Some speech therapy exercises to do at home

The speech-language pathologist works to rehabilitate and maintain an individual’s language skills. It uses speech therapy exercises and games. Some exercises can be done at home. Which ones? Here are some speech therapy exercises to do at home… Discover!

A little reminder about speech therapy

What is the field of intervention of speech therapy? What is the purpose of each speech therapy exercise? Let’s answer these questions first before we go any further.

What is speech therapy?

As a paramedical discipline, speech-language pathology contributes to the treatment of language disorders. It is classified as a care profession. The professional who practices this profession is a speech-language pathologist, and his or her role is to be involved in the treatment of disorders affecting language, whether spoken or written.

The speech-language pathologist also participates in the prevention and evaluation of learning disorders or difficulties.

In the field of speech therapy, professionals also intervene to maintain communication functions. The dimensions that speech therapy focuses on are: linguistic, social, psycho-affective and cognitive.

What exactly do we need to work on?

Doing speech therapy exercises at home requires a great deal of information in order to achieve the desired results. In fact, each exercise aims to work on one aspect. This may include, for example, voice, oral language or language. Other exercises help to work on vocabulary, written language and reading. Depending on the goal, you can also work on jaw motor skills and speech articulation. Without forgetting the exercises concerning the spatial-temporal location, memory, logic, etc…

You must choose your exercises according to the different aspects to work on. Fortunately, speech therapy experts offer a myriad of exercises that can be done at home. However, it is important to choose the right exercises for each patient’s needs.

Why do speech therapy exercises at home?

When it comes to treating communication disorders, speech therapy plays an essential role. However, a session with a speech therapist is not limited to the office. Speech therapy exercises at home are increasingly recognized as a valuable complement to professional treatment. This section explores the compelling reasons why home practice is not only beneficial, but necessary.

Benefits of home practice

There are many advantages to practicing speech therapy at home. Firstly, the flexibility of time and space offers invaluable convenience to those undergoing treatment. Being able to integrate exercises into a daily routine facilitates regularity, a key element of any rehabilitation program. What’s more, the familiarity of the home environment creates a comfortable context that fosters relaxation and engagement, essential elements for successful sessions.

Reinforcing the benefits of in-office therapy

Home exercises do not replace in-office sessions, but significantly complement them. They offer an opportunity to reinforce and extend the teachings of the speech therapist. By practicing at home, individuals can consolidate the skills acquired during professional sessions, ensuring a smooth continuity of treatment. It’s a way of solidifying the foundations laid in the office and speeding up the recovery process.

Involving loved ones in the healing process

Speech therapy is not limited to the relationship between health professional and patient. Relatives play a crucial role in the support and success of treatment. Encouraging home exercise directly involves family and friends in the healing process. Their active participation creates an essential support network, reinforcing patient motivation and fostering a positive dynamic within the family environment.

Types of disorders that can benefit from home exercises

One of the most promising aspects of home-based speech therapy is its adaptability to a variety of communication disorders. Whether it’s speech difficulties, language problems or swallowing disorders, regular practice at home can bring about significant improvements. This section examines the different types of disorders that can benefit from this approach, and suggests specific approaches for each category.

Speech disorders

Speech disorders, such as pronunciation difficulties, can often be alleviated by targeted exercises at home. Simple activities aimed at strengthening the muscles involved in sound production, as well as specific pronunciation exercises, can help improve speech clarity. Regular rehearsals, guided by appropriate resources, offer an accessible route to overcoming these challenges.

Language disorders

For language disorders, home practice can include activities to enrich vocabulary, strengthen verbal comprehension and improve fluency of expression. Word games, riddles and storytelling exercises can be playfully integrated into daily routines, providing a stimulating platform for language development.

Swallowing disorders

Swallowing disorders can also benefit from specific home exercises. Techniques to strengthen the muscles involved in the swallowing process, combined with dietary adjustments and fluid management practices, can help improve the safety and ease of swallowing. These exercises can be practiced under the supervision of a speech therapist, and then integrated into the home environment on an ongoing basis.

Other disorders covered by speech therapy

In addition to the above categories, other disorders covered by speech therapy can also find solutions in home exercises. This includes problems with voice, verbal fluency and social communication. The individualization of exercises according to each person’s specific needs is crucial, underlining the importance of a personalized approach to speech therapy.

7 exercises to do at home

Individuals with learning disabilities or other difficulties can seek help from a speech-language pathologist. Some exercises can be done at home. But you must act with knowledge.

