Mirror games that make speech practice fun

Speech practice works best when it doesn't feel like a chore — and a simple mirror is one of the most useful (and cheapest) tools for that. Being able to see their own mouth movements helps many children connect what they're doing with what they're hearing.

Copy-my-face. Take turns pulling different mouth shapes in the mirror — wide smiles, round "oo" shapes, puffed cheeks — before moving on to specific sounds. It turns warm-up exercises into a game rather than a drill.

Sound detective. Say a target sound and have your child watch your mouth, then try to match it in the mirror themselves. Small, playful corrections ("try touching your tongue right here") land better face-to-face in a mirror than as verbal instructions alone.

Silly sentences. Practising target words inside funny, made-up sentences in front of the mirror keeps repetition from feeling repetitive.

Puppet show. For younger children, a sock puppet "talking" in the mirror can make practice feel like play rather than a lesson.

Five focused minutes a day with a bit of mirror play is often more effective — and more sustainable — than a longer session nobody's enjoying. Ask your speech therapist for a few target sounds to build these games around.

This article is general information, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. If you have a specific concern about your child or a family member, our team is happy to talk it through.