Oral Motor Exercises for the Jaw

Imitate a variety or oral-motor exercises.

PURPOSE

This activity helps the learner refine jaw movements and in turn coordinate with the lips, and tongue for speech production and managing developmentally appropriate textures for feeding.

• Step 1

  Tug-of-war with licorice. Place a long, stick-shaped piece of licorice or a whole, peeled carrot on the learner’s molars and instruct them to bite down. Then playfully pull on it as learner clenches their jaw like a tiger or puppy (the learner can pull on the licorice while you clench too).

• Step 2

  Have the learner imitate you: a) Open mouth wide, b) Move jaw from closed to open to closed, c) Open mouth partially then close it.