• Reading exercises

These exercises are designed to boost reading skills in some patients. They can help people with learning disabilities, such as dysorthographia and dyslexia.

Use, for example, letter-based games. The parent can teach the child to recognize the different letters and create words. Then he will read each word or sentence to improve his reading. You can get cards and booklets to teach the child to read syllables.

• Exercises for writing

Knowing how to write requires good use of the fingers and the tool used for writing (the pen).

Parents can help their children with finger exercises. This one consists in making small movements with the fingers and the hands. Indeed, there is a correlation between the brain and gestures. The child can gently massage the fingers of one hand. You can also do finger combinations, for example, learn to combine the thumb with the index, middle or little finger.

You also have games that involve moving marbles from one position to another. Here, the child will use a stylus. Finally, you will find manuals on the market that highlight speech therapy exercises to stimulate writing. The exercises are beneficial for people with dyspraxia.

Language exercises

To enrich vocabulary and improve fluency, a series of activities can be integrated into the daily routine. Language-focused board games, regular reading, stimulating discussions and even writing exercises can help broaden language skills. The use of educational resources, such as interactive applications, can also make these exercises more engaging.

• Exercises to work on breath and breathing

Speech therapists use different types of exercises to work on their patients’ breathing and breath control. They rely on a variety of games to achieve their goals. Here are some interesting exercises as part of speech therapy support.

Work on breath and breathing can be done using a bubble trumpet. You can also use “BLO Pens.” You simply blow into these airbrush markers to create beautiful drawings, as if by magic.

• Exercises to work on the voice

In the field of speech therapy, a wide range of solutions is used to achieve results. These methods can also be used at home. This is the case with singing. That is why speech therapists do not hesitate to ask their patients to sing. Start with simple songs that the person can perform fairly easily. This is not a music competition!

There are also books published to help learn how to produce appropriate sounds. The reader must learn to listen to their own voice in order to improve pronunciation.

• Mathematics exercises

A child with dyscalculia needs exercises in order to improve in the subject of mathematics.

Dyscalculia is a disorder that affects the ability to learn mathematics. Fun exercises help manipulate operations or calculations. Various games can help children become familiar with numbers. Parents can, for example, use educational software to work on mental arithmetic.

Use apps with speech therapy exercises at home to work on language, memory, reading and spelling.

To find easy-to-use speech therapy exercises at home, you can also use brain training apps that will help you practice every day! Your virtual brain coach will give you feedback to improve your cognitive functions and train them all (memory, language, perception, planning, etc.).

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Integrating speech therapy into daily life: simple and natural routines

Speech therapy exercises are not limited to structured sessions or specialized games. It is entirely possible to integrate them into everyday moments. By turning certain routines into learning opportunities, skills are reinforced in a smooth, playful, and effective way.

During meals: working on language and swallowing

• Describe what is being eaten: texture, color, taste, temperature. This helps enrich vocabulary and structure speech.

  • Example: “The soup is hot, orange, and it smells like carrot.”

• Encourage verbalizing sensations to improve oral expression.

• Practice chewing and swallowing exercises recommended by the speech therapist.

While walking or on public transport: stimulating attention and memory

• Play guessing or category games: “What animals do you know?” or “Name words that start with the letter P.”

• Ask the child or adult to describe what they see around them.

• Play the game “I see…”, to train description skills, syntax, and immediate memory.

During household tasks: encouraging comprehension and organization

• Give verbal instructions to follow, simple or complex depending on the person’s level.

  • Example: “Go get the blue dishcloth and place it next to the sink.”

• Encourage commenting on each action: “I’m putting away the cutlery,” “I’m folding the laundry,” etc.

• Sort or classify objects according to their shape, color, or function to strengthen logical thinking.

At bedtime: developing storytelling and sentence construction

• Set aside time to recount the day, following a chronological order.

• Invent a short story together, taking turns.

• Read a short text aloud and ask comprehension questions to check attention.

The benefits of an integrated daily-life approach

• Less stress and more spontaneity: the child or adult does not feel the pressure of a formal “exercise.”

• Regular reinforcement of language and cognitive skills.

• Reinvestment of learning in concrete, useful, and motivating situations.

Practical advice for relatives

• Observe the moments of the day when the person is most receptive.

• Repeat often without getting tired: consistency is more important than intensity.

• Always value efforts, even if they seem minimal.

• Adapt instructions to the person’s attention span and language level.