Activities to work on speech sounds
Tips for working on sounds with pre-K aged kids:
1. Keep it simple.
2. Keep it fun.
3. Don't worry if you can't get perfect sounds out of your kids. Auditory bombardment with target sounds is important. Just hearing you say and talk about those target sounds helps our kids learn to listen to them.
1. Keep it simple.
2. Keep it fun.
3. Don't worry if you can't get perfect sounds out of your kids. Auditory bombardment with target sounds is important. Just hearing you say and talk about those target sounds helps our kids learn to listen to them.
Medial Consonant Deletion
1. Look around and see what you have seven of in your house.
2. Look around your house and find all the different places and uses you have for water, e.g.,kitchen, bathroom, yard, back pack, car, for drinking, for making ice, for washing, for cooling off.
3. When you’re in the car look for happy faces on signs and other cars – can you find 10 before you get to your destination?
2. Look around your house and find all the different places and uses you have for water, e.g.,kitchen, bathroom, yard, back pack, car, for drinking, for making ice, for washing, for cooling off.
3. When you’re in the car look for happy faces on signs and other cars – can you find 10 before you get to your destination?
Final Consonant Deletion
1. "Up & down" games- There are lots of way you can play with games and toys to highlight these words, such as racing toy cars, building & knocking down towers , and flying and landing toy planes.
2. "is"/"is not"- Make up a guessing game where you give each other a few clues. For each guess from the guesser, the person listening to the guesses will say "it is" or "it is not".
2. "is"/"is not"- Make up a guessing game where you give each other a few clues. For each guess from the guesser, the person listening to the guesses will say "it is" or "it is not".
/d/
We make this sound by putting the tongue in the same place we make the /t/ and /s/ sounds, which is at the top of the mouth right behind the front teeth.
final
1. Practice using the word "did". Offer a selection of simple tasks & then tell each other which ones you did, ie, "I did the train puzzle.", " I did the pets puzzle".
/f/
initial
1. Core vocabulary (high frequency words): four, five, fall, feel, for, foot, fight, fan, full, fine
2. Look at "hidden pictures" and use the carrier phrase " I found..."
3. Look in your refrigerator. What do you have 4 of? 5 of? 4 apples? 5 oranges?
4. Talk with your child about things you might have for supper, lunch & breakfast.,
2. Look at "hidden pictures" and use the carrier phrase " I found..."
3. Look in your refrigerator. What do you have 4 of? 5 of? 4 apples? 5 oranges?
4. Talk with your child about things you might have for supper, lunch & breakfast.,
/g/
To make a g sound keep your tongue tip behind your bottom teeth and pull the back part of your tongue up against the top of your mouth. It’s very much like the k sound, except that the g is voiced, which means your vocal folds are working.
initial
1. Core Vocabulary (high frequency words with this sound): go, gone, get, good, give, great, girl, green
2. Play the game “Go Fish” Listen for and emphasize the g sound in “go".
3. Play a matching or memory game, & when players get a match, have them say “I got it!”.
4. When you’re in the car count the things you see that are green
2. Play the game “Go Fish” Listen for and emphasize the g sound in “go".
3. Play a matching or memory game, & when players get a match, have them say “I got it!”.
4. When you’re in the car count the things you see that are green
medial
1. Core vocabulary : again, begin, triangle, finger, together, bigger, longer
2. Take out some coins and paper money. What has eagles on it? What does not?
3. Go on a shape hunt for rectangles and triangles in your house and yard.
4. Play with legos – see what you can make.
2. Take out some coins and paper money. What has eagles on it? What does not?
3. Go on a shape hunt for rectangles and triangles in your house and yard.
4. Play with legos – see what you can make.
/h/
1. Everybody loves a “high 5”! Play a game with your child and congratulate each other a lot using high-5s & make up fun variations. Some might be a “hot 5”, a “happy 5” , a “hula 5”, a “honking 5”.
