Transitioning to solid foods is an exciting time for your child, and as a parent, watching them discover new tastes and textures is a memorable milestone. Whether your little one is moving from a bottle to smooth purees or starting to explore more textured foods, you may not realize how important oral motor skills are in the feeding process. Every bite, sip, and swallow relies on the lips, tongue, cheeks, and jaw working in harmony, yet we often don’t notice this relationship until extra support is needed. The good news is there are plenty of playful ways to help your child practice these movements so eating becomes a joyful experience they look forward to.
Why Oral Motor Skills Matter for Feeding Development
Oral motor skills are the small, coordinated movements of the lips, cheeks, tongue, and jaw that enable your child to bite, chew, sip, and swallow safely. These skills also help keep food and drink moving in the right direction when your child eats.
Strong oral motor skills allow your child to:
- Break down foods into safe, manageable bites
- Handle different textures without getting frustrated
- Swallow smoothly and effortlessly
- Remain comfortable and confident throughout mealtime
- Get the nutrition they need to grow
Signs Your Child May Benefit From Strengthening Their Oral Motor Skills
These common signs can help you recognize when your child may need extra support with their oral motor skills:
- Has trouble latching while nursing or bottle feeding
- Coughs, gags, or chokes often while eating or drinking
- Tires easily during meals
- Has difficulty closing their lips tightly around a bottle, cup, or straw
- Avoids certain textures or sticks to only a few foods
- Becomes anxious at mealtimes or refuses to eat altogether
- Struggles to gain enough weight for their age
Simple Oral Motor Skill Activities to Try at Home
Strong oral motor skills are important not only for feeding but also for helping your child develop clear speech as they grow. These playful activities give kids a chance to practice the movements of the lips, tongue, cheeks, and jaws in ways that feel like games and play rather than work.
Try adding some of these activities into your daily routines:
- Practice tummy time and supported sitting to build core and head control, which provide the stability needed for jaw strength.
- Offer a pacifier for babies up to 12 months old to support non-nutritive sucking and latch.
- Provide cold or textured teething toys so your baby can relieve sore gums while practicing early chewing motions.
- Once cleared by a pediatrician to drink water, offer small sips from an open cup to help practice lip closure and tongue control as they transition from bottles.
- Blow bubbles or whistles to support range of motion of the lips and improve breath control. Bubble wands outside or party blowers during playtime make it fun.
- Drink through straws to build a strong lip seal and improve tongue movement. Start with thin liquids like water, then move to thicker drinks such as smoothies or milkshakes.
- Make silly faces in the mirror to work different facial muscles: smile wide, pucker lips, puff out cheeks, or stick out tongues together.
- Play tongue games such as wiggling the tongue side to side, stretching it toward the nose or chin, or “painting” the roof of the mouth.
- Offer age-appropriate crunchy or chewy snacks to give the jaw a gentle workout during mealtime.
- Lick a popsicle or child-safe lollipop to encourage sucking, tongue movement, and lip control while enjoying a treat.
- Sing and chant using exaggerated sounds like “mmm,” “ooo,” or “eee” to promote lip and tongue movements while supporting speech clarity.
- Play cheek-puffing games to build cheek strength… kids love the funny noises made when releasing air.
- Blow cotton balls or ping-pong balls across a table to turn breath and lip control into a fun race.
- Play simple musical instruments such as kazoos or harmonicas to build lip and cheek strength while encouraging breath support and creativity.
Keep in mind that the goal of these activities is practice, not perfection. Short, lighthearted sessions are most effective, and turning exercises into games helps your child feel encouraged rather than pressured.
How Feeding Therapy Can Support Your Child’s Oral Motor Skills
If you have been practicing oral-motor skill exercises at home but your child’s progress is slowing or you are unsure if you are doing enough, it may be time to consult with a pediatric feeding therapist. A feeding therapist can:
- Identify underlying factors that may be making eating harder for your child, such as difficulty chewing certain textures or coordinating chewing and swallowing, and create a treatment plan to address them.
- Tailor therapy sessions to focus on the areas where your child needs the most support, helping them make steady, lasting progress.
- Build skills step-by-step in a gradual, structured order so your child gains the necessary movements and control without feeling overwhelmed.
- Teach safe swallowing techniques by showing your child how to pace bites and sips and practice with safe food textures so swallowing feels smoother and more confident.
- Coach parents and caregivers with practical guidance for supporting their child between sessions, offering tips for mealtime routines and at-home practice.
- Monitor and celebrate progress by tracking improvements over time, adjusting activities as your child grows, and reinforcing each success to keep motivation high.
With professional support, your child can develop confidence in their oral motor skills so they can enjoy eating and look forward to mealtimes.
Reach Out to More to Say Pediatric Development & Therapy For Help
If you suspect your child may be experiencing feeding difficulties because they need help developing their oral motor skills, you don’t have to navigate it alone. Call More to Say Pediatric Development & Therapy at (203) 828-6790 to connect with a pediatric speech therapist and schedule an evaluation at our Branford or Oxford, CT, clinic. Together, we’ll create a personalized plan that builds stronger mouth muscles and skills, supports safe eating, and helps your child feel more confident at mealtimes.
