9 Fun Poems Help Your Child Practice Speech
Updated: Aug 25
In this article we will discuss:
Speech therapy for kids at home can be fun with simple poems. Here are 9 to get you started.
Rhyming out loud can be a great way to practice language skills! Memorizing and reciting poems makes practice fun.
Why reading and rhyming are great for speech therapy at home
First, a note about reciting and reading out loud and why it's important. Every time your child reads out loud, she is practicing oral speech sounds.
In between your speech therapy sessions (like the virtual speech therapy offered by Better Speech), it’s a good idea to practice oral sounds in order to help make your progress go faster.
Some ways to make this practice easier and give your child tools to use the next time she is reading out loud include:
When your child is reading out loud, use visual reminder cards to remind him of certain reading strategies. Simple strategy cards may be index cards or envelopes, with cues written on them, for example:
“Get your mouth ready” or
“Say what you see.”
Use positive language and feedback when your child makes a mistake. For example, if your child is trying to read the word “dog” and she says “og”, remind her that if she sees a “d” in the beginning of the word, her mouth has to make that sound.
For a fun project, write a book together! Kids will love reading books they’ve helped to write themselves. Start with beginning sight words (such as “I see ____” or “I like ____”) and follow with words containing the sounds your child is working on. For example, if you are working on “R” sounds:
“I see a racecar.”
“I see a rainbow.”
“I like roses.”
“I like raspberries.”
Then have your child draw a picture of each item on every page.
Have your child share their book with their Better Speech therapist at their next virtual speech therapy session!
You can also take a simple book that you own and replace the text with your own, targeting the sounds your child is working on.
In a book that your child likes, use a highlighter or highlighter tape to visually mark the sounds your child is working on. You can do this both in books your child is reading or in their writing, to draw attention to those sounds. If your child is old enough to understand, let them mark the sounds with the highlighter themselves, which will help them pick out and notice each sound they are learning.
Looking for ways to improve your child's speech skills?
Memorization and recitation tips for your child in virtual speech therapy
Encouraging your child to memorize a poem (or a joke!) and then recite it for friends and family is a great way to get them excited about speaking in front of others and practicing their speech sounds. Here are some helpful tips to aid your child in memorization and recitation:
Make a mental picture. Ask your child to visualize each line or part of the poem, and remember that image each time they get to that line.
Make repetition fun! Recite each phrase in a whisper, then in a yell. Repeat it in a pirate voice, a robot voice, and a cowboy voice. Say it while marching or standing on one foot. Come up with other fun ways to practice rehearsing over and over, and ask your child for their ideas too!
Memorize in chunks. Poems are easy to break into lines or sections. Work on one section at a time, and then slowly put them all together.
Use visual reminders. These can include post-it notes, highlighting, pictures/cartoons drawn on the page, writing different lines/words/sounds in different colored pens.
Put it into your own words. Ask your child to rephrase or explain the poem in their own words. A great way to involve the family is to encourage them to recite and then explain the poem to younger siblings who might not understand poetry yet.
Teach someone else. Another fun way to involve siblings or friends, or even parents or grandparents! Have your child teach the poem they’re memorizing to someone else (even their therapist during a virtual speech therapy session!). Explaining the learning process and goals will aid in their own memorization and make them more familiar with the poem.
Poems for speech practice outside of virtual speech therapy
Here are 9 exciting poems to read out loud and/or memorize to make speech practice fun!
Hey Diddle Diddle
Author Unknown
Hey diddle diddle,
The Cat and the fiddle,
The Cow jumped over the moon,
The little Dog laughed to see such sport,
And the Dish ran away with the Spoon.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
by Jane Taylor
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Star Light, Star Bright
Author Unknown
Star light, start bright,
The first star I see tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.
The Purple Cow
by Gelett Burgess
I never saw a Purple Cow,
I never hope to see one,
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one!
Eletelephony
by Laura Elizabeth Richard
Once there was an elephant,
Who tried to use the telephant—
No! No! I mean an elephone
Who tried to use the telephone—
(Dear me! I am not certain quite
That even now I’ve got it right.)
Howe’er it was, he got his trunk
Entangled in the telephunk;
The more he tried to get it free,
The louder buzzed the telephee—
(I fear I’d better drop the song
Of elephop and telephong!)
