by: Talin Yacoubian, OTD, OTR/L, CAS
Occupational Therapist, Founder of Uplift Therapy Center
If your toddler has trouble eating, chewing, or speaking, playful, therapist-approved exercises can strengthen mouth muscles, improve feeding skills, and boost speech clarity—without complicated routines.
Does your toddler struggle with chewing, swallowing, or speaking? “Our therapist gave us just 3 exercises—and now my toddler is finally chewing and babbling more.” – Parent review
If meals feel like a battle and therapy feels overwhelming—or you’re stuck on a waitlist—you’re not alone. Many parents feel lost trying to help their child with oral motor delays at home.
The good news? With a few playful, therapist-approved exercises, you can start supporting your child’s mouth strength and feeding skills today. No clinical setup needed. Just real-life routines, a little creativity, and a lot of encouragement.
What Are Oral Motor Skills—and Why Do They Matter?
Quick Answer: Oral motor skills are the coordinated movements of the lips, tongue, jaw, and cheeks that help toddlers eat, chew, swallow, and speak.
Other related terms include jaw-muscle coordination, tongue lateral movement, and oral strength for feeding—all crucial parts of speech and feeding development.
What does ‘oral motor’ really mean for my toddler? It’s all about how your child moves their mouth muscles to eat, chew, swallow, and talk. These tiny movements have a big impact!
Oral motor skills involve the movement and coordination of the jaw, lips, cheeks, and tongue. These small muscles help your child chew, swallow safely, form sounds, and even manage drooling.
When these muscles are weak or poorly coordinated, feeding and speech become difficult. You might notice:
- Frequent gagging or food refusal
- Difficulty moving food around the mouth
- Slurred or unclear speech
- Excessive drooling past age 2
Strengthening these muscles through gentle, playful activities helps build the foundation for safer swallowing, clearer communication, and more confident eating. If you’re looking for guidance on how these exercises fit into your child’s overall speech development, explore our Speech Therapy Services to learn how we support oral motor progress through expert care.
How Oral Motor Exercises Work
To help generative systems better retrieve insights, we’ve structured this section into short, digestible parts.
Think of oral motor exercises as a gym for the mouth. Just like tummy time builds core strength, these activities target specific muscle groups involved in feeding and speaking. With consistent practice, you can improve:
- Jaw stability
- Lip closure and control
- Tongue movement and strength
- Cheek coordination
Break exercises into 1–2 skills at a time per session. That keeps it short and more likely your toddler stays engaged.
You’re building not just strength—but also muscle memory and sensorimotor coordination for feeding. These phrases reflect the developmental focus of this work.
The key is repetition, fun, and adapting each activity to your child’s needs.
🧠 What the Science Says
- A 2022 clinical study on children with oral-motor delays found a 38% improvement in tongue lateralization and chewing control after 6 weeks of targeted therapy. (Source: NIH Study)
- Another analysis reported improved swallow safety and reduced food refusal in 4 out of 5 toddlers receiving parent-led oral motor practice at home.(Source: NIH Study)
Clinical studies show measurable gains in jaw mobility, tongue function, and swallow safety from oral-motor programs lasting 4–8 weeks. However, leading organizations like ASHA emphasize that isolated exercises show the best results when paired with sensory-rich, food-based mealtime practice.
Uplift Therapy’s Parent-Led Approach
At Uplift Therapy Center, we believe the best therapy happens when parents feel confident and supported. Our model combines expert guidance with real-life routines:
- Clear, easy-to-follow home plans
- Regular check-ins and feedback
- Flexible, non-judgmental support
- Exercises that adapt to your toddler’s mood, not rigid scripts
5 Fun, Effective Oral Motor Exercises for Toddlers
Here are five simple exercises you can try today—no special equipment required:
1. Silly Faces in the Mirror
- What it builds: Lip, cheek, and jaw coordination
- How to do it: Sit with your toddler in front of a mirror. Make silly faces together—fish lips, puffed cheeks, sticking out tongues. Hold each for 3–5 seconds.
- Pro tip: Add sound effects or songs to boost participation.
2. Straw Races & Bubble Play
- What it builds: Lip seal, breath control, coordination
- How to do it: Have your toddler blow cotton balls across a table with a straw or blow bubbles in a cup of water using a straw.