2. " I have, who has” is a game that is sort of like modified Go Fish. Use a deck of cards that contains matching pictures. Deal out a reasonable number and put the rest in a draw pile. Each person can hold their cards or spread them out for everyone to see. Each player then takes a turn saying “I have (_) card, who has (_) card”. Whoever has it gives it up, if no one has it the asking player draws from the pile. Whoever gets their matches made first is the winner.
3. Core Vocabulary (high frequency words) using /h/- who, how, have, had, he, him, hurt, hot, hold, hungry
2. " I have, who has” is a game that is sort of like modified Go Fish. Use a deck of cards that contains matching pictures. Deal out a reasonable number and put the rest in a draw pile. Each person can hold their cards or spread them out for everyone to see. Each player then takes a turn saying “I have (_) card, who has (_) card”. Whoever has it gives it up, if no one has it the asking player draws from the pile. Whoever gets their matches made first is the winner.
3. Core Vocabulary (high frequency words) using /h/- who, how, have, had, he, him, hurt, hot, hold, hungry
"dg"
initial
1.With your child, count how many times you can each jump on one leg.
2. On a trip out of your house with your child, how many people do you see wearing jeans?
3. While you’re on a car ride, look for signs with big “G” s on them, and call them out to each other.
4. Core vocabulary ( high frequency words): just, jump, general, job, joy, juice, jelly, jack, June , July
2. On a trip out of your house with your child, how many people do you see wearing jeans?
3. While you’re on a car ride, look for signs with big “G” s on them, and call them out to each other.
4. Core vocabulary ( high frequency words): just, jump, general, job, joy, juice, jelly, jack, June , July
/k/
To make this sound you raise the back part of your tongue to make light contact with your back palate, and then lower it as you release a little puff of air.
medial
1. Play with play-do or sand in the sandbox and talk about what you are making: “I’m making cupcakes”, “I’m making a house”.
2. Look around your house with your child and figure out what you can and cannot vacuum up. Some string? Will go in the vacuum. A shoe? Will not go in the vacuum.
3. Pretend you’re going on a trip, or maybe you’re going on a real trip, and talk about what you’re packing, “I’m packing shoes and a raincoat. I’m not packing my bicycle”
4.Core vocabulary- because, second, taking, making, walking, checking
2. Look around your house with your child and figure out what you can and cannot vacuum up. Some string? Will go in the vacuum. A shoe? Will not go in the vacuum.
3. Pretend you’re going on a trip, or maybe you’re going on a real trip, and talk about what you’re packing, “I’m packing shoes and a raincoat. I’m not packing my bicycle”
4.Core vocabulary- because, second, taking, making, walking, checking
final
1.Join your child in pretend play in the kitchen or a toy kitchen. Talk about the things you can cook, make or bake, eg, "I'll cook carrots. You cook tater tots.", "I want to make lunch".
2.Talk about the books you have at home or from the library. "___ book" is a great carrier phrase because there are books about so many things, eg " Dog book", "cat book"," Dr Seuss book", "funny book", "song book", etc.
3.Talk with your child about the places you each like to walk to- “ I like to walk to the store”, “ I like to walk to the park” , “I like to walk across the street”
4. Core vocabulary (high frequency words): take, make, week, back, look, sick, book, snack, bike, shake
2.Talk about the books you have at home or from the library. "___ book" is a great carrier phrase because there are books about so many things, eg " Dog book", "cat book"," Dr Seuss book", "funny book", "song book", etc.
3.Talk with your child about the places you each like to walk to- “ I like to walk to the store”, “ I like to walk to the park” , “I like to walk across the street”
4. Core vocabulary (high frequency words): take, make, week, back, look, sick, book, snack, bike, shake
/l/
initial
1.Create crafts with falling leaves. A favorite one of mine involves making faces out of foliage (http://www.justinablakeney.com/facethefoliage/). Emphasize the /l/ sound when you say leaf. It is also an opportunity to talk about seasons and fall; again, you can emphasize the /l/ at the end of fall.
