition, talking, and playing. If a toddler has difficulty pronouncing certain words, the therapist will teach them how to make the sound or say specific words. 

Sometimes speech therapists help toddlers with speech mechanics. This involves teaching them how to move their mouth or tongue to pronounce a word. They may also prescribe lip, tongue, or jaw exercises to continue at home.

What Concerns are Addressed During Speech Therapy?

Some of the concerns that SLPs may address during speech therapy include:  

• Speech mechanics
• Word pronunciation
• Volume or quality of speech
• Social communication skills
• Trouble swallowing

How Can Parents Help?

It helps to talk and read to your child frequently. Use correct names and speak in a slow and clear voice. When giving direction, keep things simple. Kneeling to their level can them focus on what you are saying.

If your child points at a glass of water, help them connect the gesture and language by asking, “Do you want water?” When they don’t pronounce words accurately, emphasize the correct pronunciation when responding.

Waiting for a Response

When asking a question such as “Do you want a drink?,” try waiting for a response. This helps your toddler learn to communicate back to you. 

Chronic illnesses, brain disorders, and hearing problems can cause a toddler to have delayed speech or language development. Speech therapy can help them learn to communicate more effectively. 

Parents can help by talking to their children often, speaking clearly, and emphasizing correct pronunciation. If your child is in speech therapy, it’s helpful to perform exercises prescribed by your speech therapist at home.

A Word From Verywell

Not all children follow a typical timeline for speech and language development. Sometimes they are focused on learning a new task, such as walking, and put language development on the back burner. They often catch up later. 

If your toddler is experiencing a language or speech delay, talk with your child’s healthcare provider. If there is a problem, getting help early can make a difference.

A toddler should start speech therapy any time after 3 months old if they experience developmental delays in speech or language. This may seem young, but a speech therapist can monitor the signs if there is a delay. Early intervention can make an impact. 

The estimated national average cost for the United States is $218 per session. However, many insurances and most state Medicaid programs cover speech therapy. It can be helpful to find an in-network clinic to decrease your out-of-pocket expenses. 

Nemours Kids Health. Delayed speech or language development . KidsHealth.org.

Durkin MJ. From Infancy to the Elderly: Communication throughout the Ages. Nova Science Publishers; 2011.

Meadows-Oliver M. Pediatric Nursing Made Incredibly Easy. 3rd Edition. Wolters Kluwer; 2019.

University of Michigan Health. Speech and language milestones, birth to 1 year .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Important milestones: Your baby by nine months .

American Academy of Pediatrics. Language delays in toddlers: Information for parents . Healthychildren.org.

Nemours Kids Health. Communication and your 1-to-2 year old . KidsHealth.org.

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Garro, A. Early Childhood Assessment in School and Clinical Child Psychology . Springer; 2016.

Ross, K. Speech-Language Pathologists in Early Childhood . Plural Publishing; 2015.

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By Brandi Jones, MSN-ED RN-BC Jones is a registered nurse and freelance health writer with more than two decades of healthcare experience.

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How to Do Speech Therapy at Home

SAHM Blogger, Masters in Psychology , Dallas , Texas

Feb 9, 2022 Whether your child is waiting to get services or attending regular speech therapy appointments, speech therapy at home is an essential part of a child’s verbal communication success. The more you integrate speech therapy techniques at home, the more your child’s language development will thrive.

In This Article

Start by focusing on your child’s speech weaknesses, set reasonable goals, paint with straws, craft sticks for word and picture recognition, mr. potato head, read poetry, tips for success.

It is overwhelming at first to start speech therapy for toddlers at home. However, you don’t have to be a speech therapist to start including small tasks and activities to further language development. Start with the following tips for at-home speech therapy success!

Boost Your Child’s Speech Development!

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If your child struggles with pronouncing certain sounds , then start by emphasizing and learning how to say words with the corresponding sound. For instance, if ‘f’ sounds are not articulated properly, start adding in words with ‘f’ sounds in everyday conversations. Add words like fish or roof into sentences. Include speech activities like simple flashcards with sight words and pictures with ‘f’ sounding words.

This strategy can be applied to other word sounds your child struggles with. To cause less confusion for your child when learning different sounds, tackle one speech articulation sound at a time. This will help your child to achieve and master each small part of speech he or she struggles with and will also increase their confidence with language development.

Recommended article

Articulation therapy: an all-in-one guide for parents.

Goal-setting is essential for the success of speech therapy at home. Without goals, you and your child have nothing to work toward and little to no direction for at-home speech therapy activities. But you have to be cautious of setting unreachable goals for your child. The point of goal-setting is to set small obtainable goals he or she is capable of achieving.

The best way to set goals is to first start by identifying your child’s speech weaknesses and set a goal with corresponding activities and everyday speech “weaknesses” in conversations. If your child struggles with “f” sounds start conversations and read books about fish. For goal-setting, you can always add in a time frame of completing goals as well. Once a goal is completed, build upon the same goal or move on to another speech “weakness” your child struggles with.

This is one of the simplest things you can do for speech therapy for toddlers at home! Sometimes as parents we try and fill in the gaps in our child’s speech. You may ask a question, and help your child answer the same question. Instead, after you ask a question, give a large pause in the conversation to allow your child the opportunity to answer (even if he or she doesn’t). These pauses in conversation will help your child understand the words and opinions they have meaning and matter to you!

At-Home Speech Therapy Activities

Blowing through a straw is a great way to strengthen your child’s facial muscles . This will help develop the small muscles in the face to aid in the formation of new words. Of course, just blowing through a straw is boring, so try painting with straws!

Place drops of watercolor or acrylic paint on a piece of paper and have your child move the paint with his or her breath around the paper by blowing through a straw . The only rule is that your child can’t use the straw to push the paint around. They can only use their breath to move the paint.

You can use large craft sticks to write words and even place small corresponding pictures for practicing speech sound and word recognition. These craft sticks can then be used as “flashcards” or take out one craft stick and have your child color a picture, read a book, or match small pictures that rhyme with the word or represent the word itself.

Mr. Potato Head is not only an all-in-one fun toy for kids, but it can serve as one of your at-home speech therapy activities to use. Mr. Potato Head comes with many accessories that can help your child learn new words associated with body parts (face, nose, arm, etc), plus extra items like hats and glasses. Use a Mr. Potato Head to familiarize your child with learning these new words and have him/her say the body parts out loud as they are placed on the body.

Any reading is great for speech and language development, but poetry is perfect for toddlers who are just developing speech. Poetry is short sentences and paragraphs that rhyme. This teaches your child how to say new words and learn word associations by rhyming words. Some of the best books kid-friendly poetry books for children are Dr. Suess books!

Speech therapy for toddlers at home can be done successfully. While you don’t need to be a speech therapist, it is always best to work with a qualified speech-language pathologist for the best results possible. Small at-home speech therapy activities like the ones above can easily be included in your child’s daily routine to enhance speech articulation and develop full sentences.

