Home exercises in speech therapy
Home exercises are an essential part of speech therapy, reinforcing the skills learned in sessions in everyday life. Consistency, meaningful activities, and collaboration with the therapist support progress.
HOME PRACTICE IN SPEECH THERAPY
Speech therapy is a journey we don’t take alone. The therapist’s expertise, the child’s or adult’s own effort, and the support of family together form a strong foundation for progress. Home practice plays a key role in this collaboration. It strengthens the skills learned in therapy and brings them into everyday life – right where language is used and where communication actually happens.
The importance of home practice
In speech therapy, we often practice pronunciation, language comprehension, expanding vocabulary, or interaction skills. These skills develop best when they are reinforced outside of therapy sessions as well. Regular home exercises make repetition possible, and repetition is essential for learning and consolidating new skills.
When a child or adult practices at home, the skills are more naturally integrated into daily life. For example, articulation exercises can become part of playtime or shared everyday moments. This makes practicing smoother and more meaningful.
How to make home practice work? Home exercises don’t need to be complicated or time-consuming to be effective. The most important things are consistency and a positive atmosphere. A few practical tips:
1. Set clear goals: Agree together with the therapist which skills you are practicing and how you will practice them.
2. Make practice fun: Games, play, and stories can be used to practice speech and language skills almost without noticing.
3. Use everyday situations: You can enrich vocabulary, for example, while grocery shopping, doing housework, or reading a bedtime story.
4. Keep practice short and frequent: Just 5–10 minutes a day can lead to excellent results.
5. Stay encouraging: Give plenty of praise and positive feedback, even for small steps forward.
Collaboration with the therapist
Home practice works best when it aligns with the goals set in therapy. Regular contact with the therapist helps track progress and adjust the exercises as needed. The therapist can also provide concrete ideas and materials to support practicing at home.
The key is to remember that every small step is progress. With home practice, therapy doesn’t stay only in the clinic – it becomes part of everyday life. Together, we can support the development of communication, one step at a time.
HOME PRACTICE TIPS
Below are a few tips for different kinds of home exercises. It’s good to remember that these are meant to be enjoyable shared activities, not a separate “test situation.” Take turns doing the activities so that both the child and the parent get to practice both roles, for example, in a pretend store game.
Sound practice:
Mirror exercise: Stand in front of a mirror and practice difficult sounds. Together, watch how the lips, tongue, and jaw move, and imitate correctly produced sounds.
Sound games: Choose a “magic sound” of the day (for example R or S) and look for it in words throughout the day – the playful approach makes practice fun!
Sylla-dance: Say target syllables (for example PA-PA, KA-KA) and dance to their rhythm.
Building vocabulary:
Name game: Name objects and things around you: “What is this? What color is it? What do you do with it?”
Picture cards: Use picture cards, books, or magazines and ask the child to name, describe, or tell stories based on the pictures.
Treasure hunt: Hide objects and give clues to find them – at the same time you practice understanding and using words.
Exercises for understanding language and storytelling:
Who, what, where? Ask questions about the day’s events: “What did you do at daycare? Who was there?” This develops memory and storytelling skills.
Story time: Read books together and talk about what happens in the story. Ask your child to predict what will happen next or to retell the story in their own words.
Following instructions: Give simple instructions such as “Go get the red ball” or “Put the book on the table.” Gradually, you can make the instructions more multi-step.
Interaction skills:
Role play: Play store, restaurant, or doctor – these help develop conversation skills and interaction.
Turn-taking games: Play games where you have to wait for your turn – this helps practice patience and listening.