Tips For Integrating Speech Practice in Busy Schedules

Wake up. Get ready for work, get the kids ready for school, pack lunches, drive to school, drive to work, pick the kids up from school, maybe stop at the grocery store, drive home. Always on the move. Make dinner, wash dishes, clean the house, get the kids ready for bed, get yourself ready for bed. Some days you feel lucky if you’re able to sneak in 10 minutes of play with your kids. Then your child’s speech therapist is recommending you help prompt and help with their speech homework. Where are you going to find the time? Here are tips for integrating speech practice into your daily routine.

The truth is, our lives are busy, and sometimes that one extra thing to work on each day can feel daunting. We know that completion of home programming can lead to greater communication gains. We also know that home programming increases carryover of skills taught in therapy. But where (and when) do you get started?

Tips for Integrating Speech Therapy

Here are some tips for integrating speech sound practice throughout your daily routine:

• Don’t worry about how long to practice! 5 minutes of focused, accurate practice 2-3 times a day can be as effective as 20 minutes of less-focused practice once a day.
• Get creative with where to practice. No need to sit at a table facing each other to practice—get creative! Get a few trials in before or after brushing teeth using the bathroom mirror, or in the car on the way to school, just as long as you can hear your child and provide feedback as necessary.
• Make practicing fun and motivating for you and your child. Have a friendly competition for who can hear the most words with their target sound in their favorite show or movie. Find a song that has their target sound(s) repeatedly and sing along together.

For more ideas on how to integrate home programming into your daily routine, talk to your child’s therapist about what works best for your family. Here are some more ideas on how to build vocabulary at home.