11/11/2025
When speech sounds aren’t quite perfect (yet!)
It’s very common for young children to pronounce words differently from adults - speech development happens gradually as their mouth muscles strengthen and they learn to coordinate sounds.
For example, many children might say “tat” for “cat” or “poon” for “spoon”, these are called speech sound errors, and they’re a normal part of learning to talk.
You don’t need to correct every mistake. Instead, model the correct pronunciation naturally.
👉 If your child says, “I saw the tat,” you could respond, “Yes, you saw the cat! What was the cat doing?”
This gives them a clear, positive example to hear and repeat, without creating frustration or interrupting their confidence.
Every gentle model you give helps your child’s brain and speech muscles learn how to form sounds more accurately over time. 💛