If you've never been to speech therapy before, you might wonder what actually happens during a session.
Will your child sit at a table and answer lots of questions? Will they have to repeat words over and over?
For young children, speech therapy often looks much more like play than traditional therapy.
It starts with getting to know your child
Before jumping into activities, your speech pathologist will spend time getting to know your child, their interests, strengths and communication style.
They may talk with you about what you've noticed at home, what your child enjoys doing and any areas you're concerned about.
This information helps the speech pathologist understand the bigger picture.
Play is often at the centre of the session
For young children, therapy may involve toys, books, games, songs, pretend play or everyday activities.
A speech pathologist might join your child's play and model words and phrases that are appropriate for their current communication level.
For example, if your child is playing with a toy kitchen, the session might include words such as:
“Cup.” “More juice.” “Pour it.” “Hot!” “Mum's turn.”
The activities are chosen with specific communication goals in mind, but they are designed to feel engaging and meaningful for your child.
You may be involved too
Parents and caregivers are an important part of the process.
Rather than therapy only happening during the appointment, your speech pathologist can show you strategies to use during everyday routines and play at home.
You might learn how to:
Encourage your child to communicate
Model new words and phrases
Expand on what your child says
Support understanding
Create opportunities for communication
Respond to your child's communication attempts
Every session can look different
There isn't one standard speech therapy session.
One child might spend most of their session playing with cars, while another might enjoy books, puzzles, sensory play or pretend games.
Activities are adapted to your child's interests, abilities and goals.
What happens after the session?
Your speech pathologist may talk with you about what they noticed, what your child worked on and ways you can continue supporting their communication at home.
The aim is to make therapy practical and achievable — so that communication support becomes part of everyday life rather than something that only happens during an appointment.
Speech therapy can be fun, flexible and play-based
For young children, the most effective learning often happens when they are engaged, comfortable and having fun.
Speech therapy isn't about making children sit still and perform. It's about creating meaningful opportunities for them to connect, communicate and build confidence.
