Here are some suggested speech activities to try at home:

1. If your child is working on a specific sound, help him/her to become aware of that sound by pointing out things in the environment that contain the sound.  Some examples include:

-Go on a scavenger hunt.  Find things in or outside of the house that have the child’s speech sound.

-Look through books or magazines for pictures or words that have his/her speech sound.

-When driving, look for things with the child’s sound.

-Play 20 questions. Think of a word or object that has the child’s speech sound. Have the child ask questions to figure out what the object is.

-Play a guessing game.  Give the child clues to try and guess what you are describing. 

 

2. When your child is successful saying the sound correctly, have him/her practice saying words with that sound.  When the student is able to name words, then practice using those words in sentences.  Some ideas include:

-Spelling Search:  Have the child search his/her spelling list for words that have his/her sound. Say them aloud.

-Create sentences with two or more words that contain your speech sound.

 

3. When your child is able to say his/her speech sound in words and sentences, have him/her begin to practice reading aloud using the sound correctly.  This can include reading from his/her library book or reading the directions on a homework page.  

4. Encourage your child to use the sound correctly for short periods of time during the day.  Can your child carryover good speech every time he/she says a sibling’s name? a favorite food?  a favorite tv show?

5. Encourage your child to use these sounds in conversational activities.  These could include using correct speech sounds during a meal time or when going over homework.

 

Games and book ideas to encourage language skills:

 

-Play "Simon Says".  Start out by giving one step direction, such as "Touch your nose." and then work up to harder ones, such as "Touch your knees and then clap your hands."      

-Ask your child to name or point to pictures on the page

-Have your child describe what is happening on each page.

-Ask various WH questions (who, what, when, where, why, how do you know) about what is happening on the picture page and what may happen next. 

-Sequence or retell the story with a beginning, middle, and end

Have fun conversations about daily activities!  Ask questions that are open ended, such as "Tell me the best part about your day."