5 General Strategies for Speech Therapy at Home: 8 Excellent Activities

Speech therapy at home can be both fun and effective. With consistent effort, the right strategies, and professional guidance, you can set your child on the path to better communication. Between 1 and 2 years of age, children typically begin to say their first words like “Mama,” “Papa,” “Bye-bye,” and other simple words. If your child is not speaking even by the age of 2 or 3 years, it can be alarming for a parent.

This period is crucial for child development as, between 1 and 5 years, a child’s brain grows rapidly in size and function. The stimulation and experiences children receive during this phase significantly shape their character, abilities, and speech.

Speech Development in Children: When to Be Concerned

By the age of 5, a child’s brain undergoes tremendous development, influenced by their experiences. If your child is between the ages of 2 and 4 and has limited or no speech, this article is for you.

I’ll share strategies you can implement at home and introduce speech therapy activities to support your child’s progress. I’ll also highlight common mistakes that some therapists and parents make and explain how to avoid them.

Common Mistakes in Speech Therapy and Parent Practices

When starting speech therapy, parents often ask critical questions:

• How far has my child progressed developmentally?
• What skills do they already have, and what are they yet to acquire?
• What type of learner is my child?
• How can I best support their learning?
• What is causing the speech delay?

It’s essential to seek answers from a qualified speech therapist. While many parents turn to social media for solutions, it’s crucial to get a professional evaluation. Consistency in therapy is key—it requires time, effort, and regular follow-ups to see progress.

Steps in the Speech Therapy Process

Speech therapy typically involves two key steps:

1. Evaluation
2. Plan and Intervention

During the evaluation, therapists assess the following:

• Developmental Levels: How much language can your child comprehend? (you can see in the below picture)
• Ability to Follow Directions: Can they understand and act on simple instructions?
• Receptive and Expressive Language: What words, sounds, or actions can they produce or imitate?

Between 0 and 2.5 years, children learn by observing, playing, and interacting with their environment. A formal evaluation identifies delays and helps bridge gaps with proper intervention. Delaying therapy can widen these gaps, so early action is essential.

General Strategies for Speech Therapy at Home

1. Offer Choices
   Encourage decision-making by giving options. For instance, show a cookie and a grape, asking, “Do you want a cookie or a grape?” Reinforce their choice by responding, “Yes, cookie!”
2. Increase Visual Engagement
   When your child points to an object, label it. For example, if they point to milk, say, “Milk, cup, drink,” while showing the object and action.
3. Avoid Unethical Withholding
   Don’t force your child to communicate by withholding essentials. Instead, model the correct words and provide the item, making learning stress-free.
4. Model Over Prompting
   Focus on demonstrating language naturally. For example, if they want chips, say, “Chips, eat chips,” rather than constantly prompting, “Say chips.”
5. Create a Language-Rich Environment
   Talk to your child throughout the day. Describe activities, feelings, and surroundings. For example, “Look, it’s raining outside,” or “Wow, the flowers are so colorful!”

8 Speech Therapy Activities for Children

1. Row, Row, Row Your Boat
   Place your child in a large bucket and sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” Add sensory input by shaking a drum rhythmically as you sing.
2. Peekaboo Games
   Use a box or car to play peekaboo. Surprise them with phrases like “Peekaboo!” to build joint attention and engagement.
3. Building Towers
   Stack large blocks or containers while counting aloud. Let the tower fall for added excitement and learning.
4. Bubble Fun
   Blow bubbles and encourage popping. Use words like “pop,” “catch,” or “run” during the activity.
5. Running and Catching Games
   Play chase games and teach phrases like “One, two, three, go!” This strengthens social connections and teaches cause and effect.
6. Tickle Time
   Use gentle tickling under the arms or feet while introducing phrases like “Tickle, tickle!” to create fun interactions.
7. Introduce Fun Phrases
   Teach social phrases like “Let’s play together!” or “Come catch me!” during games to enhance their vocabulary naturally.
8. Engage With Parents
   Encourage interaction with your child by playfully expressing emotions like laughing or pretending to cry, making it fun and engaging for them to connect with you.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out—I’m here to support you!

Frequently Asked Questions