Last updated 2026-07-11
TL;DR
Blowing activities strengthen the lips, cheeks, and breath control that support speech sounds, but they're a warm-up tool, not a standalone therapy. Research is mixed on how directly they transfer to new words. Used consistently alongside real talking opportunities, they're a low-cost, playful addition to a home speech routine for toddlers aged 1 to 4.
The honest answer is that blowing games help a little, in a specific and limited way, and no parenting blog should tell you otherwise. They work on oral motor coordination: the way lips, tongue, jaw, and breath work together to produce sound. A toddler who can push a steady stream of air through pursed lips is building some of the same muscle control needed for sounds like /p/, /b/, /m/, /f/, and /w/. That logic holds up, and it's why speech-language pathologists use these games regularly.
But there's a real caveat. Research hasn't settled the question of whether non-speech oral motor exercises actually improve speech sounds. A 2004 position statement from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) noted that "the use of nonspeech oral motor exercises to change the strength and movement patterns for speech is not well supported by the evidence" [1]. Clinicians keep using them anyway, mostly as warm-ups, as a way to hook a reluctant kid's attention, or to build breath support. They're not a shortcut to new words.
Kids with low oral tone (common with Down syndrome, hypotonia, and some children on the autism spectrum) may see more benefit, since weak breath support can genuinely get in the way of making sound at all. But for a typical late talker whose real struggle is language rather than motor control, blowing a pinwheel isn't going to do what modeling words and creating chances to talk will do. Think of blowing activities as a support, not a replacement for speech therapy or rich, everyday conversation.
When to start, and when to get help instead
Most toddlers can attempt simple blowing around 12 to 18 months, though real controlled breath takes practice well into age 3. Since ASHA's milestones show children producing most vowels and many consonants by 18 to 24 months, the stretch from about 18 months to 3 years is when this kind of play fits most naturally alongside speech work [2]. Before 12 months, skip it entirely: babies that young lack the jaw stability and breath coordination, and pushing it just frustrates everyone. If your toddler already fits the pattern of a late talker (fewer than 50 words by 24 months, or no word combinations by 30 months), the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends getting a speech-language pathologist involved rather than waiting [3]. Blowing games can run alongside that evaluation, not instead of it. A child who's significantly behind needs more than cotton-ball races across a table. And for kids on the autism spectrum or with childhood apraxia of speech, let your child's own SLP guide the timing and approach, since the motor planning issues involved are different enough that generic advice may miss the mark.
Which sounds blowing actually supports
Blowing games line up most closely with bilabial sounds (both lips together) and labiodental sounds (lip to teeth):
| Sound | Example words | Why blowing helps |
|---|---|---|
| /p/ | "pop", "papa" | Requires lip closure and burst of air |
| /b/ | "ball", "bye" | Bilabial, air pressure through lips |
| /m/ | "mama", "more" | Lip seal, nasal resonance |
| /f/ | "fish", "fun" | Lower lip to upper teeth, steady airstream |
| /w/ | "water", "wow" | Rounded lips, controlled breath |
| /sh/ | "shoe", "shush" | Lip rounding plus directed airstream |
Sounds made further back in the mouth, like /t/, /d/, /k/, /g/, and /l/, don't connect nearly as well to blowing practice. If that's where your child's delay lives, blowing games are even less likely to be the right tool.
Breath support also matters for vowels and for the natural rhythm of connected speech. A child who runs out of air mid-sentence, or speaks in a quiet, breathy voice, may benefit from breath work generally, whether that's blowing, singing, humming, or just holding a note.
Twelve blowing games worth trying at home
All of these are cheap, and SLPs actually use them in home programs. No kit required, just household items and about five minutes of your attention.
Pinwheels. Hold one 4 to 6 inches from your child's mouth and model a big, dramatic exhale first so they can see what you want. Most 18-to-24-month-olds can get one spinning with practice, and the visual payoff motivates kids far better than telling them to "blow harder."
Cotton ball races. Two cotton balls, one finish line, one blow each. The game structure gives it purpose, which matters enormously at this age. If your child can't aim the airstream yet, hand them a straw.
Bubbles. The classic, for good reason: bubbles demand the slow, steady, pursed-lip blow that builds the most useful breath control. Store-bought solution is fine; homemade (dish soap, water, a drop of glycerin) makes bigger, longer-lasting bubbles. Let your child dip and blow on their own rather than just watching you do it.
