Practicing Speech Therapy at Home with Everyday Foods
Updated: Aug 25
In this article we will discuss:
Tips for Practicing Speech therapy at Home with your Kids, along with Fun Recipes!
Speech therapy practice can be done at home, with minimal to no preparation, and with a little creativity it can be fun and effective. The easiest opportunity is around meals or snacks.
Speech Practice at Mealtime
Here are some activities to do around the table:
Requesting Foods – The amount of language you expect your child to use should be based on his current skills. Try to make your child use slightly more language than he is currently comfortable with. If your child has trouble asking for things at all, a single word (the name of the food/drink) is the best thing to shoot for.
If the child uses one word to request (“cookie”), make him use a two-word phrase to request (such as “want cookie”). If your child has more language, you can have him ask using a full sentence with correct grammar. You could also have your older child say the name of the person he’s speaking to so he gets their attention before speaking (e.g., “Mom, could you pass the green beans please?”).
Talk about your day – If your child is older and has language, ask your child to tell you about what she did so far that day. Whereas, for younger children or children who have more difficulty with language, try asking very specific questions about their day, such as “what did you eat for lunch?”
You may want to start with questions that you know the answers to so you can help them if they get stuck. For older children, try sequencing events from the day by talking about what happened first, next, and last.
There are a lot of things to teach in the kitchen.
Fun Recipes to Practice Speech
Sometimes we just need to sit down and play a little with our children! Here are some “cooking ideas” and ways to incorporate speech and language with your children:
Donut-hole breakfast skewers: Summer is a time for colors and picnics, even at breakfast-time. Donut-hole breakfast skewers are fun to make and imagine your children’s eyes all big with huge smiles…when they see donut holes on a stick with fresh fruit and dips to go along!
Items to purchase:
Donut holes (Entenmann’s are great or Dunkin Donuts work too)
Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries (or any fruit of preference)
Caramel sauce and chocolate sauce (you can use others too if wanted)
Skewers
While you make the skewers, you can talk about textures, smells, and tastes. You can also talk about how the foods feel with your hands or in your mouth. Exploring foods with your hands is another great for picky eaters who aren’t ready to taste a food yet. You can talk about the pattern you or your child made with colors and shapes, or whether the food is sweet, salty, sour, crunchy, chewy, juicy, etc.
For example:
How do the strawberries taste? “The strawberries taste sweet.”
How does the caramel feel? “The caramel feels sticky.”
What do the blackberries feel like? “The blackberries feel juicy.”
What shape is the donut hole? “The donut hole is round.”
What color is the chocolate? “The chocolate is brown.”
Ice Cream Sundaes:
These are a great summer treat as well. Pick up your child’s favorite flavors of ice cream and toppings at the store. You can talk about the colors, shape, numbers, size of the scoop of ice cream, and types of toppings, as well as discuss how you plan to eat it — whether in a cup or a cone.
For example:
What color is the ice cream? “The ice cream is white.”
How many scoops of ice cream are there? “There are three scoops of ice cream.”
What shape are the sprinkles? “The sprinkles are stars.”
How do you want to eat your ice cream? “I want to eat my ice cream in a cone.”
You can practice the speech sound “s” by using words such as, “sundae,” “sprinkles,” “strawberry,” or “scoop.” Say these words out loud as you add each item to the sundae. You can also work on making a sentence focusing on the sound “s” by having your child say, “I am putting sprinkles on my sundae.” This is a great way to practice your child’s speech without them even knowing it!
We hope this gives you some ideas about how you can work on speech and language during meals and snacks. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which everyday foods are best for practicing speech sounds at home?
Crunchy foods like carrots, apples, and crackers are great for building jaw strength, while soft foods like yogurt and peanut butter encourage tongue tip control. You can also use foods with specific sounds in their names, like 'soup' for the S sound or 'bread' for the R sound. The key is to make mealtime feel playful and low-pressure.
How can I turn snack time into a speech therapy practice session without it feeling forced?
Keep it casual by narrating what you and your child are doing, asking simple questions about textures and flavors, and modeling clear speech naturally. For example, slowly say 'crunchy cracker' and encourage your child to repeat it without making it feel like a test. When therapy feels like play, kids are far more motivated and engaged.
Is it safe to use food-based activities for children with feeding difficulties or sensory sensitivities?
Always consult a licensed speech-language pathologist before introducing food-based exercises if your child has a feeding disorder or sensory processing challenges. A qualified therapist can guide you on which foods and activities are appropriate and safe for your child's specific needs. Better Speech offers licensed SLPs with no waitlists, and many plans are covered by insurance, so getting professional guidance is easier than you might think.
Can food-based practice actually replace formal speech therapy sessions?
Food-based activities are a wonderful supplement to professional speech therapy, but they are not a substitute for formal sessions led by a licensed speech-language pathologist. Think of home practice as reinforcing what your therapist teaches, not replacing it. The more consistently you practice the specific exercises your SLP recommends, the faster progress tends to happen.
What age is appropriate to start using food activities to support speech development?
You can begin incorporating simple food-based language activities as early as 12 to 18 months by naming foods, describing textures, and encouraging imitation of sounds during mealtime. As children grow, the activities can become more targeted toward specific speech sounds or language goals. If you are unsure whether your child is on track developmentally, a speech evaluation can give you a clear picture.
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.
