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Speech Therapy Activities to Target "S" at Home

Boston Ability Center
Feb 212 min read



The Boston Ability Center speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are back with recommendations for speech sound home practice. Let's focus on practicing the /s/ sound and /s/-blends.


Reading books with your child’s target sounds provide him with many models of the sound (a great auditory bombardment activity!). When you’re reading the book out loud to your child, make sure to emphasize the sound in all target words. You can have your child repeat the words after you, and cue him using whatever visual and/or verbal cues your child's SLP has taught you both (e.g. "Look at my mouth while I say this sound. See how my tongue is staying behind my teeth? Now you try!")


Here are some of our favorite books and online games to improve your child's skills in a fun and functional way!

 

Books: 

 

/s/ 

  1. The Day the Goose Got Loose by Reeve Lindenbergh   

  2. Silly Sally by Audrey Wood 

  3. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? by Eric Carle 

  4. Sid and Sam by Nola Buck 

  5. I See, You Saw by Nurik Karlin 

  6. Seaweed Soup by Stewart J Murphy 

  7. Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard 

 

/sl/ blend 

  1. Time to Sleep by Denise Fleming 

  2. Ten on the Sled by Kim Norman

 

/sk/ blend 

  1. Move Over Rover by Karen Beaumont 

  2. Skunks! by David T. Greenberg 

 

/sm/ blend 

  1. In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming 

  2. Big Smelly Bear by Britta Teckentrup 

  3. Smiley Shark by Ruth Galloway 

 

/sn/ blend 

  1. The Biggest House in the World by Leo Linni 

  2. Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson 

  3. The Snowy Day by Ezra Keats 

  4. Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner 

  5. The Snowman Storybook by Raymond Briggs 

  6. Stand Back Said the Elephant, I’m Going to Sneeze by Patricia Thomas 

  7. The Goat Who Couldn’t Sneeze by Cecilia Avalos 

 

/sp/ blend 

  1. I Love Spiders by John Parker 

  2. The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle 

  3. Where’s Spot? By Eric Hill 

  4. Sophie’s Masterpiece by Jane Dyer 

  5. Whose Spots are Those? By Sarah Woraby 

  6. Miss Spider’s Tea Party by David Kirk

  7. Each Peach, Pear Plum by Janet and Allen Ahlberg 

 

/st/ books 

  1. Sticky People by Tony Johnston 

  2. Stone Soup by Anne McGovern and Winslow Pinney Pels 

  3. Stick by Steve Breen 

  4. Bat Jamboree by Kathi Appelt 

  5. Draw Me a Star by Eric Carle 

  6. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star by Jane Cabrerra 

 

Remember, if you don’t own the recommended books, you don’t have to buy them! Check your local library, or search for a read-aloud version on YouTube. 



Games: 


Playing online games is a great way to elicit your child’s target speech sounds through comments, directives, and requests! Try taking turns controlling the game. When your child is playing, ask them to describe what they are doing. When you are playing, ask your child to give you directions.   

 

As always, keep in mind the complexity of the task. If your child is doing well with single words, gradually increase the phrase length.

 

Target words: dress, purses, glasses, shoes, style, presents, blouse, shorts, shirts, star

 

Target words: race, chase (you can also change the names of the dogs for more “s” sound practice!) 

 
 
 

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