Straw bubbles in water. Half-fill a cup, add a straw, blow. Try different straw widths, since wider ones are easier and a coffee stirrer is genuinely hard. Cheap, repeatable, and more fun with a drop of food coloring.
Tissue flutter. Hang a tissue off a table edge or your finger and have your child blow it flat, or hold it up and blow it skyward. Turn it into a "blow the monster away" game if your child likes pretend play.
Whistles and kazoos. A kazoo is technically humming rather than blowing, so it works slightly different muscles, but both build breath awareness and both are satisfying to a toddler. The unrolling party-favor whistles give instant visual feedback.
Blown paint art. A drop of watered-down paint on paper, blown through a straw, makes a little abstract painting. This needs more directed control than most blowing tasks, so save it for kids who've already got the basics down.
Feather levitation. Blow upward to keep a feather afloat. The sustained, upward-angled breath is a different motor pattern and a nice next step once basic blowing is solid.
Windmill or mobile blowing. Hang a paper windmill or mobile at face height and blow gently and steadily to keep it moving, good for kids who tend to do one big puff and quit.
Flameless birthday candles. LED candles let kids rehearse the "blow out the candle" motion safely, as many times as they want. Real candles work too, under direct supervision, but carry obvious risk.
Harmonicas. Playing one involves both blowing and drawing air in, which builds breath control in both directions. Works from about 2.5 years on; get a child-sized one without sharp edges.
Soap foam. Dish soap in a small container, blown through a straw, builds foam that kids find weirdly satisfying, and they'll keep doing it without being asked.
A realistic session runs 5 to 10 minutes, two or three times a day. More isn't better: kids get tired and stop cooperating. Pair the blowing with language every time, naming what's happening, describing the bubbles, cheering, making silly sounds. The blowing is just the vehicle. The language is the point.
Keeping it safe
For most toddlers, blowing games are safe with a bit of common sense. Small pieces are the main hazard: a toddler who still mouths objects shouldn't have unsupervised access to loose straws, tiny whistles, or pinwheel parts, so keep an eye on any child under 3, or any child of any age who still puts things in their mouth.
Blowing hard for too long can make a young child lightheaded. If your toddler looks flushed or dizzy, or just wants to stop, let them. Sessions under 10 minutes rarely cause any trouble. Straws and water bring a small aspiration risk if a child sucks when they meant to blow, so stick with short, wide straws for younger toddlers and stay close by.
If your child has a structural difference in the mouth or airway (cleft palate, laryngomalacia, a history of aspiration), check with their medical team before starting any of this. The same goes for children with apraxia of speech, since the motor planning involved means an SLP may need to tailor the exercises rather than using the generic version. Kids with ear tubes or a history of ear infections are usually fine with blowing play, but ask your pediatrician if there's active middle ear disease.
How do blowing activities fit into a home speech therapy routine? Think of them as the warm-up, not the workout. A well-structured home speech session for a toddler might look something like this: 3 to 5 minutes of blowing play to get the child engaged and their oral muscles warmed up, then 10 to 15 minutes of targeted language work (modeling new words, narrating play, practicing specific sounds in context), then a preferred activity the child loves. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents focus heavily on responsive interaction and language-rich routines rather than structured "drills" for young children [3]. Blowing activities sit closer to the play end of that spectrum, and that's actually a good thing. Toddlers learn through play, so an activity that feels like a game to your child but builds breath control for you is a solid use of five minutes. If your child is working with an SLP, ask specifically where blowing activities fit into their plan. Some SLPs use them regularly. Others are skeptical of NSOMEs and prefer to go straight to speech-in-context practice [1]. Both positions are defensible, and it comes down to your child's individual profile. For families using tools like Little Words to support at-home practice, blowing activities can work as a natural lead-in before screen-based language exercises, since they get the child's attention and body engaged first. Parents working on early intervention goals often find that adding 10 minutes of blowing play to the morning routine increases overall willingness to engage in speech work later in the day. That's anecdotal and hasn't been studied rigorously, but it fits what we know about toddler attention and warm-up effects. **Does this help with autism or apraxia specifically?