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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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Speech Therapy for Toddlers

Are you looking for ideas for speech therapy for toddlers? Whether you are a speech-language pathologist (or a parent), this blog post is stuffed with ideas, suggestions, and great activities to try with young children! You will find suggestions for toddler books, fun activities, language modeling strategies, and resources for SLPs.

This post contains affiliate links, which means we could receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended.

Speech Therapy Books for Toddlers (and Preschoolers)

Are you looking to build a great selection of books to use with toddlers and preschool students? From interactive books, repetitive books, lift the flap books, and wordless picture books, I’ve created a list of my favorite books get you started! Children’s books are an effective tool for targeting language.

It’s especially important to choose books that are interactive and fun! Here are some great book recommendations for a speech therapist to try using in therapy:

• The Big Book of Exclamations – this interactive book is a fun way to work on imitating actions, gestures, sounds, and exclamations in therapy! Bonus: It’s written by a speech language pathologist!
• Don’t Push the Button – this is SO much fun, and a great way to work on following simple directions and imitating sounds and actions.
• Five Little Monsters – this is another fun interactive book that my students enjoy
• No No Yes Yes – this book is hilarious and will provide easy opportunities to work on gesture and word imitation
• Yummy Yucky – here is another fun book from Leslie Patricelli that will have your youngest clients engaged and laughing!
• Little Blue Truck – the fun sounds and rhymes in this book, paired with engaging illustrations, make it a kid-friendly hit! Plus, it’s easy to practice animal sounds and vehicle sounds using this book!
• Bear Wants More – part of the bear series, this book has beautiful, bright illustrations and focuses on the friendship between Bear and his friends! Plus, it’s a fun way to introduce animal names.
• The Snowy Day – this classic book is absolutely magical to pull out in the winter- or any time of year!
• Full, Full, Full of Love – this comforting book shares a special day between a boy and his grandmother- and the rest of the family- as they gather for a meal
• Peek a Who – this book is quick and fun- plus, it’s a great way to work on sound imitation!
• Where Is Baby’s Belly Button? Children the lift the flaps and can learn about body parts, such as the mouth and eyes.
• Fluffy Animals (Baby Touch and Feel) – little kids will love this hands-on book!
• My First Book of Baby Signs: 40 Essential Signs to Learn and Practice – for children with language delays, introducing some basic sign language can be very beneficial!
• Where the Wild Things Are – this is an absolute classic written by Maurice Sendak, and is absolutely still popular and fun for kids today!
• There Was an Old Lady – the old lady series is always a great go-to with younger kids- and even older children, too! Plus, this book series has colorful illustrations that appeal to kids of all ages.

Speech Therapy Books for Parents

If you want to recommend a book or two to parents, I especially love recommending My Toddler Talks by Kimberly Scanlon. This book explains language modeling strategies that parents can use to encourage language development at home.

Another great recommendation for parents is Let’s Get Talking by Mehreen Kakwan. This book helps encourage the modeling of functional first words.

Speech Therapy Activities for Toddlers (and Preschoolers)

Are you looking for some fun activities to try with younger children? Typically, hands-on, interactive, and child-led activities are best! This can mean going with the flow during speech therapy sessions.

Here are a few ideas!

Put it in, take it out:

There’s really nothing more motivating for toddlers than stuffing real objects in- and taking them out- of other things. So, find a large dump truck toy , and have other small objects or vehicles nearby. Kids love putting objects in the dump truck. You’ll be able to model vehicle sounds and exclamations easily with this activity.

Toy Car Garage Play:

I love this Melissa and Doug parking garage set with wooden cars! Work on vocabulary such as ‘up’ and ‘down’, ‘fast’ or ‘slow’, or ‘in’ and ‘out’.

Tunnel play:

Pop-up tunnels are fun to crawl through. Hide real objects or pictures in the tunnel, and work on sounds, exclamations, and core vocabulary.

Feed the … activity:

You can make a “feed the monster” (or crocodile, or ANYTHING, really) activity. This will be a big hit! Buy a trash can with a flippable round lid, or even an empty Cascade box would work! Attach eyes to it, and you’re ready to go! For children with a speech delay, focus on early syllable structures such as VC (eat!) or CVC (yum!). For children with language delays, you can target core vocabulary words like ‘eat’ and ‘in’ while you feed the monster.

Little People Figurines:

Easily work on language therapy objectives using Little People Figurines ! Model language using parallel talk and self talk.

Sensory Play:

Sensory bins are other forms of sensory play (such as play doh) are very important! For ideas on sensory activities and sensory play, check out the book Sensory Play for Toddlers and Preschoolers by Casey Patch. I often have my students engage in sensory play WHILE I am reading aloud a story to them!

MagnaTiles:

Build creations and let imagination take over while modeling speech and language objectives.

How Language Is Learned

It is important to note that modeling speech and language should involve face-to-face interaction . Language acquisition is meant to happen through shared social experiences. Singing, talking, nursery rhymes, playing, and reading are all great places to start.

I do caution parents to limit screen time when possible. As a mom, I know this isn’t easy in today’s world. Research shows, however, that this is very important.

As speech therapists, know parent involvement is so important in early intervention.

Language Modeling Strategies

SLPs can explain some language modeling strategies to parents.

I explain to parents that they can simply never talk enough to their children. I tell parents to talk all day long about what their child is doing or experiencing. This is known as parallel talk .

Likewise, parents should also talk all day about what THEY are doing, seeing, hearing, and feeling. This is known as self-talk .

Other language modeling strategies can include expansion . If a child says a word, like ‘car’, the adult can repeat that and add a word (“Blue car!”)

I also encourage caregivers to use animated facial expressions . This is a fun way to elicit sound imitation. Also, it is important to help teach children to watch an adult’s mouth as words are modeled.

Speech development can also be encouraged by modeling vowels clearly . We often think of consonants, but many young children who are unintelligible or not yet speaking may be having some motor speech difficulties. SLPs might do this by modeling- “OH- Go!”

One final tip that speech therapists can give to parents is to decrease communicative pressure . As a parent, I know it can be frustrating when children don’t repeat words you’d like them to repeat. I explain the best course of action, however, is to simply model, model, model!

Resources for SLPs

Here are some resources for Speech Therapists to use when encouraging a child’s language development:

• This research article discusses the importance of gestures and early intervention.
• This article provides guidance on coaching parents with language modeling strategies.
• This ceu course, by Cari Ebert, teaches autism strategies for early intervention

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Free Speech Therapy Activities for Toddlers

• allisonfors
• November 1, 2023
• One Comment
• Early Intervention , Preschool , Speech Resources

Download free speech therapy activities, printables, and handouts for preschoolers!  Work on critical communication skills and language development whether you are an SLP, educator, or parent working with your child at home.

Click on the title to view and download these free activities!

FREE SPEECH THERAPY ACTIVITIES FOR TODDLERS

Free farm interactive book.

The interactive book contains 3 scenes (the farm, inside the barn, and the farm at night) with 10 farm-themed pieces. The book allows you to flip through the scenes and move the pieces onto the pages. Use to work on vocabulary, prepositions, increasing MLU, wh- questions, inferences, categories, and more.

