Building tongue strength and mobility helps with clarity of speech, oral rest position, and more! And yes — there are small things we can do at home to help support our kids with building the necessary muscle strength, stability, and familiarity. 🙂
Here is an exercise to get you started that we went over in our January workshop*: Tongue to Spot.
In Tongue to Spot, you’ll help your child learn to find and then hold their tongue in the position they’ll need for a proper oral rest position and other speech practices. Check out the short video below to see how to do this exercise:
Tongue to SPOT
1) Help your child locate the spot behind their front teeth (on their alveolar ridge), which is the same place their tongue should hit when they take the t or d sound. **Pro Tip: Use a Cheerio to help them locate and hold the spot.**
2) Have them hold their tongue to the spot for as long as they can (eventually aiming for 60 seconds). Then repeat. Do this 2-3 times in morning, 2-3 times midday, and then 2-3 times in the evening.
Questions? Schedule a complimentary consult to get answers.