Effective Strategies for Speech Sound Disorders

“Can you say that again???

”If you find yourself asking this often, you’re not alone.

When your child is hard to understand, it can feel frustrating for both of you. Your child is trying to share ideas, stories, and needs… and you’re trying your best to keep up. That gap can lead to tears, guesswork, and a lot of “wait, what?”

The good news? With simple strategies and regular practice, your child’s speech can become clearer over time.

Use Visuals for quick practice 

• Articulatory Placement: Pictures, mirrors, or visuals help show your child exactly where their tongue, lips, and teeth should go to make a sound (for example, /f/ is made with the top teeth on the bottom lip).

  
  

  

• Articulation Cards: Use flashcards with pictures and words that emphasize specific sounds. Practice these cards regularly to reinforce sound production.

  
  

  

  
  

• Videos: Utilize educational videos that demonstrate proper sound production. Watching others can provide a clear model for the individual to imitate.

Here are some fun activities that can build those speech sound skills!

Sound Hunt Around the House

• Pick one target sound for the week.

• Walk through your house and find things that start with that sound (“Let’s find things that start with /b/… ball, book, bed!”)

• Say each word slowly and clearly. Have your child try it after you.

• Why it helps: Repetition in real-life settings builds awareness and makes sounds stick.

The “Say It 5 Times” Game

• Make practice quick and playful.

• Pick 3–5 simple words with your child’s target sound

• Say the word 5 times.

• Why it helps: High repetition without feeling like “work.”

Slow It Down + Stretch It Out

• Help your child hear and feel sounds.

• Say words slowly and slightly stretch the target sound: “ssssun” or “ballllllll”

• Then say it again at a normal speed

• Why it helps: Slowing down makes the sound clearer and easier to copy.

Say It & Slide

• Put 5–10 cards in a row.

• Each time your child says a word, they slide the card into a “finished” pile.

• You could also have them slides the cards off of a table into a finished "bucket".

  
  

Hide & Seek Cards

• Hide cards around the room.

• Your child finds one, says the word, then brings it back.

• Depending on their level, you might need to first model the word. You could have them say a short phrase or sentence if they are successful at the word level.

  
  

Feed the Animal/Puppet

• Grab a stuffed animal or puppet.

• Each time your child says a word, they “feed” the card to the animal.

• Tip: silly eating sounds = extra fun. The kids always love when I make the puppet or animal say "mmmmmm good" (or they love even more when they DON'T like something and say "yuck" and spit the card out. Kids are always giggling and can't wait to feed them again).

Roll & Say

• Grab some dice and have your child roll.

• Have your child say the card or word that many times.

• Example: roll a 4 → say 4 times

  
  

Memory Match

• Print out two sets of cards

• Turn cards face down and flip two over and say each word.

• Keep the matches when you get one. No match next person's turn.

• Bring in siblings or other family members to play!

Go Fish

• Use articulation cards like playing cards.

• Ask: “Do you have ___?”

• For children working /g/, /f/ or /sh/ - they get extra practice when they say "Go fish!"

• This is great for kids at a sentence level.

  
  

Build a Tower

• Use blocks or anything else you can stack.

• Each time your child says a word, they add one piece to the tower.

• Knock it down at the end - always a fun built-in reward!

Mirror Talk Time

• Use a mirror for quick daily practice.

• Sit side by side and look at your mouths

• Show how your lips or tongue move for the sound

• Take turns copying each other

• Example:“Watch my lips… /p/… your turn!”

• Why it helps: Kids see how sounds are made, not just hear them.

Silly Voice Practice

• Say the words:

  • like a robot

  • like a whisper

  • like a giant

  • anything else you can think of!

Roadway of Cards

• Make a "road" with picture cards turned face up.

• Space them apart several inches then drive a card over each one.

• As your child gets to a card, stop and say the word. Then continue on down the road!

Catch Me Being Right

• Flip the focus to encouragement.

• Listen for your child using the sound correctly during the day

• Immediately praise it

• Example:“I heard that clear /k/ in ‘car’.....great talking!”

• Why it helps: Kids grow more awareness to their speech sounds and learn to think about their sounds outside of structured practice.

Keep it short. Keep it fun. A few minutes a day makes a big difference. Remember, patience and encouragement are key. Celebrate every small victory along the way.

Karen Taylor, M.S., CCC-SLP, CAS

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder, Universal Speech Strategies

"Helping parents and professionals build communication through practical, evidence-based strategies."