Behavior Social Story

A social narrative mini-book on how to handle frustration with calming strategies. A great way to discuss feelings and appropriate ways to express them!

Category Match Up

Practice categories and associations with this NO PREP resource! You may also open on your device for a NO PRINT option. Directions included on how to draw on PDFs on your tablet or computer.

Articulation and Phonology Minimal Pairs Smash Mats

Includes 5 sets- Gliding, Fronting, Stopping, Cluster Reduction, and Final Consonant Deletion.

Speech Sound Cue Cards

This packet contains speech sound cue and prompt cards for 21 consonant sounds and 14 vowel sounds (including 4 diphthongs). On each card is a picture of a mouth showing how to produce the sound, as well as a picture to help remind your students what sound they are working on! 

Sound Loaded Book Lists for Articulation

A list of my favorite sound-loaded books to target articulation of specific phonemes.

Birthday Party Language Scene

Use the scene and activities to target -wh questions, following directions, answering open-ended questions, formulating sentences, and conversation skills. Send home for homework, and use as no prep or no print activity. And perfect for celebrating birthdays in speech or the classroom!

Caveman and Dinos Barrier Game

Barrier games for speaking and listening skills in speech therapy, ESL, and more! Target many skills: expressive skills (giving directions), receptive skills (following directions), social skills, basic concepts, vocabulary, categorization, sentence formation, and storytelling. Premade directions page included!

What Doesn’t Belong? Scenes

Practice negation, association, and categories with this 5 page, no-prep activity!

WH Question Pizza Party

90 question cards included while you build a pizza

Speech Therapy Handouts

Developmental norms and milestones handouts for toddlers.

Language Strategies List

Download a 3-page download including 18 strategies with definitions and examples on how to elicit language development in children! This is a summary reference list of effective language stimulation and modeling techniques. Perfect handout for parents of late talkers or language delayed children.

Read this post to find ideas for speech therapy activities for toddlers, including toys, games, and books!

PRESCHOOL MUST-HAVES FOR SPEECH THERAPY

Thanks for reading! Do you have any other free speech therapy activities for toddlers to add to this list?

Get more speech resources and access to the freebie library too!

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Speech Therapy for Toddlers [Games and Printables]

Language delays can happen at any age and they aren’t necessarily a reason for concern, but finding some fun and engaging activities to provide some speech therapy for toddler s at home can never hurt. In this post, I have rounded up 5 fun and engaging printables and activities to promote language skills and new words in toddlers and preschoolers.

Speech-language pathologist will love these ideas too. I’m always looking for new ways to provide language development skills in an organic way while teaching.

Expressive language games

Are you looking for the best way to provide some social skills and receptive language program to your child or a group of students you tutor?

Something as simple as some highly engaging speech therapy materials like the ones below added to an early intervention program can do wonders.

Even if you’re in private practices, these games and ideas can work well on improving language disorders.

Speech disorders are not always noted in the first two or three years of development, however sometimes parents can tell whether their child is lisping, not saying many words for their age or development and more.

Word association game therapy

This game below will prove highly engaging for speech language pathologists and is perfect for a child’s speech development.

Each puzzle piece contains simple words that the child can associate with the other to build the puzzle piece.

Laminate these and use them in therapy sessions or add them to a treatment plan, they can be used over and over again. Articulation disorders can also be targeted through different games and activities, I will link to some below.

There are different ways you can target language skills and word associations.

Speech therapy activities

Young children will love these games listed below. Just choose the ones that suit your group of students and you’re good to go.

Sometimes, children will have trouble understanding the words on each picture cue, just have them repeat it once you read it out to them.

Get this FREE printable game at the end of this post.

These can also be used in small groups or during a speech therapy session.

Add them throughout the school year and in your daily routines to help the kids develop their language skills.

You don’t necessarily need a speech therapy service right away if you’re a parent, try these games listed below as they are very simple and easy to setup and will go a long way with your child if you’re trying to build their speech and language skills.

Signs of speech delay

Sometimes children will show some obvious early communication challenges, for examples they might struggle to acquire simple phrases and stick to simple words, it also depends on the child’s needs and the years of age.

You can even try online speech therapy at first if you feel that your child will benefit from it.

Therapy sessions do not need to be held in person. Online therapy can work wonders and you’ll be saving a lot of time on the commute. It’s a great place to start!

Speech therapy techniques

When you first start a child speech therapy program, you have to incorporate a child’s needs and speech sounds.

If those aren’t targeted yet, buy some books and soon enough the child will have a favorite book and you can add that to their individual education plan to help them along in building speech and language skills.

Speech Therapy Parent hand out for toddlers and preschoolers.

Get these FREE from the Gift of the Gab .

From the author: These free handouts are unlike any other!  Each  parent friendly  page teaches caregivers how to implement a speech therapy strategy at home. These handouts also contain  practical tips  from a real-life SLP-Mom and  guides parents  through implementing each strategy with their  individual child .

Speech Therapy for Toddlers: Common First Words Spoken.

This list is such a great start to when you need some quick reference to what words toddlers should be able to say at this age.

From the author: An easy to read handout to give to parents, grandparents, teachers, and educators listing the most commonly spoken first words. 

Get this list from Scanlon Speech Therapy

Speech Therapy Printable Worksheets for Preschoolers and Toddlers.

From the author: Speech therapy printable worksheets are a fun way to target virtually any goal! These open-ended reinforcers have a winter twist to make speech practice fun for toddlers and preschoolers.

Get these FREE from Eva Lee SLP .

Click the link between the >>> <<<< to get your copy of these super fun printable puzzles.

Before you grab your free pack you agree to the following:

• This set is for personal and classroom use only.
• This printable set may not be sold, hosted, reproduced, or stored on any other website or electronic retrieval system.
• Graphics Purchased and used with permission from
• All material provided on this blog is copyright protected.

More speech therapy resources:

• Social Pragmatic Goals Speech Therapy (Free Printable Goal Sheets)
• 20 Best K Words Speech Therapy Printables and Games
• S Sounds Speech Therapy Feed the Fox Game Printable

>>> Word Associations Speech Therapy Puzzles <<<

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

Best games for speech therapy.

Toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary students alike love using games for speech therapy! Lucky for us SLPs we often have a collection of games for speech therapy that we use. Over the years, I have collected a variety of speech therapy games and I have compiled a list of the best games for speech therapy.

These games are all quick turn taking games and can be used to get a tonne of trials while targeting a variety of speech therapy goals, such as: articulation, phonology, apraxia of speech, grammar, Wh questions for speech therapy, expressive language goals, and more! Games are also great because they inherently teach skills such as turn taking, winning/losing graciously, and team work!

I love pop up games because they have an element of surprise, which students LOVE! Essentially, you take a turn by pushing a part of the game or taking/putting back an object and the animal/object does something. I have listed what each game does for your convenience!

