Sensory Based Activities to Build and Improve Speech

Sensory based activities are important in building and improving speech. A child can experience speech challenges as a result of sensory processing disorders and we have written about the connection between speech and sensory processing disorders here.

Types of Sensory Based Activities for Speech Improvement

Auditory Activities:

Listening Games: Engage in activities that require active listening, such as following verbal instructions or playing auditory discrimination games.
Music Therapy: Incorporate music and rhythm into speech exercises to enhance auditory processing and improve speech patterns.

Visual Activities:

Speech Cards: Use flashcards with visual representations of words or sounds to help associate visual cues with speech.
Speech Apps: There are various apps designed to help with speech therapy, often utilizing visual cues and interactive elements.

Tactile/Kinesthetic Activities:

Articulation Games: Use hands-on activities like sculpting, crafting, or drawing to engage the tactile and kinesthetic senses while practicing speech sounds.
Tongue Twisters with Movement: Combine tongue twisters with physical movements to reinforce speech sounds kinesthetically.

Proprioceptive Activities:

Oral-Motor Exercises: Include activities that involve movement and stimulation of the muscles in the mouth and face, such as blowing bubbles, using whistles, or chewing on safe items.

Chewing and Sucking Exercises: Activities that involve chewing gum, sucking through straws, or other oral exercises can help improve oral motor skills.

Multisensory Integration:

Cross-Modal Associations: Create activities that involve multiple senses simultaneously, such as pairing visual cues with auditory prompts or tactile feedback.

Interactive Games:

Board Games: Play board games that encourage conversation, turn-taking, and the use of various speech sounds.

Interactive Storytelling: Use books or create stories where the individual actively participates in the narrative, encouraging the use of speech sounds in a meaningful context.

Technology-Based Activities:

Speech Therapy Apps: There are numerous apps specifically designed for speech therapy that use interactive games and activities to target speech sounds. E.g  Articulation Station, Splingo, Gemini  etc

Sensory based activity program for a 3 year old child with SPD and speech challenges:

Eni is a 3 year old child with SPD, he was brought in for assessment and we observed that he had sensory processing symptoms, especially with the proprioception and tactile system in the oral motor region. Symptoms included: challenges with chewing and aversion to certain food types, poor tongue and lips usage and this was affecting his speech. After assessment, we prepared a tailored sensory based activity program and assigned a therapist to him.
We worked with him 4 times a week, 2hr/session and in 3 months, we saw amazing results. Eni had better tongue and lips usage which made his speech clearer, he could now eat various food types especially fruits which were initially challenging for him and his parents were very happy.

Eni’s Program:

1. Calming the Waters:
   Begin by bringing the child to a calm-alert state through heavy work activities. These proprioceptive exercises, like pushing a cart, riding a bike, or using ankle weights on the trampoline, are tailored to what the child enjoys. The goal is to set the stage for focused engagement.
2. Oral Motor Awakening:
   Elevate muscle awareness in the oral motor region through various tactile experiences. This involves gentle massage exercises, both internally with gloves and externally, using stimulatory foods to activate different mouth parts (cheeks, tongue, gums, roof of the mouth). Different taste experiences, such as lemon, lime, salt, sweet, and bitter, are introduced with rhythmic movements.
3. Tongue Tunes:
   Engage in gentle exercises to lift the tongue up, down, and sideways while incorporating soothing songs and words of encouragement. This step helps build strength and flexibility in the tongue muscles.
4. Vibrating Brush Tour:
   Take a tour around the mouth with a vibrating toothbrush. Ideally, this step should be conducted under the supervision of a speech therapist.
5. Speech Therapist Collaboration:
   Work collaboratively with a speech therapist for the following drills:
   1. Practice senseless speech, like saying ‘aaaaaaaah’ or engaging in other forms of nonsensical speech.
   2. Tackle challenging words in a supportive environment.
   3. Incorporate visual aids and eye contact movements, utilizing tools such as flashcards, the Aunty Rachel series, and other digital aids.
6. Integration and Awareness:
   While incorporating other sensory integration activities, therapists should guide the child to be conscious of using mouth parts properly during speech. This step reinforces proper pronunciation within the context of broader sensory engagement.

For optimal effectiveness, these activities are structured to be child-led and play-based, promoting a stimulating sensory environment. The aim is to encourage the child to actively participate in speech production efforts.