I'm Nancy.

I'm a pediatric speech-language pathologist, also called a speech therapist.

In this video, you'll learn how to use the ideas and activities from the Supporting your child's speech video series.

You'll find these strategies easier to use if you watch that video series first.

If you've noticed your child's having difficulty with the “s" sound, try the activities in this video.

If you need more help, talk to a speech therapist.

First, let's learn about this sound.

In the alphabet, “s" represented by the letter S and sometimes the letter C.

For example, a word like cereal is spelled with a C and makes “s."

There are times when you may see the letter S but it doesn't say “s."

For example, at the end of a word like toys or eggs where it makes the “z" sound.

Or when an “s" is written with an H and it makes the sh sound like in shoe.

You can tell your child S makes the “s" sound.

When focusing on this sound, be sure to say “s" not S.

This sound is made when you spread your lips and make a smile.

With your teeth almost closed, you gently blow air, “s."

When children are learning to talk, a common mistake is making the T sound instead of “s."

[Animated video clip plays with no audio]

For example, they may say “toap" instead of soap.

Another type of mistake we see with the “s" is called a lisp.

The most common type of lisp is when the tongue sticks out between the teeth.

When you say “s" it sounds like th, like “thoap."

Another type of lisp happens when you blow air out the sides of your mouth.

It sounds like sh, like “shoap."

With a lisp, the “s" doesn't sound clear.

Your child might have difficulty with the “s" sound at the beginning of words like sun, or in the middle of words like pencil, or at the end of words like horse.

The sound “s" can occur as part of a consonant blend, like in spoon or snow.

A consonant blend is when two or three consonants are beside each other and blend together.

Your child may have difficulty with this as well.

If your child is having difficulty with “s" there's a good chance they're having difficulty with z too, so listen for this sound.

Most children can make this sound correctly by 5 years of age.

If you have concerns about your child not saying “s" clearly, talk to a speech therapist.

Now, let's talk about how to help with the “s" sound.

As you start to focus on this sound with your child, try to do it in a fun way.

Don't correct them when they make a mistake.

This can make them feel bad about talking.

Help your child learn “s" by using sound activities.

A sound activity is a short time when you highlight the sound for your child.

The goal is to create sound awareness.

You create sound awareness by helping your child hear the sound and see how the sound is made.

There are 3 ways you can help your child hear the “s" sound.

You can use modelling, talking about the sound and pre-reading skills.

Start by modelling the “s" for your child.

This means emphasizing it and repeating it often in an activity.

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If you're putting away laundry, you could say, “A sock.

A blue sock.

Sock has our “s" sound."

“s," “s" “s."

Notice in this example how you can emphasize the “s" sound by pausing before saying the word sock and say the “s" sound a little louder and longer.

You can also repeat sock and say “s" a few times by itself.

You can also talk about the sound.

Talk about how the sound is made.

When you make a “s" you smile, put your teeth together and gently blow some air, “s."

Or give it a name, like the snake sound because snakes say “s."

Or the hissy sound because it sounds like a hiss.

The last way you can help your child hear the sound is to use pre-reading skills, like alliteration and rhyming.

Alliteration means to say many words that start with “s" like, “Slowly sip your soup with a small spoon."

Point out the sound to your child.

Say, “I hear “s" at the beginning of slowly, sip, soup, small, and spoon."

You can also highlight rhyming words.

Say something that rhymes like “Let's go on a race, off into space.

It's a faraway place, so pick up the pace."

Point out the sound to your child.

Say, “Race, space, place, and pace have “s" at the end."

Sound activities are also a chance to help your child see how the sound is made.

There are 3 ways you can help your child see how the “s" is made.

You can try using a gesture or action, a mirror, or letters.

First, add a gesture or action when you say the “s" to represent how it's made.

For example, you can make an “s" type gesture in the air.

“s."

Or, you can trace your finger on your arm.

“s."

[Animated video example]

You can also practice the sound in front of a mirror.

Do this with your child so they can watch how you make “s."

Say things like, “Look at how I smile and close my teeth."

“s."

You can also encourage your child to see the sound using letters.

Tell your child the letter S makes the “s" sound, and sometimes so does C.

Point to the letter S as you read together or see it on signs.

Trace the letters with your finger.

Count the letters, draw the letters in the air or on paper, or highlight the letter in words with a marker.

When doing sound activities, your child may or may not copy you.

If they copy you, they may or may not be able to make the sound correctly.

The goal is to let your child hear the sound correctly, not to put pressure on them to say it.

Let's look at how to use sound activities throughout the day.

You can use a sound activity in a daily routine like dressing, bedtime, or getting ready for school.

Let's watch how to use a sound activity in a daily routine, like washing with soap.

[Video example]

[Parent] Here's the soap.

Soap has our hissy sound.

[Parent and child] “s."

[Parent] Look at how I do it in the mirror.

[Parent and child] “s."

[Parent] I smile.

[Video ends]

You can also create a sound activity during play.

This can be any type of play, including play with games or toys.

Let's watch how this parent makes playing with dolls a sound activity.

[Video example]

[Parent] This doll is Sue, and this doll is Sarah.

Those make the snake sound.

“s."

Sue and Sarah are 6 and 7.

Whoa, that's a lot of “s" sounds.

They live in a big house with a mouse.

House and mouse, those rhyme.

They both have at “s" the end.

[Video ends]

Include sound activities while reading books.

Books work well for sound activities because they repeat words and use alliteration and rhyme.

Use the print in the book to help your child see the sound.

Look for books that repeat the “s" sound.

Some books that work well to highlight the “s" sound include Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Fox in Socks, Smelly Socks, and the Spot series.

Let's watch how to do this.

[Video example]

[Parent] What book would you like to read?

Smelly Socks.

That has the “s" snake sound.

“s," “s" smelly socks.

Look it has Ss.

S makes the “s" sound.

“s," “s" “s."

Smelly.

Socks.

[Video ends]

Use a song, rhyme, or finger play as a sound activity.

Make sure to emphasize keywords, sing slow, and use the gestures.

Use songs that repeat the “s" sound like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Five Little Speckled Frogs.

Let's watch how to do this.

[Video example]

[Parent] That's great!

That's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Star has our S sound.

“s."

When I make the sound with S I put my tongue behind my teeth and I smile.

“s."

[Video ends]

Include sound activities throughout the day, however they work best for you and your child.

There's no specific way to use sound activities.

Simply use the strategies to hear and see the “s" sound that fit the activity you choose.

The most important part is to keep it fun and with no pressure.

These ideas will get you started, but if your child needs more help, we recommend reaching out to a speech therapist.

Keep watching our video series if you want sound activity ideas for another speech sound.

[Outro]

Find information, support, and services for you and your child by clicking on the link in the description.​