09/10/2026
/R/ is one of our later-developing sounds, and there’s a lot more happening to make it than you might think. The tongue has to move back, the sides lift and brace against the back teeth, the tongue tip and body have their own jobs, and even the lips can play a part. The tricky part is that most of this is happening inside the mouth where a child can’t actually see it.
In speech therapy, we spend a lot of time figuring out how to make these movements make sense to each individual child. We might use a mirror, watch my mouth, use hand gestures or visuals, or even grab some mini objects (notice the spray bottle) to show what we’re trying to get the tongue to do.
I like to give kids a few different ways to think about a movement and let them tell me what makes the most sense to them. Sometimes a cue that works immediately for one child means absolutely nothing to another. Letting them be part of figuring out what works can make a big difference.
And of course, motivation matters too. Sometimes it’s a game, choosing what we do next, or knowing there are a few prizes from the treasure chest waiting after a session of hard work. Whatever helps keep them engaged and willing to keep trying.
The end of this video was one of those really fun therapy moments. /R/ is a newer sound for us to explore, and after trying a few different things, we got a production that sounded great. His reaction when he heard it was probably my favorite part. I think we were both equally surprised and excited that we found it.