Pop the Pig: This adorable pig loves to eat burgers! Each person chooses a burger, which has a number on the bottom, and then pushes the pig’s head. Careful - his pants will pop when he gets too full!

Rattle Snake Jake: You take gold from Jake and put it back! One wrong move and he will lunge and you have to put half your gold back! The goal of the game is to have the most gold at the end of the game.

Beware of Bear: This bear doesn’t like to share! Open the door and poke the bear’s tummy to make sure he’s asleep. If he is, you can take one of his goodies. If he wakes up, he’s going to jump and you’ll have to give back your goodies. But, if you are able to catch him when he jumps, your goodies are safe! the game!

Shark Bite: Use the fishing rod to pull out one sea creature at a time. Be careful - he will snap up if you grab the wrong one!

Greedy Granny: As Granny snoozes, spin the treat wheel to see which treat to take! Be careful - her teeth will fly out if you aren’t careful. The first player to collect one of each of her treats wins the game!

Jumpin’ Jack: Take turns grabbing a carrot from Jack! The right carrot will make him jump. Catch him to win!

Dragon Snacks: Magic Spells, glowing horns, and treats make this game such a fun one for students!

Puglicious: This cute little pug loves snacks! Lay the treats face down. Pick a treat, stack the treats on his nose, and then push his paw as indicated on the bottom of the snack. When the pug is hungry, he will open his mouth and eat the treats!

Pop Rocket: Pull the string on the Rocket to start the countdown, and roll the die. Then move your color star catchers to where you think the stars will land. Soon, the rocket will blast off! The stars will explode in the sky and land in your star catchers. Be the first one to collect enough stars to fill your constellation to win!

Banana Blast: Pull bananas from the monkey until he jumps! The player who has the most bananas when he jumps, wins! Bonus points if you catch the monkey.

Catch the Fox: Each player puts chickens in the Fox's pockets. Then press down on his head. When his pants disappear, the chickens will scurry! Be the first to fill your coop to win!

Pop up Pirate: This pirate likes to sit in his barrel. Take turns placing swords in the barrel. Whoever has the most swords in the barrel when the pirate jumps, wins!

The next set of games are quick turning games which allow for a tonne of trials. They keep children engaged (without getting distracted). Simple games are often the best for therapy so kids don’t get so focused on the game that they forget about their goals!

All of these games can be modified to suit yours and your student’s needs. I always change the rules in my speech therapy sessions!

Sneaky Snacky Squirrel: Spin the spinner to see if you take an acorn, lose acorns, or steal an acorn. The first player to fill their log with acorns, wins! Includes an adorable squirrel tong which kids love!

Connect Four: Take turns placing chips into the game board. The first person to get four in a row, wins!

Don’t Spill the Beans: A game of skill and balance! Take turns placing beans on the pot. The player who knocks the beans over, loses.

Jenga: A classic building game of taking one block from the bottom and putting it on the top of the tower. Don’t knock it over or you’ll lose!

Honey Bee Tree : Pull out one stick at a game and see how many bees fall out. The player with the most (or least!) bees wins!

Don’t Break the Ice: Take turns hammering ice blocks. Don’t break the ice or the penguin will fall!

Shelby’s Snack Shack : Use the puppy tongs to collect the most bones.

Let’s go Fishing: A motorized game where the goal is to be the first to collect all of your coloured fish.

If you're on the hunt for any of these games to use in speech therapy, just do a quick google search! They're often available to purchase at Walmart, Amazon, and Target

I love these games so much that I made a Speech and Language Therapy Companion to go with them! It includes all of these games (and waaayy more- over ONE HUNDRED ) as well as some of my favorite toys!

There are over 60 speech and language goals for speech therapy included 9 (as well as ++ common preschool themes ).

Goals include:

final consonant deletion

cluster reduction

and much more!

Simply cut the strips and pair with ANY of these games. You’re able to make any game an articulation game !

So if you own 2 or 20 of these games - you can start using this product right away to use in group speech therapy, early intervention, or send as a home speech therapy activity!

Check it out here!

Interested in more play based therapy ideas, access to freebies (like the ones below) and special offers?

Make sure to get on my email list (link at the bottom of the page!)!

• Play Based Speech Therapy Ideas

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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!

Want Even More?

• 21 Best Reinforcement Games for Speech Therapy
• 261+ Free Ideas for Digital Therapy
• 917+ Best Free Boom Cards for Speech Therapy
• 11 Free Articulation Games for Speech Therapy
• Learn How to Turn any Static PDF into an Interactive PDF.

Want the Best of the Bests?

Be sure to check out our most popular posts below!

• 21 Best Reinforcement Games for Speech Therapy / Teletherapy
• Best IEP Resources
• 71+ Free Social Problem-Solving Scenarios
• 430+ Free Multisyllabic Words List Activity Bundle
• 432+ Free Measurable IEP Goals and Objectives Bank
• 279+ Free Speech Therapy Digital Materials
• 179+ Free Speech Therapy Wh-Questions Printable

Saturday 18th of June 2022

Thank you for this freebies! God bless your good heart!

Melissa Berg

Hi Ela! Aw, thank you so much. I'm happy to know you like this resource! Wishing you all the best, Melissa

11 Toddler Activities to Encourage Speech

Are you looking for easy and fun ways to help encourage your toddler's speech development?

If so, you come to the right place. I'm going to go over some speech development facts and give you some fun and interactive ways you can help your child's language development.

How to encourage speech development

A toddler's speech development is one of the most exciting and worrying things about parenting.

In the time of social media, it's easy to fall into the trap of comparing your toddler's speech development with others.

You may be wondering if there are any toddler activities to encourage speech.

Research shows that young children need to hear about 21,000 words per day for optimal language development.

While that number may have taken your breath away momentarily, I assure you it's not difficult to achieve.

Luckily, there are many things you can do with your toddler to encourage speech, and they can all be pretty fun!

Speech development in toddlers

You can worry yourself sick reading through websites about how many words your child should be saying at certain ages.

I've read that an 18-month-old should be saying at least 20 words, but then I read the next article down and I'm told a child should be saying at least 6 words at 18 months.

And then , to top the confusion off, women in parenting Facebook groups are telling me they've been told an 18-month-old should be saying more than 50 words!

Here's the most reasonable official word on what a toddler's speech should entail, by age:

By 18 Months- Says several single words. (They don't need to be clearly spoken.)

By 2 Years: Says sentences containing 2-4 words.

By 3 Years: Can carry on short conversations using 2-3 sentences and can be understood by most adults.

Along with these speech development guidelines, it's important to note that receptive language (a child's ability to understand) is of equal, if not primary, importance in younger toddlers!

So, don't gauge your child's language development only on what they are able to say.

Now, let's get to the fun part! The activities! I'll be providing examples of what you can say during the activity to encourage your child's speech!

Toddler activities to encourage speech

1. Herb Grinding- I am a big hot tea drinker and my kids enjoy the scents and flavors of the herbs brewing, along with trying new teas. (Decaffeinated, of course.)

