Oral Motor Exercises for the Tongue

Imitate a variety or oral-motor exercises in front of a mirror.

PURPOSE

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

• Step 1

  Have the learner say “lalalalala” without moving their jaw up/down or side to side. Rest and repeat.

• Step 2

  Practice tongue tip sounds. Say “t-t-t-t-t-t,” “n-n-n-n-n-n,” and “d-d-d-d-d-d.” For a challenge try a combination of these sounds, such as “t-d-n.”

• Step 3

  Practice licking food (something sticky like peanut butter, ketchup, jam) out of a bowl like a puppy.

• Step 4

  Paint tongue with a dark coloured sucker (try to paint the back of the tongue if he/she can tolerate it)

• Step 5

  Count teeth with your tongue.