2.The classic games Lincoln Logs and Legos provide many chances to practice /l/. You can practice conversational /l/ by telling your child “look at my Legos” or that you “like their logs”!
3.Talk to your child about what you like for lunch and what you don’t like for lunch. You can make a list of similarities!
2.The classic games Lincoln Logs and Legos provide many chances to practice /l/. You can practice conversational /l/ by telling your child “look at my Legos” or that you “like their logs”!
3.Talk to your child about what you like for lunch and what you don’t like for lunch. You can make a list of similarities!
medial
1. When you go out on an errand with your child count how many people you greet with “Hello”.
2. Look around your house and find all the yellow things.
3. Look around outside. What is taller than you and/or your child? What are y’all taller than?
2. Look around your house and find all the yellow things.
3. Look around outside. What is taller than you and/or your child? What are y’all taller than?
final
1. A very commonly used word with final /l/ is the contracted "I'll", as in "I'll do it". Play a silly game with this phrase, asking who will do different ridiculous acts. Then someone says "I''ll do it!" eg " Who will ride an ostrich to the beach?" " I'll do it", "Who will eat these leftover worms and flies for breakfast?", "I'll do it!"
clusters
1. Practice cutting out snowflakes to decorate for the winter.
2. Go on a walk in your yard or neighborhood and call out to each other when you see a flower. Call out the color, too, e,g “White flower! Red flower!”
3. Core vocabulary (high frequency words): play, please, close, slow, clean, black, blue, class, flat, place
2. Go on a walk in your yard or neighborhood and call out to each other when you see a flower. Call out the color, too, e,g “White flower! Red flower!”
3. Core vocabulary (high frequency words): play, please, close, slow, clean, black, blue, class, flat, place
/m/
final
1. Core Vocabulary: am, problem, arm, awesome, come, some,warm, home, room, Mom
/n/
final
1,Core Vocabulary (the most commonly used words): on, in, one, done, gone, mine, an, again, then, begin, then
2. The words "in" and "on" carry a lot of meaning but sound very, very similar. Sort things by where they go,, in or on. For example what goes in your body vs what goes on your body. How about in your house and on your house?
3. The final /n/ appears quite a bit when we are counting from one to 10. Counting is a great developmental activity that you can implement all over the house, and as a car game.
2. The words "in" and "on" carry a lot of meaning but sound very, very similar. Sort things by where they go,, in or on. For example what goes in your body vs what goes on your body. How about in your house and on your house?
3. The final /n/ appears quite a bit when we are counting from one to 10. Counting is a great developmental activity that you can implement all over the house, and as a car game.
/p/
You make this sound by blowing air softly so that it bursts through closed lips.
final
1. Practice the word "up" in play activities with toy cars & planes. You can also do a pretend roller coaster by repeating "up, uP, UP" and then yell "DOWN" .
2. Play "red-light, green-light", but use the words "stop/go" instead.
2. Play "red-light, green-light", but use the words "stop/go" instead.
/r/
The English "r" sound is made by making your tongue high and tight in the back. The /g/ and /k/ sounds are also made back there, so those sounds are sometimes a good "lead-in" for the /r/.
1. Sound effects are a great way to practice /r/, such as lions roaring, dogs growling and motor noises in race cars.
2. Making a big, firm smile can help make an /r/ sound. The tight smile helps keep your tongue tight and stable in the back.
1. Sound effects are a great way to practice /r/, such as lions roaring, dogs growling and motor noises in race cars.
2. Making a big, firm smile can help make an /r/ sound. The tight smile helps keep your tongue tight and stable in the back.
medial
1.Think with your child about all the story books you have read together- what are you favorites? What kind of stories do y’all like the most? Dog stories? Truck stories? Super hero stories?
2. Discussions about pirates are probably the most popular way to practice medial /r/ these days – and if you talk like a “classic” pirate you can work in a lot of “aarhggg” sounds and exclamations.
2. Discussions about pirates are probably the most popular way to practice medial /r/ these days – and if you talk like a “classic” pirate you can work in a lot of “aarhggg” sounds and exclamations.