This is one of my personal favorite activities to encourage toddler speech. If there is something you just love , involve your child.

So, grinding herbs with a mortar and pe stle is a super fun activity for us. And there is so much vocabulary that goes along with the activity!

“Feel the chamomile buds. They are dry and break easily. They should be easy to crush!”

“This is a mortar and pestle. People use it for all sorts of things! Painters use it to prepare paints, people crush medicine with it, and people use it for cooking. Let me show you how to use it. After we are finished crushing the chamomile, we can make some hot tea and put some honey and milk in it!”

2. Reading-  This is crucial – and fun! Short, rhyming, and easy-to-follow stories are the best for a toddler's developing speech.

There is no need to purchase any of the “First 100” series books and drill your child on those words.

Simply read and let the story flow. If it's a rhyme, don't stop to talk about the story or the pictures for the first several reads through the book.

Let your child experience the rhythm of the syllables and the song of the rhyme.

This will enhance the experience for them, as well as encourage their love of reading in the future!

Even audiobooks have the benefit of enriching a child's vocabulary!

Sensory bins to help speech development

3. Sensory bins – While sensory bins are not Montessori, they are useful for a child's development.

On top of tactile stimulation and as an adjunct tool for learning, they provide a fun opportunity for speech development.

Take this colored rice sensory bin, for example. We've made the brown rice the land and the blue rice the water.

My 2-year-old enjoyed coloring the rice, helping to plan the activity, and placing the animals in their respective habitats.

“Is water brown or blue? Hmm…I think it's blue. Let's put the brown land over to the left side of the bin and the blue water to the right of the land. Let's get your animals and try to figure out which ones live in the water and which ones live on land!”

So much language goes along with working with sensory bins. And you are only limited by your own imagination, as far as what materials to use!

4. Nature Walks- Take a walk around the yard, neighborhood, or local park. Stop often to observe the things around you.

Encourage your child to pick things up and offer a description of the item.

“Oh, look at that rock you found. Feel it. It's rough and has a jagged edge on one side. It looks different than the rock that I found. Mine is smooth. Do you want to feel it?”.

There is a lot of language to be shared when out and about in nature.

Encourage toddler speech through play

5. Blocks-  This activity is so simple, yet so vital for just about every aspect of a child's development. Blocks. That's right, just plain old wooden blocks .

All you need to do is sit on the floor, facing your child, and build. Talk about what you're building and observe and admire what your toddler is building.

“I'm building a house. You see, the garage is right here and over here is the front door. I've turned a triangle-shaped block upside down to make a pointy roof. Show me what you are building!”

“Let's see how high we can stack these blocks! We can make a tower! Oh, wow, every time we add a block, our tower gets taller. If we keep building, we will have the tallest tower we have ever built!”

6- Miniature objects- Miniature objects are used for different things in Montessori. To start with, they can be used to help encourage speech development in Toddlers.

Language is best learned in conjunction with concrete, tangible examples. So, miniature objects provide this level of learning for toddlers.

Simply name the object and talk a bit about its use. Ask open-ended questions, even if your child can't answer.

Miniature objects are also great for sound games.

7- Silly Sounds- Show your child that it is fun to experiment and be silly with language by making silly sounds with them. Change the words to some common nursery songs and sing about what you are doing.

Instead of singing the correct words to “ Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star “, sing something like, “ Beep beep, bop bop, bip bip, boat! ” Just be silly!

Your child needs to see you feel free to experiment and be silly. This will help them feel free to do the same.

They will have fun, while getting practice and becoming more comfortable with trying new sounds. Activities to encourage speech can be silly and fun!

It should never feel like a lesson,

Speech development and music

8- Finger Plays- Finger Plays are songs involving the movement of the hands and fingers. This is a really fun way to encourage toddler speech!

One Finger Play all my children have enjoyed is this:

Open shut them ( Open and close your hands in rhythm ) Open shut them Give a little clap, clap, clap (Clap in rhythm) Open shut them (Open and close your hands in rhythm) Open shut them Lay them on your lap, lap, lap (Pat your hands on your lap in rhythm) Creep them creep them (Move your hands in a spider motion up your abdomen, Creep them creep them toward your chin) Right up to your chin, chin, chin Open wide your little mouth (Tap your index fingers on the sides of your mouth, But do not let them in close your mouth, and shake your head and wag your finger “no”) Shake them shake them (Shake your hands vigorously) Shake them shake them Shake them Just like this, this, this Roll them roll them (Ball your fists and roll your arms) Roll them roll them Roll And blow a little kiss (Blow a kiss to your child) Muah!

Speech development and food

9- Grocery Shopping- Turn an adult chore into a fun activity by spending some extra time in the fresh section of the store.

The descriptive language that fresh food provides is amazing! There is so much to talk about at the grocery store!

Every fruit and vegetable has a different size, color, texture, scent, and flavor. Grocery shopping is probably one of the best activities to encourage healthy eating and toddler speech!

“We need some apples to snack on. Let's pick out 3 juicy red apples. 1, 2, an 3. Can you help put them in our bag? You did it! Now we've got 3 delicious red apples to snack on when we get home! Now, let's go see what else we can find!”

10- Cooking-  There's no way around it. We have to cook.

So, instead of diverting your toddler's attention elsewhere so you can prepare dinner, invite them to help!

This is one of the most helpful ways to encourage toddler speech.

It may take longer ( and more cleaning is sure to result ), but the opportunity to help a toddler along with their speech development is missed when we exclude our children from daily activities, such as cooking.

“Smell this basil. I like the way it smells, don't you? Now, try a bite of this tomato. Mmm! It's so juicy, isn't it? Would you like to help me stir? Tomatoes and basil are going to be part of our dinner tonight! Thank you so much for helping!”

Speech development and picture books

11- Picture Books- Picture books are great activities to encourage toddler speech. They allow for more conversation, imagination, and they help develop critical thinking skills.

But for the purpose of this article, let's focus on the speech development these books promote.

One of the great benefits of wordless books is the absence of words prompts conversation about the possible actions, emotions , and intentions of the characters on the page.

There is no story to read, so you and your child make up the story yourselves!

“That boy is walking a dog on a leash. I wonder where he is going. Let's see…there's a post office a few buildings away. Maybe he is going to pick up a package. I wonder who sent the package. Do you have any ideas? Maybe his grandmother sent it.”

These fun activities are sure to help get your toddler talking!

Turn off the TV to encourage toddler speech

Doing simple things like speaking clearly and limiting screen time are also important. A link between excessive screen-time and verbal delays has been shown.

Time spent in front of the TV or iPad is time lost gaining meaningful speech; speech that relates to your child's life.

Join Limited Screen-time Families on Facebook for more tips on screen-free activities. It's one of the best resources out there.

My personal experience with my children's speech development

As a mother of three completely different kids, I can promise you that personality plays a huge role in a child's speech development.

The tears I shed worrying about my first child's language development…It turns out, she is a quiet child and a bit of a perfectionist.