** It depends on the diagnosis. For children with autism spectrum disorder, communication challenges are mostly about social motivation and language processing, not oral motor control, in most cases. A 2021 review in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders found that oral motor interventions were not among the evidence-based practices for improving communication in autistic children [4]. That doesn't make blowing activities useless for autistic toddlers, though. A child who enjoys bubbles and will sustain attention during bubble play is handing you a communication opportunity. The blowing is just the hook. For children with childhood apraxia of speech, the core issue is motor planning: the brain's difficulty sequencing the movements needed for speech. ASHA's technical report on childhood apraxia of speech says treatment should focus on high-repetition practice of speech movements in context, not general oral motor strengthening [5]. Blowing activities alone won't address apraxia. An SLP might use them, but only as one small piece of a far more targeted approach. For children with Down syndrome or hypotonia, low muscle tone in the lips and cheeks is common, and blowing activities may offer more direct benefit because there's a genuine strength and coordination deficit in the oral musculature. Research here is limited, but clinical consensus generally supports including oral motor activities for kids with documented hypotonia [6]. For kids receiving autism spectrum speech therapy, the SLP will tell you which activities are worth your time at home and which aren't. Trust that guidance over generic advice from any article, including this one. **How long before you see results?** Nobody has good, controlled data on this specific question. The closest research looks at oral motor treatment programs more broadly, and the results are mixed enough that a firm timeline would be misleading. What SLPs generally report in practice: toddlers who do blowing activities consistently, in short daily sessions, for 4 to 8 weeks often show better lip rounding and more controlled breath. Whether that shows up as improved speech sounds depends on what else is happening in their communication development. Expect benefits to appear first as engagement and oral awareness, then as improved breath control, then, if at all, as clearer speech sounds. The timeline from blowing play to a new speech sound is measured in months, not weeks, and depends heavily on what the child is practicing in actual speech alongside the blowing. If you've done blowing activities consistently for 8 to 12 weeks and see no change in any oral motor skill (setting speech itself aside), raise it with your child's SLP or pediatrician. It may mean the activities aren't the right fit, or that other factors need addressing first. **What you actually need to buy** Almost nothing, which is one of the genuine advantages of blowing activities over many speech therapy tools.| Item | Approximate cost | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Pinwheels (pack of 6-12) | $3-$8 | Dollar stores, Amazon |
| Bubble solution (large bottle) | $2-$5 | Grocery or dollar stores |
| Plastic straws (pack of 50) | $2-$4 | Any grocery store |
| Cotton balls (bag of 100) | $2-$3 | Dollar store |
| Party whistles (pack of 12) | $2-$4 | Party supply stores |
| Child harmonica | $5-$12 | Toy stores |
| LED birthday candles | $4-$8 | Party stores |
| Kazoo (single) | $2-$5 | Toy or music stores |
Common questions
Can blowing activities replace speech therapy for a late talker?
No. This is a supplement, not a treatment. If your toddler has fewer than 50 words by age 2, or isn't combining words by 30 months, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a referral to a speech-language pathologist. Blowing games can run alongside therapy, but they won't touch the language, social, or motor planning issues a real late talker needs targeted help with.
At what age can a toddler start blowing through a straw?
Most toddlers can attempt it between 18 and 24 months, though consistent controlled blowing usually doesn't show up until 2 to 2.5 years. Start with wide, short straws, and supervise closely so they don't choke or accidentally suck up liquid instead of blowing. If there's no progress by age 3, mention it to your pediatrician: it can sometimes point to oral motor difficulties worth a closer look.
Are there blowing activities specifically for kids with low muscle tone?
Yes. For hypotonia, the goal is resistance and sustained effort: progressively narrower straws, heavier objects to move (ping-pong balls instead of cotton balls), and longer sustained blows. These build the lip and cheek strength that's genuinely weaker in kids with low oral tone. An SLP who knows hypotonia can build a progression suited to your child's starting point.
Do blowing activities help with drooling in toddlers?
Possibly. Drooling past age 4 or 5 can point to reduced oral sensory awareness or a weak lip seal, and activities requiring steady lip closure, like bubbles and straw work, address both. The research here is thin, but oral motor programs for drooling often include blowing alongside lip and tongue exercises. If drooling persists into school age, it's worth an SLP evaluation.
How many times a day should we do blowing activities?
Two to three short sessions of 5 to 10 minutes is the range most SLPs suggest for home practice. Consistency beats duration: one daily session done reliably will outperform occasional longer ones. Don't push past the point where your toddler's willing. It needs to feel like play, because forced practice just breeds resistance and makes the next session harder.
Can blowing activities make speech worse or cause any harm?
