Kids will love these oral motor exercises

Those yummy treats we enjoy most during summer months make great tools for oral motor exercises. You can use frozen treats and summer flavors to strengthen lips and cheeks and to get that tongue moving around.

Drinking a thick milkshake or smoothie through a straw can make lips and cheeks stronger and can help move the tongue back. Try different sized straws or crazy straws to work those muscles harder.

Use popsicles or freezer pops to get the tongue or lips moving. Move the popsicle or freezer pop to the sides of the mouth to help your child’s tongue move side to side or place it in front of his lips to help him move his tongue out. Move the popsicle from the middle of the lips to the comers to encourage smiling.

Your child can lick ice cream melting down a cone, or pour some chocolate sauce on a sugar cone to encourage his tongue to move and add some texture.

Add some fun summer flavors to oral motor tools. Citrus flavors like lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit wake up the mouth and encourage swallowing. Tangy flavors like watermelon or berry are fun and motivating.

Don’t forget to consult your speech therapist about safe foods to use with your child. Enjoy some yummy summer treats while getting in those exercises!

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012 in Tips from Infinity