I couldn't help but worry when I would watch videos of all my friends' toddlers talking and singing when my daughter had a handful of barely discernable words and a whole lot of da-da-da. She was a “late” babbler, too.

Then, like a light switch went off, she started speaking full sentences.

Now, at 5, she has a vocabulary as large as any other kid her age. My 3-year-old had 100+ words at 18 months.

He is more outgoing and willing to try to say words, even when he's unsure he's got the pronunciation just right.

He appreciates being corrected and will attempt a word as many times as necessary until he's got it just right.

Every child's speech development is different.

Basically, every child is different. So, try not to stress yourself ( or your child) out about their speech development. Child development is not a competitive sport .

I can safely assume that you're reading this article because you have concerns about your child's speech development.

Take a deep breath, dry your tears, and have fun with these activities!

The MOST important thing, however, is that you listen. Your child may be saying more than you think!

And there is NO NEED to talk incessantly to your child, as many social media moms will claim!

Letting them develop confidence and concentration through independent play is absolutely vital.

So, let them play,  then join them.

Let them explore, then join them.

There are so many activities to encourage toddler speech and their all fun!

Cheers and don't forget to subscribe!

Sharing is caring!

Wednesday 25th of August 2021

I NEEDED to read this. Thank you so much. Trust me... you are so right. I worry about my toddler's speech every single day. i am tired of reading articles. I am going to take your advice. Thank you Thank you Thank you.

Bit of crackling

Wednesday 30th of December 2020

If transitions are a problem for your child, it is important to figure out what about the transition is difficult. Often kids don’t like stopping an activity that they are enjoying (like playing on the computer) in order to do something less fun, like getting ready to leave the house. While no one enjoys stopping fun things, some kids struggle with it more than others. That can be a sign that they are still developing emotional self-regulation skills, but it is just one possible cause. Other children struggle to cope with unanticipated changes in schedule, or moving on from something that they feel like they haven’t finished.

Thursday 21st of May 2020

thanks for this article! our little guy has pretty much no words at 15mo but understands what we are asking him to do and follows directions well. he has no screen time and we read a ton of books. the ped is already talking about early intervention speech therapy--ugh! this was such a reassuring article. thanks :)

What Is Speech Therapy?

I f your child needs speech therapy, you're not alone. Here's everything you need to know about speech therapy for kids and toddlers.

If your child is currently in speech therapy or you're wondering if they might be a candidate for it, you're not alone. According to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), almost 8% of children in the United States have a communication or swallowing disorder. It doesn't mean you've done anything wrong, but it can be tough for families. The good news is speech therapy can make a difference.

So, what is speech therapy and how can it help? Here’s everything you need to know. 

How Does Speech Therapy Work?

Speech therapy is the treatment of communication, voice, and feeding/swallowing disorders by a trained professional.

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have a master's degree in speech-language pathology and specialize in evaluating, diagnosing, treating, and preventing these disorders. SLPs hold a license to practice in their state. 

You may also come across ASHA-certified SLPs. They have taken an additional step to pass a national exam and complete an ASHA-accredited supervised clinical fellowship.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About Language Development and Speech Delays in Children

What Does Speech Therapy Treat?

There are various reasons a child may need speech therapy. Common ones include:  

1. Speech sound disorders. This means a child has difficulty with the production of speech sounds and how we combine them into words.

2. Language disorders. A child will have difficulty understanding and/or using language to communicate. Language disorders may impact vocabulary development, grammar, as well as the ability to tell a story, follow directions, answer questions, and more.

3. Social communication disorder/pragmatic language disorder . In this case, a child will have difficulty using language to socialize. This may include difficulty understanding social cues, taking turns during conversation, initiating or maintaining a conversation, and understanding personal space. A social communication disorder often leads to difficulty forming friendships. Children with these language barriers may have a concurrent diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder .

4. Cognitive - communication disorder . This includes difficulty with memory, reasoning, problem solving, and organization, impacting the ability to communicate.

5. Voice disorder . Children will have differences in voice quality (e.g., being too hoarse or too nasal).

6. Fluency disorder/stuttering . Kids will have difficulty maintaining a smooth flow of speech. A fluency disorder may include repetitions of sounds within words, prolongations of parts of words, and/or pauses in speech.

7. Feeding/swallowing disorder . This presents as a difficulty with sucking, chewing, and/or swallowing food or liquid.

Signs a Child May Need Speech Therapy

Children may need speech therapy when they have not acquired speech/language milestones by an expected age. While milestones can vary from child to child, parents should refer their child for an evaluation if they have any concerns. Evaluation, which may include both standardized and non-standardized testing as well as observation, can help diagnose a speech/language disorder.

Some signs that may indicate a need for speech therapy include:

• A child isn't babbling by 6-7 months
• The child is having difficulty with feeding and/or swallowing
• A child beyond the age of 1 has no words
• A child beyond the age of 2 is not combining words into phrases
• The child's speech is difficult to understand
• The child is omitting syllables or sounds in words
• Speech errors are noticed during conversation
• The child has difficulty following directions or understanding spoken language
• The child has difficulty answering questions
• The child has a smaller vocabulary than what is expected for their age
• The child is stuttering
• The child's voice quality has changed or is noticeably hoarse or nasal
• The child has difficulty communicating with others socially
• The child has hearing loss
• The child has a cleft lip or palate

Related: Parenting a Child With a Speech Delay Can Be Lonely

What is Early Intervention Speech Therapy? 

Early intervention refers to state-funded evaluations and interventions—including speech therapy—for children, ages birth to 3, and their families. In some states, early intervention continues until the age of 5. While professionals may refer a child to early intervention, parents can also refer their child on their own.

Speech Therapy for Toddlers 

Speech therapy for toddlers usually resembles play where toys are used to elicit target skills, says Dominica Lumb, M.S., CCC-SLP, who has over 30 years of experience conducting speech therapy with children in various settings. 

Children are given choices during play to encourage the need to communicate. While working on language skills, toddlers are encouraged to request objects, ask questions, answer questions, and use appropriate vocabulary.

Parents may be included in therapy sessions at this age. They may be taught to model speech sounds or how to label objects and actions during everyday routines to enhance vocabulary development.

Speech therapy can also work differently depending on a child’s needs. For example, one may require a mode of communication that differs from speaking. That’s referred to as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and may include picture boards or computers/iPads for communicating through text or voice synthesizer. This can begin in early intervention and beyond.

Speech Therapy for Elementary-Aged Kids

Speech therapy at this stage is typically more structured. Games are often used for motivation, but goals are targeted through practice and repetition. Children practice new skills throughout a continuum until they're able to use these skills naturally in all environments.

After early intervention, children may continue receiving services in elementary school through an individualized education plan (IEP). The IEP is written by all specialists who will be working with the child. It states the child's goals and documents any accommodations the child may need to meet them.

Therapy at this age may follow a “pull-out” model where a child receives support in a separate classroom or a “push-in” model where an SLP provides services within the regular classroom. This model can change throughout the duration of therapy. For example, a child working on the correct production of a sound will typically begin with pull-out therapy and, when ready, will be observed in their classroom to assess for carryover of this skill.

