Effective communication is important for overall development. Speech articulation, which is the ability to produce sounds correctly, is a key component in communicating with others. As parents, your role in supporting your child's speech development is very important. If your child is struggling with the articulation of speech sounds, here are some practical strategies you can employ to help them improve their skills.
Understanding the Basics of Articulation
Articulation refers to how sounds are produced to form words. Some speech sound issues include distortions (e.g., saying “wabbit” instead of “rabbit”) or omitting sounds altogether. Understanding the specific sounds your child has difficulty with is the first step in targeting the issue.
Encourage Practice Through Everyday Interactions and Play
Children learn best when they’re having fun. Try using games and playful activities to practice speech sounds. Here are some easy ideas for incorporating these activities into your everyday life.
Sound Sorting Games
Find pictures of objects of everyday items. You and your child can sort these pictures into piles based on the sounds, rhymes, colors or other category characteristics. Practice saying the words on the cards as you sort them into their categories.
Play Time
Playtime offers a wonderful opportunity to bond with your child while supporting their development. It's especially valuable for promoting speech sound growth. By encouraging your child to name and describe their toys, explain the actions of their dolls or action figures, or narrate their imaginative play, you're helping them practice pronunciation and expand their vocabulary. This type of interactive play makes learning fun and natural, turning everyday moments into meaningful opportunities for their speech development.
At the Park
At the park, you can support your child’s articulation skills by encouraging them to talk about what they see and do. Ask them to name the playground equipment, describe the games they’re playing, or talk about the activities happening around them. Engaging in these conversations helps them practice speech in a fun, real-world environment, making language learning an active part of their day.
Car Rides
Car rides offer a great opportunity to support your child’s speech development. While driving, you can encourage them to talk about what they see outside, such as naming objects like cars, buildings, or animals. You can also play simple games like "I Spy" or ask them to describe where you’re going and what you’ll do when you get there. These conversations help your child practice pronunciation, build vocabulary, and improve language skills—all while making the trip more engaging and fun.
Shopping
While at the store, you can turn your shopping trip into a valuable speech development activity for your child. Encourage them to name items you see on the shelves, describe the colors or shapes of products, or even help read out parts of your shopping list. Asking questions like, "What vegetables should we buy?" or "Can you find the eggs?" engages them in conversation and allows them to practice vocabulary and speech. Trips to the provide numerous opportunities to build language skills in a fun and interactive way.
Meal Time
Meal times are a great time to support your child’s speech development. iEncourage them to talk about the food on their plate—naming ingredients, describing the flavors, or even sharing how the meal was prepared. You can also involve them in setting the table by asking them to name the utensils or talk about the different foods being served.
Reading
Reading or story time is a wonderful way for parents to support their child’s speech development. As you read together, encourage your child to point out pictures, name characters, or predict what will happen next. Ask open-ended questions like, “What do you think will happen next?”, “Why do you think the character did that?”, or "Where is this story taking place?" to spark conversations. You can also have your child retell parts of the story in their own words, which helps them practice pronunciation, language skills, and comprehension. These interactive moments not only support speech development but also create enjoyable bonding experiences for you and your child.
Model Correct Pronunciation
Children often learn by imitation. Make sure to model the correct pronunciation of words clearly and slowly. Emphasize the target sound when you say words and phrases. For instance, if your child struggles with the “s” sound, you might say, “Let’s make a ‘ssss’ sound like a snake", or "The rrrrrrabbit is hopping acrrrross the grrrrrasss."
Break Words Down into Syllables
Breaking words down into smaller, manageable parts can help your child focus on pronouncing larger words. For example, practice saying “apple” as “ap-ple” and encourage your child to repeat each syllable slowly.
Encourage and Celebrate Progress
Positive reinforcement is very important. Celebrate your child’s efforts and progress, and use specific praise to motivate them.
Seek Professional Help if Needed
If you notice that your child’s articulation issues persist despite your best efforts, consult a speech-language pathologist. SLPs are trained to assess and address speech disorders and can provide tailored strategies and interventions.
Be Patient and Consistent
Improving articulation skills can take time and patience. Be consistent with your practice and avoid becoming frustrated. Your positive attitude and ongoing support will encourage your child to keep trying.
Create a Supportive Environment
Lastly, ensure that your child feels supported and encouraged. Avoid correcting them too harshly or making them feel self-conscious about their speech. A fun and nurturing approach will help them feel more confident and eager to practice.
Helping your child with articulation involves a combination of understanding, patience, and creativity. Incorporating some strategies into your daily routine can be beneficial in supporting their communication development.
For more information on speech sound development, download the free copy of articulation norms provided below.