A Highly Sensitive Speech Therapist’s Recommendations for Terrific Oral-Motor Activities to Improve Focus and Engagement
I love using oral motor and sensory activities to improve focus and engagement with all my sensory seekers.
Oral motor and sensory activities not only improve focus and engagement but also improve a variety of important foundational oral motor skills – like breath support, lip rounding and jaw strength.
So, let’s get right into it – here are some fun oral motor activities I use to both regulate the sensory system and improve oral motor skills.
Fun oral motor activities to improve lip rounding and breath support include:
Bubble blowing
Just grab some bubbles and have a bubble blowing contest. You can hold the bubble wand and encourage your child to round their lips and gently blow on the bubbles.
I also love this bubble bear wand because the child can squeeze the bear, the wand pops up – all by itself and the child can independently blow the bubbles – with no mess! Check it out below:
Cotton ball races
This is a super fun game that involves cotton balls, straws and a book or cup. Set up a book or cup at the end of a table. Sit down at the table and have a thrilling cotton ball race with your child.
Use a colored straw to blow the cotton ball into the goal! See who can blow it the fastest and win the cotton ball race!
Blowing bubbles into water
I love to create a magical fish tank with the kids. All you need is a clear glass or cup, water, some blue food coloring and some freshly cleaned plastic fish or ocean animals.
I invite your child to create their own fish tank using water, blue food dye and a choice of their fish or ocean animals.
Then, I invite them to take a straw and blow bubbles into the cup while watching the fish and ocean animals swim and play.
Engaging oral motor activities to improve jaw strength:
Chewing on Fruit Leather
Check out these amazing leather fruits options by Just Fruit Solely fruit jerky to practice those chewing skills and strengthen that jaw for your older kiddos looking for some deep oral-sensory input!
I love these chewy fruit strip snacks because Solely Fruit Jerky is made from whole organic fruit and then crafted into portable, packable delicious fruit strips.
As with all oral motor or sensory integration programs – it is best practice to be prescribed and guided by a licensed speech-language pathologist and occupational therapist.
If your child would benefit from a tailored oral motor or sensory program to improve focus, engagement or foundational oral motor skills – the team at Chatty Child – is here to help!
I truly hope my suggested activities to improve focus, engagement and oral motor skills for all your highly sensitive and sensory seeking kiddos is super helpful!
I would love to hear some of your favorite sensory activities to focus and calm your body?
Drop them in the comments below …
Until next time …
Sincerely,
Heather Lynn Boerner, MA CCC/SLP
Is your child highly sensitive too? Could your child benefit from emotional, sensory, self regulation or oral motor support?
Chatty Child’s speech , feeding & occupational therapy can help!
We offer personalized neurodivergent affirming, speech, language, feeding and occupational therapy therapy, as well as creative mindfulness classes for all ages and abilities.
In person and online options are available for all therapeutic sessions and classes.
Our speech and occupational therapists are here to support all your child’s therapeutic needs.
I invite you to schedule a tour – to discover the support waiting for your child – at Chatty Child.
We are here to help and support your child – grow and learn!
Let’s create excellent communicators, super eaters, confident voices, calm minds, and limitless possibilities – together!
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- Contact us or call 347.491.4451 for a free 15-minute conversation to discuss the classroom challenges your child is facing and how speech therapy can help.
- Schedule a comprehensive evaluation that may include school observations to understand your child’s needs in their actual learning environment.
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- Collaborate with your child’s therapeutic team through regular communication, team meetings, and shared strategies that create consistency across home and school.
Your child doesn’t need to struggle alone. With the right support, they can build the communication skills and confidence that makes learning joyful, friendships easier, and confidence possible.
Holistic Speech, Feeding & Occupational Therapy Services for Children in NYC
At Chatty Child, we support children as they develop the communication, cognitive, and social-emotional skills that help them thrive at home, in school, and in their community. Our approach looks at the whole child, recognizing that language development is deeply connected to learning, relationships, and self-confidence.
Our services include:
- Speech Therapy – Individualized, play-based support for language development, speech clarity, social communication, and everyday confidence.
- InterAct – A storytelling and play-centered program that strengthens language, imagination, and connection through shared narrative experiences.
- Mindfulness classes for all ages – support for emotional, sensory and self regulation, curated classes using mindfulness and meditation practices
- Occupational Therapy – Support for sensory processing, motor development, and independence in daily routines and self-care skills.
- hum studios – Mindfulness and compassion-based classes that foster emotional awareness, regulation, and accessibility for children of all ages.
- Teletherapy – Flexible virtual speech and occupational therapy services available throughout New York State.
- Tutoring – Personalized academic support focused on reading, writing, comprehension, and critical thinking skills.
- Functional Nutrition – Developmental support strategies that use nutrition-informed approaches to support regulation, attention, and overall well-being.
- Consulting – Collaborative guidance for parents, caregivers, and educators to support consistency across home, school, and community environments.
- Group Programs – Small-group sessions that build communication, social interaction, and emotional skills through guided peer engagement.
Meet Heather: Neurodiverse-Affirming Speech Therapist in NYC
Heather Boerner, MA, CCC-SLP, is a New York-licensed and nationally certified speech-language pathologist with more than 20 years of experience supporting pediatric communication development. Her clinical work integrates evidence-based practice with mindfulness, trauma-informed care, and a neurodiversity-informed lens.
She is the founder of Chatty Child Speech, Occupational & Physical Therapy, PLLC, where she provides individualized support to help children strengthen communication, confidence, and functional daily skills. Heather is also the author of Carrie the Colorful Chameleon, a children’s book centered on identity and self-expression.
She offers in-person therapy in Tribeca and virtual services across New York State, supporting children in building practical communication skills and greater confidence across everyday settings.