SLPs in the school setting also consult with teachers to provide the support children need to communicate effectively in the classroom.

What About Private Speech Therapy?

While children must qualify for speech therapy through early intervention and in public schools, private practices can provide services beyond these standards.

Speech therapy in the private practice setting typically occurs one-on-one with the child receiving the SLP's undivided attention. But group therapy may occur when beneficial to the child.

"Therapy in the private practice setting is very child and family focused," explains Shanna Klump, M.S., CCC-SLP, CEO of Kid Connections Therapy in Severna Park, Maryland. "The family's goals for their child are often at the forefront of the work we do. In addition, parents and other family members often participate in the sessions to learn strategies that can be implemented at home to encourage generalization of skills."

What Age Is Best To Start Speech Therapy?

Parents should refer their child for a speech/language evaluation when they first notice their child is falling behind in any area of speech/language or is no longer meeting speech/language milestones . It is never too late or too early to start therapy but, in general, earlier intervention leads to a better outcome. If you're unsure if your child requires speech therapy, a referral to an SLP is always recommended.

Related: 7 Ways to Help Your Child's Language Development

How Parents Can Refer Their Child for Speech Therapy

A parent can contact their local early intervention office to learn about speech therapy options. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides early intervention contacts by state. Parents can also reach out to their child's health care provider to determine where their local early intervention office is located.

A school-aged child can be referred for a speech/language evaluation by reaching out to the child's teacher or the school's SLP.

An evaluation by a private SLP is an option at any age, but evaluations through early intervention or a public school district are provided at no cost. ASHA ProFind connects parents to SLPs who have indicated they are accepting referrals.

Does Insurance Cover Speech Therapy?

While public school therapy is free, private outpatient speech/language therapy is often covered by health plans, but with limitations.

According to Klump, insurance coverage for speech therapy varies by state, insurance plan, and diagnosis. She explains that while some states require habilitative service coverage for children, others do not.

Often, private practices, including Klump's Kid Connections, complete a benefits verification before initiating speech evaluation or therapy. In her experience, therapy sessions without insurance coverage may cost between $100-150, depending on location.

As each health plan has its own coverage, it is important to reach out to your insurance company to determine your out-of-pocket costs.

Insurance and Speech Therapy Coverage

If you're looking to see what insurance covers, Shanna Klump, M.S., CCC-SLP, CEO of Kid Connections Therapy, suggests parents obtain the following information from their insurance carrier:

• Visit limit. This may be a hard or soft limit which refers to whether an extension of services could be granted if deemed medically necessary
• Whether the visit limit is combined with other services. For example, occupational therapy and physical therapy are sometimes grouped with speech therapy in the number of sessions covered
• Whether there are exclusions to coverage for different diagnoses
• If a deductible must be met
• The co-pay amount per session

How Long Will My Child Be in Speech Therapy?

Speech therapy can take anywhere from months to years. Each child makes progress at their own rate and has individualized goals based on their communication needs. Just as children develop and meet milestones individually, the time it takes them to master new skills will vary.

How Effective Is Speech Therapy?

Speech therapy has been found to be effective for children. One study of more than 700 children with speech or language disorders up to 16 years old, found an average of six hours of speech therapy over six months significantly improved communication performance. Speech therapy was shown to be much more effective than no treatment over the same period.

Children of all ages typically find speech therapy engaging, fun, and rewarding. They're able to see their progress and use their newly learned skills proudly. Speech therapy is an effective way to enhance a child's ability to communicate and through these communication skills, a child will have better access to the world.

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Read the original article on Parents .

Campaigner who spent 13 years learning to talk calls for better access to speech language therapy

• speech and language therapy
• Thursday 16 May 2024 at 9:04pm

Rosie Dowsing

Journalist, ITV News Central

Rosie Dowsing hears from teachers and campaigners who say more needs to be done to provide rising numbers of children with Speech and Language Therapy.

A campaigner from Solihull with a speech condition called Apraxia says he wants to help other children find their voice as waiting lists for Speech and Language Therapy grow longer.

There are currently around 3,888 children and young people in Birmingham and Solihull on the waiting list for support, according to NHS England.

Across the country, 73,635 children and young people were waiting for SLT support in January 2024, compared to 67,774 the year before.

After being diagnosed with apraxia at two years old, Mikey Akers had 13 years of Speech and Language Therapy (SLT), just to be able to communicate with others.

The 23-year-old's latest petition, calling for on the Government for more investment in SLT, reached over 12,000 signatures in just a matter of weeks, prompting a response.

The campaigner set up 'Mikey's Wish' to raise awareness of Apraxia - a form of verbal dyspraxia that is a neurological condition that affects speech.

Mikey said: “I was under speech and language services for 13 years, finally being discharged at 15 years old when my speech was, ‘as good as it’s going to get’.

“Not being able to speak has a huge impact on daily life. It affects our time in school, it’s harder to get involved with classroom discussion and can make job interviews even more daunting if we can’t communicate confidently.

“Making friends is hard due to the communication barrier too. Even with a strong support network, the loneliness you feel from not being able to talk is so hard. It affects your confidence and self-esteem.”

Mikey set up the petition to address the lack of access to SLT: “I have had so many parents message to tell me that their children cannot access speech and language services here in the UK," he said.

“Then there are those who are lucky enough to be seen by a speech and language therapist have a six session block and then are back on the bottom of the waiting list waiting for their next block of sessions. This is not good enough!”

'It's nice that people can understand me now'

Before speech and language therapy sessions, Toby Rosie from Guardian Angels Primary School was often misunderstood due to his speech sound disorder.

He had a block of six SLT sessions with the NHS after an extensive wait time in October 2021, but that wasn't enough.

Now in Year 4, he has weekly sessions with West Midlands Speech and Language Therapy, and daily support from the teaching assistant in his class.

His teachers say regular therapy has approved his self-esteem, confidence and academic ability.

Regular SLT support comes at a cost, and funding for schools is tight while demand grows.

Laura Potter, SENco for Guardian Angels Primary School said: “We have invested heavily into speech and language but we cannot maintain this.

"All school budgets are crippling at the moment. For us to maintain this level of support for Toby and the majority of children who do need this consistent support, we need more investment in schools.”

'Expert by experience'

Mikey Akers is now an Expert by Experience at Birmingham City University, which means he gives talks to students on the Speech and Language Therapy course about his story.

BCU have backed Mikey's petition calling on the Government for more investment in SLT.

The Government responded to Mikey’s petition, stating: “This government has increased investment in the NHS since 2019 in real terms. Systems are developing plans to reduce waits and we are committed to growing the Speech and Language Therapy workforce.

“We recognise the impact that long waits to access speech and language therapy can have on the individual, their families and carers.

“Addressing waiting times for community health services, including Speech and Language Therapy, is a priority for the NHS and this Government.”

