Part 2: Effective Exercises for Oral Motor Development

Maria Panagitopoulos, M.S., CF-SLP and Lydia Stimpson, M.S., CCC-SLP

Improving oral motor skills requires targeted exercises that strengthen the lips, tongue, and jaw. Below are some recommended exercises categorized by muscle group:

Lip Mobility Exercises

• Making the “kissy” face: Strengthens muscles responsible for lip closure and rounding.
• Blowing bubbles: Enhances lip rounding and breath control.
• Blowing through a straw: Encourages controlled lip movement and airflow.
• Saying the /m/ sound: Reinforces closed-lip positioning for speech development.
• Using a Z-vibe: Provides oral stimulation to improve lip awareness and mobility.
• Lip stretching: A caregiver gently pulls the upper lip up and out to improve flexibility.
• Sucking on a caregiver’s finger: Helps build oral suction and muscle coordination.

Tongue Mobility Exercises

• Lateral tongue movement: Moving the tongue side to side increases flexibility.
• Tongue in-and-out movement: Helps improve tongue extension and control.
• Tongue tip-up movement: Encourages upward motion for speech sounds like /l/.
• Z-vibe stimulation: Applying gentle vibration to different areas of the tongue enhances mobility and awareness.
• Movement along the palate: Promotes proper positioning for swallowing and speech.

Jaw Exercises

• Jaw relaxation stretches: Helps release tension and increase jaw mobility.
• Side-to-side jaw movement: Strengthens lateral control for chewing and speech.
• Circular jaw motion: Encourages smooth and coordinated jaw movement.
• Biting on a vibrating toy: Stimulates jaw muscles.
• Chewing tough foods (e.g., beef jerky, licorice): Strengthens jaw muscles.

In the final part of this series, we will discuss more advanced activities for improving oral motor skills and overall function. If you have questions about your child’s development, our team is here to help. Request an appointment online to speak with a pediatric speech therapist.