How to Teach Your Child to Pronounce Difficult Sounds at Home
How to Teach Your Child to Pronounce Difficult Sounds at Home
Pronunciation plays a key role in communication, but many children struggle with certain speech sounds as they develop. Sounds like R, L, S, TH, and SH are often challenging for young speakers. While some pronunciation errors are normal at certain ages, practicing at home can help improve speech clarity and confidence.
This guide will walk you through practical, easy-to-follow strategies to help your child pronounce difficult sounds correctly.
Why Do Some Sounds Take Longer to Develop?
Certain speech sounds require complex tongue, lip, and jaw movements, making them harder for young children to master. Here’s a general timeline of when children typically learn sounds:
✔ By age 3: P, B, M, D, N, H, W
✔ By age 4: T, K, G, F, Y
✔ By age 5-6: L, S, SH, CH, V
✔ By age 7-8: R, TH, Z
If your child struggles with certain sounds beyond the expected age, targeted practice at home can help reinforce correct pronunciation.
Step-by-Step Guide to Teaching Difficult Sounds
1. Focus on One Sound at a Time
Instead of working on multiple sounds, start with one sound your child struggles with.
Choose a sound that appears frequently in words your child uses.
Example: If your child has trouble with R, begin with simple R words like “red” or “run.”
2. Use Visual Cues and Mirror Practice
Have your child watch how your mouth, lips, and tongue move when you say the target sound.
Practice in front of a mirror so they can see their own mouth movements.
Example:
For S sounds, show them how their tongue stays behind their teeth.
For R sounds, demonstrate how the tongue curls slightly toward the roof of the mouth.
3. Break Down the Sound into Small Parts
Some sounds are easier to pronounce when they’re broken down into steps.
Example: Teaching the R Sound
Start with growling like a tiger: "GRRR!"
Move to isolated sounds: "Rrrrrr…"
Practice syllables: "Ra, Re, Ro, Ri, Ru."
Add simple words: "Red, Run, Rope."
Work up to phrases: "Red ball," "Run fast."
4. Play Listening and Imitation Games
Children learn by listening and repeating sounds.
Play "Can you say it like me?" where they mimic your pronunciation.
Use apps or speech sound videos to reinforce correct pronunciation.
Game Ideas:
Silly Sound Matching – Say words with the target sound and have your child repeat them in a funny voice (robot voice, whisper, etc.).
Sound Treasure Hunt – Walk around the house and find objects with the target sound (e.g., “Find something that starts with ‘L’”).
5. Exaggerate and Stretch the Sound
Make the target sound long and exaggerated so your child hears it clearly.
Example:
For SH sounds, say: "Shhhhhhhhhh… like you're telling someone to be quiet."
For L sounds, stretch the L: "Llllllllike a lollipop."
Encouraging slow, exaggerated speech makes it easier for children to understand how to form the sound.
6. Use Fun Tongue and Mouth Exercises
Some sounds require strong tongue and lip muscles. Try these exercises:
Tongue Push-Ups – Have your child press their tongue against the roof of their mouth.
Blowing Bubbles – Strengthens lip and breath control for speech sounds.
Straw Drinking – Helps with tongue positioning for L and R sounds.
Making speech practice fun and engaging keeps kids motivated.
7. Read Aloud and Emphasize Target Sounds
Read books with repetitive words containing the sound your child is working on.
Emphasize the sound while reading and encourage your child to repeat it.
Book Suggestions for Speech Sounds:
For S Sounds: The Spooky Old Tree by Stan Berenstain
For R Sounds: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr.
For SH Sounds: Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw
8. Practice in Everyday Conversations
Reinforce correct pronunciation naturally during daily activities.
If your child mispronounces a word, model the correct pronunciation instead of correcting them directly.
Example:
Child: “I see a wabbit!”
Parent: “Yes! I see a rabbit too! The rabbit is hopping.”
This approach keeps corrections positive and natural rather than discouraging.
9. Keep Sessions Short and Fun
Young children have short attention spans—5-10 minutes of focused practice is plenty.
Mix in games, music, and movement-based activities to keep it engaging.
Praise effort, not perfection to encourage confidence.
Example: “Wow! You worked so hard on that R sound! I’m so proud of you!”
10. Be Patient and Celebrate Small Wins
Speech improvement takes time, so be patient and celebrate progress over perfection.
If a sound isn’t improving after consistent practice, consider seeking a speech-language pathologist (SLP) for additional support.
When to Seek Professional Help
While at-home practice can be very effective, some children may need additional guidance from a speech therapist. Consider seeking help if:
✔ Your child is difficult to understand by age 3-4.
✔ They still struggle with R, L, S, TH, or SH sounds beyond age 6-7.
✔ They avoid speaking due to frustration.
✔ Speech errors affect their confidence or school participation.
✔ You’ve been practicing at home but see little improvement.
An SLP can assess articulation skills and provide targeted exercises to improve pronunciation.
Final Thoughts
Helping your child pronounce difficult sounds at home can be fun and rewarding. By using visual cues, breaking sounds down into small steps, playing games, and practicing in everyday conversations, you can support their speech development in a natural and engaging way.
If your child is struggling with pronunciation and home practice isn’t enough, early speech therapy can make a big difference. Reach out to us today to schedule a free online evaluation and take the next step toward clear, confident speech!