Mikey said he was disappointed in the response: “We launched a similar petition three years ago asking for more funding for SLT but nothing has changed. If anything, it’s getting worse," he said.

“The Government has acknowledged that tens of thousands of children are still on a waiting list, but we’re seeing no action to tackle this and there’s been no changes in numbers since 2021.”

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The Chiefs kicker who told women to be 'homemakers' rather than have careers has a physicist mother

• Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker faced backlash for saying women should focus on being homemakers.
• He made the comments during a commencement address at Benedictine College's graduation ceremony.
• Butker mom's is a physicist at Emory.

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker gave some controversial advice to young women during his commencement address at Benedictine College's graduation ceremony on Saturday. Now, some critics are pointing out the irony in his message.

During his speech at the Catholic college, the NFL player, known for being an outspoken conservative Catholic , told the women in the graduating class they'd been fed "diabolical lies."

"How many of you are sitting here now about to cross this stage and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you're going to get in your career?" he asked. "Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world."

Related stories

He praised his wife for supporting his career as she took on "one of the most important titles of all: homemaker" instead of fulfilling her previous dream of having a career of her own. At one point, he also quoted lyrics from Taylor Swift , a noted career woman (and billionaire) — an irony that wasn't lost on Swift's fanbase.

Celebrities and people online quickly spoke out against Butker's message, which also took aim at LGBTQ+ and abortion rights . Some critics zeroed in on the fact that Butker's mother is a career woman.

Several users on X pointed out that Butker's mother, Elizabeth Keller Butker, is a physicist. "Harrison Butker's mom is a medical physicist in the oncology department at Emory. I can't believe this guy's mommy issues ruined graduation for the women at Benedictine College," one user posted on X .

Harrison Butker's mom is a medical physicist in the oncology department at Emory. I can't believe this guy's mommy issues ruined graduation for the women at Benedictine College https://t.co/tS6QOCUXwv — Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) May 15, 2024

Elizabeth Keller Butker's name and photo are featured on the Emory University School of Medicine's Radiation Oncology staff page , and she's listed as a clinical medical physicist. According to a LinkedIn page that appears to belong to Butker's mother, she earned her undergraduate degree from Smith College and has worked at Emory since June 1988. A representative for Emory did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

The NFL has disavowed the comments Butker made in his speech and reiterated that they're committed to inclusivity.

Butker, his wife, or his mom haven't spoken out publicly about Butker's graduation speech comments. Butker's representative didn't respond to previous requests for comment from BI.

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• Healthy Habits
• Healthy and Safe Swimming
• How to Respond
• Healthy Swimming Communication Resources
• Aquatics Professionals Toolkit
• Pool Inspection Toolkit
• The Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC): A Model Public Swimming Pool and Spa Code

Swimming and Your Health

• Water-based exercise offers physical and mental health benefits, including improved health for people with chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis.
• However, recreational water can also spread illness or cause injury, so it is important to know what to do to protect yourself and others.

Health benefits

Swimming can improve mood and people report enjoying water-based exercise more than exercising on land.

People are able to exercise longer in water without increased joint or muscle pain, which has been shown to be especially helpful for people with arthritis and osteoarthritis. Water-based exercise can help people with arthritis improve the use of their arthritic joints, decrease pain, and not worsen symptoms. People with rheumatoid arthritis have shown more health improvements after participating in hydrotherapy (exercising in warm water) than with other activities.

For people with fibromyalgia, swimming can decrease anxiety, and exercise therapy in warm water can decrease depression and improve mood. Parents of children with developmental disabilities find that recreational activities, such as swimming, improve family connections.

Water-based exercise can benefit older adults by improving their quality of life and decreasing disability. It can also improve or help maintain the bone health of post-menopausal women.

Staying healthy and safe while you swim

To stay healthy and safe while you swim, it is important to understand how to prevent illness and injury when you are in or around the water.

You can get swimming-related illnesses if you swallow, have contact with, or breathe in mists of water contaminated with germs. The most common swimming-related illnesses are diarrhea , skin rashes , swimmer's ear , pneumonia or flu-like illness , and irritation of the eyes or respiratory tract .

Learn more about what you can do to prevent these illnesses when you swim and how to protect yourself depending on where you go (pool, hot tub, splash pad, ocean, etc.)

Preventing Swimming-related Illnesses

Guidelines for Healthy and Safe Swimming

Keeping your pool and hot tub clean

Having pool or hot tub can be a fun way to be active or just relax. It is important to know what to do to reduce the risk of pool-related injury and illness, as well as how to clean your pool if it has been contaminated by poop, vomit, blood, or a dead animal.

Guidelines for Keeping Your Pool Safe and Healthy

Responding to Pool Contamination

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• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: Be active, healthy, and happy! In Chapter 2: Physical Activity Has Many Health Benefits. 2009.
• Westby MD. A health professional's guide to exercise prescription for people with arthritis: a review of aerobic fitness activities. Arthritis Rheum. 2001;45(6):501-11.
• Hall J, Skevington SM, Maddison PJ, Chapman K. A randomized and controlled trial of hydrotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care Res. 1996;9(3):206-15.
• Tomas-Carus P, Gusi N, Hakkinen A, Hakkinen K, Leal A, and Ortega-Alonso A. Eight months of physical training in warm water improves physical and mental health in women with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial. J Rehabil Med. 2008;40(4):248-52.
• Broman G, Quintana M, Engardt M, Gullstrand L, Jansson E, and Kaijser L. Older women's cardiovascular responses to deep-water running. J Aging Phys Act. 2006;14(1):29-40.
• Cider A, Svealv BG, Tang MS, Schaufelberger M, and Andersson B. Immersion in warm water induces improvement in cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure. Eur J Heart Fail. 2006;8(3):308-13.
• Bartels EM, Lund H, Hagen KB, Dagfinrud H, Christensen R, Danneskiold-Samsøe B. Aquatic exercise for the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;3:CD005523.
• Berger BG, and Owen DR. Mood alteration with yoga and swimming: aerobic exercise may not be necessary. Percept Mot Skills. 1992;75(3 Pt 2):1331-43.
• Gowans SE and deHueck A. Pool exercise for individuals with fibromyalgia. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2007;19(2):168-73.
• Hartmann S and Bung P. Physical exercise during pregnancy—physiological considerations and recommendations. J Perinat Med. 1999;27(3):204-15.
• Mactavish JB and Schleien SJ. Re-injecting spontaneity and balance in family life: parents' perspectives on recreation in families that include children with developmental disability. J Intellect Disabil Res. 2004;48(Pt 2):123-41.
• Sato D, Kaneda K, Wakabayashi H, and Nomura T. The water exercise improves health-related quality of life of frail elderly people at day service facility. Qual Life Res. 2007;16:1577-85.
• Rotstein A, Harush M, and Vaisman N. The effect of water exercise program on bone density of postmenopausal Women. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2008;48(3):352-9.

Healthy Swimming

CDC’s Healthy Swimming website provides information on how to have healthy and safe swimming experiences while minimizing illness and injury.

For Everyone

Public health.