Dust of Snow
by Robert Frost
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
Be Glad Your Nose Is on Your Face
by Jack Prelutsky
Be glad your nose is on your face,
not pasted on some other place,
for if it were where it is not,
you might dislike your nose a lot.
Imagine if your precious nose
were sandwiched in between your toes,
that clearly would not be a treat,
for you'd be forced to smell your feet.
Your nose would be a source of dread
were it attached atop your head,
it soon would drive you to despair,
forever tickled by your hair.
Within your ear, your nose would be
an absolute catastrophe,
for when you were obliged to sneeze,
your brain would rattle from the breeze.
Your nose, instead, through thick and thin,
remains between your eyes and chin,
not pasted on some other place--
be glad your nose is on your face!
Mother Doesn't Want a Dog
by Judith Viorst
Mother doesn't want a dog.
Mother says they smell,
And never sit when you say sit,
Or even when you yell.
And when you come home late at night
And there is ice and snow,
You have to go back out because
The dumb dog has to go.
Mother doesn't want a dog.
Mother says they shed,
And always let the strangers in
And bark at friends instead,
And do disgraceful things on rugs,
And track mud on the floor,
And flop upon your bed at night
And snore their doggy snore.
Mother doesn't want a dog.
She's making a mistake.
Because, more than a dog, I think
She will not want this snake.
Sick
by Shel Silverstein
"I cannot go to school today,"
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
"I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I'm going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I've counted sixteen chicken pox
And there's one more—that's seventeen,
And don't you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut—my eyes are blue—
It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I'm sure that my left leg is broke—
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button's caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,
My 'pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb.
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,
My temperature is one-o-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is—what?
What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is. . .Saturday?
G'bye, I'm going out to play!"
Virtual speech therapy for your child
At Better Speech, we know that you deserve ideas and therapy that works for you and your family. We have experts in your child’s needs, and we assign the right therapist; not just the therapist that happens to be in your area. At Better Speech, we offer online speech therapy services convenient for you and tailored to your child's individual needs. Our services are affordable and effective - get Better Speech now.
Adapted in part from an article on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) website.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age can children start using poems to practice speech sounds?
Children as young as 2 or 3 can enjoy simple rhyming poems, making them a great early tool for speech practice. Repetitive rhythms naturally encourage kids to imitate sounds and words. As children grow, you can choose more complex poems that target specific sounds they are working on in therapy.
How do poems actually help with speech therapy practice at home?
Poems use rhythm, rhyme, and repetition, which makes it easier for children to notice and reproduce specific sounds. This playful structure lowers the pressure kids often feel during direct practice. Reading or reciting poems together daily gives your child consistent, low-stress repetitions of target sounds, which is exactly what builds lasting progress.
What if my child refuses to read poems or finds them boring?
Try letting your child pick their favorite poem from a small selection, which gives them a sense of control. You can also act out the poem, use funny voices, or turn it into a game to spark interest. Short sessions of even two to three minutes are perfectly fine and far better than skipping practice altogether.
Can I use these poems even if my child is not currently in speech therapy?
Yes, reading poems aloud is a healthy language activity for any child, whether or not they are in therapy. If you notice your child consistently struggling with certain sounds, it may be worth a professional evaluation. Better Speech offers licensed speech-language pathologists with no waitlists and accepts most insurance plans, making it easy to get started quickly.
How often should my child practice with poems between therapy sessions?
Most speech-language pathologists recommend short daily practice sessions of five to ten minutes rather than one long weekly session. Practicing a target poem once or twice each day keeps sounds fresh in your child's memory and speeds up progress. Consistency matters more than duration, so even a quick poem at breakfast or bedtime adds up over time.
About the Author
Aycen Zambuto
I’m a seasoned educator in speech therapy with over six years of experience helping people navigate challenges in communication. Throughout this time, I’ve found joy in guiding individuals through a variety of therapeutic journeys, from toddlers with apraxia to seniors with dysphonia.
I’m passionate about demystifying this complex world of speech therapy and helping readers around the globe achieve clear and effective communication. When I’m not writing about speech, you’ll often find me reading, traveling or spending time with friends and family.
