New to this topic? Start with our companion article: Why Movement Matters in Speech Therapy | Brisbane Speech Pathologist
In our companion article, we explored the science behind why movement supports learning and language development. Now let's get into the practical side: what does movement-based speech and language therapy actually look like, and how can you bring these ideas home?
Whether you're a parent looking for ways to make home practice more active and engaging, or you're simply curious about what happens in your child's sessions, this article is packed with ideas you can start using today. Backyards and playrooms make wonderful therapy spaces — a trampoline, a hallway, a pile of cushions, and you're in business.
Why "Active" Sessions Can Be More Effective
Before we dive into activities, a quick reminder of why this works. When children move, they:
- Regulate their nervous system, helping them reach a calm, alert state for learning
- Engage more brain networks, strengthening the connection between language and experience
- Stay motivated and focused for longer, because the activity is genuinely enjoyable
- Build stronger memories, because movement gives words and concepts a physical anchor
This doesn't mean every moment of therapy needs to involve jumping and running. It means that thoughtfully incorporating movement into sessions — and into home practice — can make a real difference.
Practical Movement-Based Activities for Speech and Language Goals
A few of the kinds of activities that combine movement with communication goals — these are the sorts of things we use in sessions, and they work beautifully at home too.
1. Obstacle Courses With Language Targets
Set up a simple obstacle course — crawl under a table, jump over cushions, step on stepping stones, climb through a tunnel. At each station, place a language target. This might be:
- A picture card the child names before moving on (speech sounds or vocabulary)
- An instruction they need to follow: "Jump three times, then crawl under the chair" (following directions)
- A question they answer: "What did you do first?" (narrative and sequencing)
- A sentence starter they complete: "I went over the..." (grammar and sentence structure)
Obstacle courses are brilliant because they combine gross motor movement, sequencing, memory, and language — all at once.
2. Scavenger Hunts
Hide target items or picture cards around the room (or the house, or the garden). Give your child clues to find them. You can target:
- Vocabulary — "Find something that's soft" or "Find the animal that says moo"
- Speech sounds — hide pictures of words containing the target sound
- Following instructions — "Look behind the blue cushion, then under the table"
- Describing — when they find the item, they describe it before putting it in the basket
The searching and moving keeps children engaged far longer than sitting and naming pictures from a pile.
3. Action-Based Vocabulary
For younger children building vocabulary, pair words with whole-body actions:
- Verb learning — act out action words: jump, stomp, spin, crawl, push, pull, pour, stir. Children learn verbs faster when they do them, not just hear them.
- Prepositions — use your body to learn position words: "Go under the table. Stand on the step. Hide behind the door."
- Descriptive words — move in different ways: "Walk slowly... now walk fast! Take big steps... now tiny steps."
Ideas for Home
You don't need special equipment or a therapy room. A few simple ways to add movement to language practice at home:
- Talk while you walk. Walking to school or the park is a perfect time for conversation, storytelling, or word games.
- Use household chores. Sorting laundry is great for categories and colours. Helping cook involves following instructions and learning new vocabulary.
- Follow your child's lead. If your child wants to jump on the trampoline, go jumping with them and use that time to chat, count, sing, or practise target words.
A Note on Respecting Your Child's Needs
Some children crave movement and thrive with active sessions. Others prefer quieter, calmer activities. And some children need movement specifically to help them regulate before they can engage in learning.
There's no one-size-fits-all approach. The key is knowing your child and being flexible. If your child seems restless and distracted during seated practice, try adding movement. If they're calm and focused at the table, that's fine too. As a mum of two boys, I've learned that "sit still and say it properly" rarely works as well as "say it while you're climbing the fort".
The goal is always to create the best conditions for your child's learning — and for many children, that means getting their body involved.
Iverson (2010) has shown that motor development and language development are deeply interconnected in early childhood, with motor milestones often predicting language outcomes — further supporting the value of movement-based approaches in therapy.
If you'd like more ideas for combining movement and language practice at home, get in touch. Any actual clinical work — assessment, diagnosis, or therapy — happens through a proper consultation tailored to your child. We'd love to help.
Alexandra Bouwmeester is a Senior Speech Pathologist (MSPA, CPSP) and mum of two active boys, based in Loganholme. She offers mobile speech pathology to families across Brisbane's south side and Logan.
References
Iverson, J. M. (2010). Developing language in a developing body: The relationship between motor development and language development. Journal of Child Language, 37(2), 229–261.
Diamond, A. (2015). Effects of physical exercise on executive functions: Going beyond simply moving to moving with thought. Annals of Sports Medicine and Research, 2(1), 1011.
Mariën, P., Ackermann, H., Adamaszek, M., Barwood, C. H. S., Beaton, A., Desmond, J., ... & Ziegler, W. (2014). Consensus paper: Language and the cerebellum: An ongoing enigma. The Cerebellum, 13(3), 386–410.
