How can I support my child's speech therapy at home?

“A typical speech session is going to look different depending on how old the child is and what goals you’re targeting,” SLP Amy Wilhem explains. “When I’m working with my early intervention population, we’re on the floor using puppets, play food, toys, and bubbles. I also like to use a multisensory approach, such as a sensory bin — we reach in, pull items out, and describe them.” She adds, “As the child gets a little bit older, now we’re doing some tabletop activities, we're working on reading comprehension. We might still be working on articulation of sounds, but we’re always keeping it motivating, keeping it positive, keeping it fun, and keeping the language going.”

The goal, she says, is not to master every sound. For some kids, that may not be a possibility, and that’s okay. “We have to start small,” she says. “We have to get them to be able to produce the sound independently, and build that awareness.”

She encourages parents to get creative with their kids at home. For example, she says, “If your child is working on the K sound, maybe this is a good time to make cookies, or make cupcakes, or have corn for dinner, or go on scavenger hunts — find a key, a car, a cow.”

“Practicing at home really helps children meet their goals,” Wilhelm says. “Lots of learning happens outside the therapy room.”

For more on this topic, check out our article Speech Therapy: What It Is and How It Works.