The Top 3 Ways to Support Your Child’s Speech at Home

The Top 3 Ways to Support Your Child’s Speech at Home (Even if You're Not Sure Where to Start)

Ever wonder what you can do to help your child’s speech sound development (aka articulation) at home?
Over my 25 years as a speech-language pathologist, I’ve gathered a few simple, effective techniques you can use to support your child's speech. The best part? These strategies are easy to incorporate into your daily life, cost nothing, and use tools you already have! By trying these methods, you’ll be able to actively promote your child’s speech sound development every day—right from home.

1. Seeing is believing.

If you’re a visual learner, you’ll appreciate this one! Hold objects your child is interested in close to your face. The way your mouth moves when you speak provides visual cues that help your child perceive sounds more clearly. When children can see how sounds are made, it’s easier for them to imitate those sounds. So next time, place the toy or object near your face, making sure your mouth is in your child’s sightline.

2. Model it!

When your child says a word with a speech error, simply model the correct version without correcting them directly. Think of it as an active listening technique. For example, if your child says, “Mommy, wook at the tat,” you can respond naturally with, “Yes, I see the cat.” This way, you’re providing accurate input without pointing out mistakes, which helps your child perceive the correct sounds over time.

3. Everybody loves to clap!

Here’s an amazing fact: during normal conversation, we speak around four syllables, ten to twelve sounds, and two to three words every second! That’s fast. But slowing down can help. One fun way to do this is by clapping out the syllables in words. This not only slows down your speech, but also gives your child time to hear each part of the word more clearly. It’s a great way to improve speech perception. Try this game while going for a walk, in the car, or when looking at pictures. You clap and segment words, and whether your child just listens or claps along, they’re absorbing good speech models!

Conclusion: You’ve got this!

Drawing from my 20 years of experience as a speech-language pathologist, I’ve shared three tried-and-true techniques you can start using today to support your child’s speech sound development. By incorporating these strategies into your daily routine, you’ll help your child make progress in a natural, stress-free way—all from home, and all at no cost. Start today, and watch your child’s speech skills blossom!