If your child's speech therapist, orthodontist, or dentist has mentioned "tongue thrust" — or if you've noticed your child pushing their tongue forward when they swallow or speak — you're in the right place. Tongue thrust is surprisingly common (affecting a significant proportion of children), and the good news is that with consistent at-home practice, it can be corrected.
This guide walks you through five evidence-based exercises you can start today. No equipment needed. Just 5–10 minutes a day.
What Is Tongue Thrust?
Tongue thrust (also called "reverse swallow" or "orofacial muscular imbalance") happens when the tongue pushes forward against — or between — the teeth during swallowing or at rest. Instead of resting on the roof of the mouth, the tongue presses outward.
It can be caused by prolonged pacifier or thumb-sucking, enlarged tonsils or adenoids, habitual mouth breathing, or tongue tie (ankyloglossia).
Why does it matter? Tongue thrust can cause:
- Lisps, especially with /s/, /z/, and /th/ sounds
- Open bite (a gap between upper and lower front teeth)
- Mouth breathing and sleep-disordered breathing
- Difficulty with certain foods
- Increased orthodontic treatment time (the tongue undoes what braces do)
5 Tongue Thrust Exercises to Practice at Home
These exercises are based on standard myofunctional therapy protocols. Consistency matters far more than intensity — aim for once daily rather than sporadic longer sessions.
Exercise 1: The Spot Exercise 🎯
Touch the very tip of your tongue to the "spot" — the small bump (alveolar ridge) just behind your upper front teeth, where the gum meets the teeth. Hold for 5 seconds.
Reps: 10 times
Purpose: Teaches the tongue its correct resting position. This is the foundation of all tongue thrust correction.
Exercise 2: The Sucker Exercise 🧲
Suck the entire tongue flat against the roof of the mouth — like a suction cup. Hold it there and slowly open your mouth as wide as you can while keeping the tongue pressed up. It should make a "popping" sound when released.
Reps: 10 times
Purpose: Strengthens the tongue body and teaches palatal (roof-of-mouth) rest posture.
Exercise 3: The Click 🔊
Pop the tongue off the roof of the mouth with a loud clicking sound — like a horse trotting. Do it quickly and rhythmically.
Reps: 20 clicks
Purpose: Tongue elevation strength and agility. Kids love this one — it's essentially making silly noises on purpose.
Exercise 4: Correct Swallow Practice 💧
Place tongue tip on the spot. Close teeth lightly together (not clenched). Swallow while keeping the tongue on the roof of your mouth — not pushing forward. Take a slow, conscious swallow.
Reps: 10 conscious swallows
Purpose: Directly retrains the swallowing pattern from tongue-forward to correct palatal swallow. This is the core of tongue thrust correction.
Exercise 5: The Lip Seal 🤐
Close lips gently (not tightly), breathe through your nose, and rest the tongue on the roof of your mouth. Hold for 30 seconds without opening your mouth or pushing the tongue forward.
Reps: Hold 30 seconds, repeat 3 times
Purpose: Combines nasal breathing with correct tongue rest posture simultaneously — the ideal resting position your child should maintain throughout the day.
Tips for Practicing with Kids
- Keep sessions short. 5–10 minutes per day beats a 30-minute session once a week. Daily repetition builds muscle memory.
- Use a mirror. Kids need to see what their tongue is doing. A bathroom mirror or a handheld mirror works perfectly. Many speech therapists use this trick in sessions.
- Make it a game. Race to see who can hold the sucker exercise longest. Count click reps together. Celebrate streaks.
- Consistency is everything. The muscles of the tongue are just like any other muscle — they respond to regular training. Missing one day isn't a problem. Missing a week is.
- Celebrate every session. Children who feel successful come back. Even "we did our tongue exercises!" with a high five builds the habit.
💡 Tip: The Grimasso app includes a mirror camera feature that lets kids see their tongue in real time while practicing. It's one of the most powerful tools for home exercise — children correct their own form when they can see themselves.
When to See a Professional
Home exercises are valuable, but they work best as a complement to professional myofunctional therapy — not a replacement. Consider consulting a speech-language pathologist (SLP) or myofunctional therapist if:
- Your child has a persistent lisp or articulation issues affecting communication
- You suspect tongue tie (limited tongue range of motion, difficulty breastfeeding as an infant)
- Your child is in orthodontic treatment and tongue thrust is affecting outcomes
- Mouth breathing is causing sleep problems or dental changes
- You've been practicing for 4–6 weeks without visible improvement
An SLP can assess your child's specific pattern and prescribe a personalized exercise program. Many SLPs now recommend apps like Grimasso as between-session homework tools to reinforce clinic work.
How Grimasso Makes Daily Practice Sustainable
The biggest challenge with tongue thrust correction isn't the exercises — it's getting kids to do them every day. That's exactly what Grimasso solves.
Grimasso turns these exercises into a game with a lovable frog mascot, 20 levels to unlock, badges to collect, and streak rewards. Children go from needing reminders to asking to practice. The parent dashboard lets you track exactly which exercises were completed and how many days in a row.
It's free, works offline, has no ads, and runs on any iPhone or iPad. Try it today.
Try Grimasso — Free on iPhone & iPad 🐸
100 exercises. 20 levels. Mirror camera. And a frog that makes kids beg to practice.
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