Alexis Irazoque, M.S., CCC-SLP
Reading with your child is a wonderful way to bond while you support their language development. If your child is working on their /r/ sounds, there are lots of fun kids’ books that can help them do it–while they enjoy some quality time with you.
First, let’s take a closer look at the /r/ sound and why practicing it at home is so important.
What makes the /r/ sound so tough?
Did you know that “R” is one of the most difficult and complex sounds to make? There are a few reasons why it can be so tricky.
First off, there’s vowel placement. The /r/ sound can come before a vowel (prevocalic), as in “ran.” Or it can follow a vowel (vocalic), as in “fire.” Depending on the vowel, this can affect the pronunciation of the /r/ sound. Different vocalic combinations include “ar,” “air,” “ear,” “er,” “or,” and “ire.” Try saying each of these out loud to yourself, and you'll quickly realize all the different variations!
Throw in the fact that most of these vowel combinations can appear in different positions of a word, and you've got a whole new level of challenge for little ones! Depending on whether the /r/ sound comes in the beginning, middle, or final part of the word can affect how it's produced.
The /r/ sound can also be challenging because it’s produced solely by tongue position. Here’s a quick overview:
Bunched tongue position: The tongue is–you guessed it–bunched up in the mouth. Speech therapists will often tell kiddos to “scoot your tongue back!” in their mouth.
Retroflexed position: The tip of the tongue curls and points backward toward the back of the throat.
Both of these tongue positions can be used to say a correct /r/ sound, but often one position comes more naturally for a child than another. It may take a little bit of time and practice to determine which is best for your child.
Try practicing the /r/ sound with these children’s books
When it comes to learning speech sounds, daily practice will ensure your child makes the most progress. And reading together is an easy way to get that practice done!
Here, we’re sharing a list of children’s books that focus on the /r/ sound in fun and imaginative ways, including our speech therapists' favorites. Your child can read aloud or repeat the /r/ words after you say them. You can even turn it into a game by asking them to clap or raise their hand every time they hear a word with “R.”
In addition to practicing speech sounds, when you read aloud and talk with your child about the stories, you'll be giving them a valuable opportunity to grow their general language skills.
If you don’t own the recommended books, you don’t have to buy them! Check your local library, or search for a read-aloud version on YouTube.
Now, the books!
1. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
This classic Eric Carle book is a great place to start. Its simple language makes it easy to follow along, and the rhyming text supports phonological awareness, which is a crucial skill for early reading development! This book includes the following “R” words:
Prevocalic “R”: red
Vocalic “er”: bird, purple, teacher
Vocalic “or”: horse
R-blends: brown, green, frog, children
Note: If your child is working on vocalic “R,” check out the sister book, Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? The title alone offers plenty of opportunities for practice!
2. Spooky Pookie
This adorable book supports your child’s early reading skills using rhyming patterns and repetition to help them anticipate what comes next. Your child can practice a variety of R-blends, such as street, friends, trick, treat, dragon, through, from, stripey, and try. This book also includes other variations of the /r/ sound in words like hooray, dark, first, and bear.
3. Goodnight Moon
Goodnight Moon is a classic story to read while cuddled up at night. The repetitive language gives your child plenty of opportunities to practice their target speech sounds. Check out these /r/ words: great, green, brush, room, red, there, picture, over, bears, pair, air, everywhere, three.
4. Room on the Broom
There are plenty of “R” words in this silly, rhyming story. There’s a reason it’s a speech therapist favorite! Here are some examples:
Prevocalic “R”: room, reeds, river, roar
R-blends: broomstick, broom, dragon, breathing, dropped, spread, green, cried, shriek
Vocalic “R”: river, roar, forest, horrible, terrible
5. Giraffes Can’t Dance
Not only does this story teach valuable life lessons about acceptance and not giving up, it’s also the perfect book for a child practicing their /r/ sounds. Check out all of the words your child can practice during storytime:
Prevocalic “R”: run, rhino, rock, roll, roar, around
Vocalic “R”: giraffe, roar, Gerald, clearing, different
6. Ribbit, Rabbit, Robot
Ribbit, Rabbit, Robot offers lots of chances to say /r/ sounds, while also using alliteration to boost phonemic awareness and early reading skills. Plus, who doesn’t love a good story about friendship, cooperation, and problem-solving? Here are some examples of the “R” words in this story: rub, row, ride, reboot, frog, ruin, and read.
7. Amelia Bedelia Under Construction
Amelia Bedelia books are humorous and light-hearted, making them a perfect choice for your older child! This book has a construction-themed storyline with lots of "R" words. Here’s an example of one of the sentences you can use for practice: “Mrs. Hardy hugged her children and got into her car.”
Practicing speech at home leads to faster progress
When children are working on their speech articulation, home practice is essential. Consistency is the key to improving speech sounds, and practicing regularly at home allows your child to strengthen their skills outside of therapy sessions.
Reading books with your child is a fun, easy way to add speech sound practice to your daily routine. By using books that contain a variety of “R”words, you’re giving your child lots of chances to hear and produce these sounds in context.
To motivate your child to practice, focus on making the experience relaxed and positive. Celebrate your child’s successes, and encourage them to try their best without putting too much pressure on them. Use games, props, or other playful activities related to the books you read to make practice feel like a fun adventure.
You can also offer your child choices in which books they want to read or which characters they want to pretend to be. This gives them a sense of control and ownership over their practice. Remember, the goal is to help your child build their skills in a supportive and enjoyable way!
