As mentioned briefly on Instagram, I really wanted to start sharing a series on Speech Therapy activities at home for moms to do. I’m not a speech therapist, and these activities are recommended to me by our speech therapist, curated from Dian Baker and Nancy Caleffe-Schenck’s h.o.p.e. pamphlet, along with a mix of other ideas I’ve stumbled upon. So, basically, I’m just trying to help encourage other moms with ideas, showing you that they are simple, easy, and totally manageable to work on if you might have a toddler with a speech delay, sensory processing disorder, or maybe just want to work on speech early!
The “M” Sound
A great way to work on enunciation and new sounds is by bombardment- the more the sound or word is heard, the more familiar it becomes! My son’s favorite “M” word has been “mow”, and we use a toy tractor to “mow, mow, mow”.
- You can move toys from one spot to another, march like a soldier, jump high, jump low, jump forward, jump backwards, climb stairs or a playground, mow the grass, and vacuum the carpet.
- When getting dressed in the morning, you can comb your hair, put a shirt over your tummy, a bracelet on an arm, and put pajamas in the washing machine in the basement or laundry room.
- For breakfast, you could eat a melon, or some muffins with jam and milk. If you want more, you could try a plum, pumpkin pie, or ice cream. Don’t forget to take your vitamins, and don’t make a mess!
- When it’s almost bedtime, be sure to go to the bathroom before you head to your bedroom. Say goodnight to everyone in the family, don’t forget Mama! Blow kisses with your mouth.
“Follow a demanding little mouse and a boy who tries to give the mouse everything he wants. The story starts when the boy gives the mouse a cookie, but it doesn’t end there! Each request the boy grants, leads to another demand by the mouse.”
Ways to build communication with this book:
- Cause and Effect: If…Then…
- Associations: cookies and milk; blanket and pillow; paper and crayons
- Conjunctions: if, when, then
- Future Tense: will, might, may
- Predicting
Props for this book:
- Mouse
- Cookies
- Milk
- Crayons
- Paper
- Storybook
- Small Container (bed for mouse)
- Cotton Ball (pillow for mouse)
- Tissue or Washcloth (sheet for mouse)
Other “M” Activities, Books, Games, and Toys
- Feed a doll or stuffed animal “Mmm, good! Do you want more?”
- Dress-up as a mailman, fireman, or policeman
- Make frozen things melt
- Play in the mud and make a mess
- Play charades with stick figures marching, jumping, smiling, climbing, swimming, vacuuming, mouse, monkey, moose, camel, worm
- Motorboat game
- “This Old Man”
- “5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed”
- “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
- “Old MacDonald”
- “Three Blind Mice”
- “Are You My Mother?”
- “Green Eggs and Ham”
If you are dealing with any speech or sensory issue and want to connect, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me! This series was born for the purpose of providing support, community, and resources to any other mom during this confusing development time. I hope to keep this series updated bi-weekly with a new sound.
UPDATE: This has been one of my highest demand posts, and I’m working to cover each and every letter. It has taken me much more time than I’ve anticipated, but I do hope to continue the series! Thank you for all of your patience and encouragement!
Continued: Speech Therapy At Home: The “W” Sound