For healthy toddlers, no, as long as you take normal precautions. There's no evidence that appropriate blowing activities cause speech regression or harm oral development. The real risks are physical: choking on small parts, lightheadedness from overdoing it, or aspiration risk with straws and water. If your child has a specific medical condition (cleft palate, ear tubes, airway differences), check with your medical team before starting.
My toddler refuses to blow at all. What should I do?
Start by just letting them watch. Blow yourself, repeatedly, with enthusiasm. Some toddlers need weeks of watching before they'll try it themselves. Try blowing gently on their hand or cheek so they feel the air and make the connection. Bubbles are usually the easiest entry point since the payoff is immediate and visually exciting. If a child over 2.5 still shows no interest or ability after weeks of this, bring it up with their SLP.
Are blowing activities useful for children with childhood apraxia of speech?
Only as a minor supplement, not a main strategy. ASHA's guidance on childhood apraxia of speech emphasizes high-repetition practice of actual speech movements in context, not general oral motor exercises. An SLP who specializes in apraxia will build a plan around motor learning principles, and blowing might show up as a warm-up but shouldn't take over home practice time for a child with confirmed apraxia.
What's the difference between blowing activities and oral motor therapy?
Oral motor therapy is the broader category, including blowing along with jaw exercises, tongue strengthening, cheek massage, and other work on the oral muscles. Blowing is just one piece of it. The field of oral motor therapy has been criticized for limited evidence, especially for speech sound disorders, according to ASHA's technical reports. Blowing activities are probably the most defensible part of it because they produce something audible or visible (a sound, a bubble) that resembles a real speech task.
Do bubble blowing and pinwheels strengthen the same muscles?
Mostly, but not exactly. Bubbles need a slow, steady, sustained breath through rounded lips, which is great for the orbicularis oris muscle and breath control generally. A pinwheel can be spun with one quick puff, so it takes less sustained control. For speech-relevant muscle work, bubbles win. Pinwheels are better for introducing the idea of blowing in the first place, or for kids not ready for sustained effort yet.
Can I use blowing activities with a nonverbal toddler?
Yes, and they can work as a useful bridge. A nonverbal toddler who'll blow bubbles with you is practicing joint attention, turn-taking, and breath control all at once. Pair every attempt with words: "blow!", "more?", "again!", which happen to be high-frequency words in AAC systems too. If your child is still nonverbal past age 2, talk to your SLP about AAC options as well. Blowing activities and AAC aren't in competition with each other.
Where can I get free blowing activity ideas created by SLPs?
ASHA's public resources page has parent handouts and activity ideas, and several university speech-language pathology programs publish free parent guides on their websites. Your own child's SLP is still the best source for anything tailored to specific goals. Skip the expensive "speech therapy kits" sold online: they're usually the same pinwheels and straws you can get at a dollar store for a fraction of the cost.
Sources
- ASHA, Technical Report on Nonspeech Oral Motor Exercises: ASHA stated that 'the use of nonspeech oral motor exercises to change the strength and movement patterns for speech is not well supported by the evidence'
- ASHA, Speech and Language Developmental Milestones: Children produce most vowels and many consonants by 18 to 24 months; no words by 16 months is a red flag
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Language Development in Children: AAP recommends referral to a speech-language pathologist for toddlers with fewer than 50 words by 24 months rather than waiting and watching
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Evidence-Based Practices review 2021: Oral motor interventions were not among the evidence-based practices for improving communication in autistic children
- ASHA, Technical Report on Childhood Apraxia of Speech: Treatment for childhood apraxia of speech should focus on high-repetition practice of speech movements in context, not general oral motor strengthening
- National Down Syndrome Society, Communication and Speech Resources: Low muscle tone in lips and cheeks is common in Down syndrome; oral motor activities are generally supported in clinical practice for children with documented hypotonia
- U.S. Department of Education, IDEA Part C Early Intervention: Early intervention services for children under age 3 are federally mandated under IDEA Part C, requiring states to evaluate children for free and provide services if they qualify
- Lof GL & Watson MM, American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 2008: A survey of 537 SLPs found that 85% reported using nonspeech oral motor exercises despite limited evidence, largely due to tradition and perceived helpfulness rather than clinical trial data
- ASHA, Early Intervention for Children with Communication Disorders: ASHA supports early identification and intervention for speech and language delays and recommends SLP evaluation when developmental milestones are not met
- CDC, Learn the Signs Act Early: Developmental Milestones: CDC developmental milestone checklists indicate no babbling by 12 months and no words by 16 months as red flags requiring evaluation