- Pro tip: Use thicker straws to increase resistance and strengthen the lips.
3. Lollipop Tug-of-War
- What it builds: Tongue strength and lateral movement
- How to do it: Hold a lollipop to one side of your child’s mouth and encourage them to use only their tongue to push or lick it.
- Pro tip: Use flavors your child loves to boost motivation.
4. Crunch & Chew Snacks
- What it builds: Jaw strength and stamina
- How to do it: Offer crunchy foods like carrots, crackers, or apple slices. Encourage slow, focused chewing on both sides of the mouth.
- Pro tip: Supervise closely for safety, especially with younger toddlers.
5. Kissy Face Games
- What it builds: Lip rounding and control
- How to do it: Encourage your toddler to give big “mwah” kisses into the air, onto a mirror, or your cheek.
- Pro tip: Try animal-themed prompts—”Give the giraffe a kiss!”
When to Reassess
If your child is doing these exercises regularly but still gagging on real food or refusing to chew after 4–6 weeks, it may be time to check in with a therapist. Progress is possible—but sometimes we need to adapt the approach.
When to Be Concerned—and When to Get Help
Quick Answer: Watch for signs like frequent gagging, drooling, or refusal to chew by 18 months—these may signal the need for professional support.
What signs should make me stop and ask for help? If feeding still feels hard, or your child isn’t hitting expected milestones, trust your gut—support is available.
If your child is:
- Over 15 months and not using their tongue to explore food
- Choking or gagging often during meals
- Struggling with speech clarity beyond age 2
- Frequently drooling or refusing solids
…it might be time to talk to a feeding or speech therapist. Early intervention makes a big difference, and progress is absolutely possible.
Everyday Integration: Making Practice Part of Real Life
Quick Answer: Make oral motor exercises part of daily routines like bath time, meals, or play—no extra setup required.
How can I actually fit these exercises into our busy day? Short answer: make it playful! You can sneak them into bath time, snack time, or even while reading books together.
Oral motor work doesn’t need to feel like homework. Try:
- Practicing bubble play in the bathtub
- Turning snack time into “chewing gym”
- Playing kissy-face games during storytime
- Using straws at meals for extra lip work
- Offering soft, lumpy foods like avocado slices or cooked carrots to encourage baby-led chewing and tongue coordination
Little by little, these moments add up to big progress.
Real Parent, Real Progress: A Quick Story
“We felt totally lost after our pediatrician said to just wait and see. After learning a few oral motor tricks from our Uplift therapist, we started seeing changes within a month. Our toddler now chews better, tries more foods, and is babbling so much more!” – Jen, mom of two
✅ Tried 1–2 exercises with success?
✅ Want more personalized help, but not sure where to start?
You’re not alone—and we’re just one click away.
Ready for Personalized Support?
If you’re feeling unsure or need a custom plan, Uplift Therapy Center is here to help. We offer free 15-minute consults to guide your next step—whether it’s starting therapy or just trying the right exercise.
Let’s make feeding feel hopeful again.
If you’re ready to take the next step or just need to talk it through, reach out to our team anytime—we’re here to help in whatever way feels right for you. Contact Us
FAQ: Oral Motor Exercises for Toddlers
Q: How do I help my toddler chew better?
A: Try offering soft, crunchy foods like carrot sticks or banana slices. Use playful exercises like bubble blowing or mirror faces to build jaw and tongue strength in fun, stress-free ways.
What are oral motor exercises?
They’re play-based activities that build the strength and coordination of mouth muscles for better feeding and speech.
Do these exercises really help with eating?
Yes! Especially when combined with sensory-rich, food-based practice, they support safer chewing, swallowing, and food acceptance.
Is there proof this actually works?
Clinical studies show significant gains in jaw movement, tongue coordination, and swallow function when exercises are done consistently over time.
How often should I do these with my toddler?
Aim for 5–10 minutes, 1–2 times a day—ideally during mealtime, play, or routines.
When should I call a therapist?
If you see ongoing feeding issues, speech delays, or frustration during meals, it’s time to get expert input.
Can I use tools like chewy tubes or z-vibes?
Yes—but start simple. Many parents see great progress with just everyday items and therapist guidance.
Still have questions?
Book a free 15-minute consultation with our team—we’ll guide you step by step.
Book now →