/s/
final
Core vocabulary (commonly used words with this sound): face, guess, house, less, nice, place, this, us, yes
clusters
1. Count stop signs you see when you're out for a drive with your child.
2. Play a construction game, like legos, and build a mall. What are all the different kinds of stores you need? e.g., book store, toy store, grocery store, hardware store, etc.
3. Count your steps when you're going up or down a short flight of stairs, e.g "One step, two steps, three steps...".
4. Play "Red Light -Green Light" but use the words "Stop-Go" instead.
5. There are lots of opportunities to talk about lights during special occasions and holidays. When you see fancy or unusual lights, talk about those with your child. Compare lights you've seen different places & for different occasions.
6. A popular game at pre-school is "What's in the box?". Put a collection of items in a box & close it or cover the top with a towel or scarf so the objects are hidden. Then chant "What's in the box, what's in the box, criss-cross applesauce, what's in the box?" before each person's turn sticking their hand in and pulling something out.
7. If your kids like to "play trick or treat" in the drive up to Halloween, you can talk about spooky or scary things you might see and hear. . Be especially aware of any costumes that have an s-blend, for example, Spiderman!
8. While carving a pumpkin, you can emphasize the “scooping” of the seeds with your spoon. The inside can be sticky!
9. A simple, fun game that is great year-round is “I Spy”. Take turns describing something that is in the room, using simple modifiers that your child will understand. This game is not only great for practicing “sp” sounds, but it is also great for naming functions of objects, meaningful descriptions of objects, and simple wh questions.
10. Core Vocabulary: six, box, socks, fix, cats, bikes, nuts, books, X
2. Play a construction game, like legos, and build a mall. What are all the different kinds of stores you need? e.g., book store, toy store, grocery store, hardware store, etc.
3. Count your steps when you're going up or down a short flight of stairs, e.g "One step, two steps, three steps...".
4. Play "Red Light -Green Light" but use the words "Stop-Go" instead.
5. There are lots of opportunities to talk about lights during special occasions and holidays. When you see fancy or unusual lights, talk about those with your child. Compare lights you've seen different places & for different occasions.
6. A popular game at pre-school is "What's in the box?". Put a collection of items in a box & close it or cover the top with a towel or scarf so the objects are hidden. Then chant "What's in the box, what's in the box, criss-cross applesauce, what's in the box?" before each person's turn sticking their hand in and pulling something out.
7. If your kids like to "play trick or treat" in the drive up to Halloween, you can talk about spooky or scary things you might see and hear. . Be especially aware of any costumes that have an s-blend, for example, Spiderman!
8. While carving a pumpkin, you can emphasize the “scooping” of the seeds with your spoon. The inside can be sticky!
9. A simple, fun game that is great year-round is “I Spy”. Take turns describing something that is in the room, using simple modifiers that your child will understand. This game is not only great for practicing “sp” sounds, but it is also great for naming functions of objects, meaningful descriptions of objects, and simple wh questions.
10. Core Vocabulary: six, box, socks, fix, cats, bikes, nuts, books, X
"sh"
You make this sound by using your tongue to make a sort of valve at the top of your mouth by having the sides of your tongue contact your palate or teeth. Then you push air through. This is an unvoiced sound, so you shouldn't feel a buzz or vibration on your adam's apple
initial
1. Look for things in your house that are shiny and not shiny.
2. Count doors in your house that are shut or not shut.
3. Compare the different kinds of shoes in your house. Look at colors, size, how they fasten, etc.
2. Count doors in your house that are shut or not shut.
3. Compare the different kinds of shoes in your house. Look at colors, size, how they fasten, etc.
medial
1. When you are driving around town with your child, look for carwashes and call it out when you see them.
2. Look around outside with your child and find a tree and a bush. Talk about how they are alike and different. Look for more bushes and call it out whenever you see one.
2. Look around outside with your child and find a tree and a bush. Talk about how they are alike and different. Look for more bushes and call it out whenever you see one.