Articulation Therapy: Teaching P and B sounds

Articulation Therapy: Teaching P and B Sounds

The sounds P and B are bilabial plosives. The name "plosives" comes from the way the sounds expel air when being said, and "bilabials" refers to the fact that the lips are used to produce them.

If these sounds are misarticulated, a speech therapist will help build understanding of how the sounds are made, establish correct production, and then work on strengthening and generalizing them across everyday speech.

How Are the P and B Sounds Produced?

The sound /p/ is produced by closing the lips firmly together and then releasing air from the mouth in a quick burst — like a small "explosion" of air.

The sound /b/ is produced with the same lip position and airflow, with one key addition: voicing — a vibration felt at the throat.

How to Establish the Sound /p/

Many speech therapists work on establishing the sound /p/ before moving to /b/. The child is taught the correct lip and mouth action while learning to release air correctly. A few fun games that help establish this sound:

1. Move the mouth like a fish

Teach the child to open and close their mouth like a fish. This helps establish the lip and mouth position needed for the /p/ sound. Once comfortable, encourage the child to say "pa" while making the fish-mouth motion.

2. Blowing raspberries

If your child can already blow raspberries, use that as a starting point. Initially, the sound will come out as a long "ppppppppppp." Gradually help them shorten the duration until it forms a clean "pa" sound.

3. Blowing a napkin

Hold a thin napkin or tissue close to your mouth and produce the /p/ sound, showing your child how the air moves the napkin. Let them imitate the action and watch the movement themselves.

4. Blow a flying kiss

Show your child how to press their lips tightly together with their fingertips, then quickly release the fingers while releasing air — mimicking the motion of blowing a kiss. Encourage them to notice the sound made as the fingers release.

Note: Before working on production, therapists often first help the child listen to and correctly identify the /p/ sound versus the /b/ sound. Your speech therapist can guide you on how to practice this at home.

How Voicing Is Achieved

Voicing is what differentiates /p/ from /b/. Once your child can consistently produce /p/, you can begin working on voicing with these techniques:

1. Have your child grunt and hold the /b/ sound for a longer duration, like "bbbbbbbbaaaaaaa," then gradually shorten it. Contrast this with short bursts of "pa" — encourage them to feel the difference at their own throat.

2. Let your child see and feel voicing as you produce the /b/ sound yourself. Alternate saying /p/ and /b/ so they can notice and feel the difference between the voiced (b) and unvoiced (p) sounds.

   
   

Building the Sound at Syllable, Word, Sentence, and Conversational Levels

Once a sound is established on its own, it needs to be practiced in progressively longer and more natural contexts.

Syllables:

Start at the syllable level using a syllable wheel — a tool popular among therapists that pairs the target sound with different vowels (ap, op, up, etc.) in a fun, game-like format.

In Words:

Word lists are a great way to bring the right vocabulary into practice sessions. Words should be practiced in playful, engaging ways rather than through repetitive drilling alone. Our speech therapy team can help build a personalized word list based on your child's specific needs.

In Sentences:

Once your child can use the sound correctly in words, move on to short sentences — starting with two to three words before progressing to longer sentences, paragraphs, or short stories. For example, using words starting with /b/:

1. Blow bubbles.

2. The bee took a bath in the bucket.

3. The ___ (child fills in a /b/ word) took a bath in the bucket.

Books are another great tool for practice. If your child can't read yet, they can repeat what you or their therapist reads aloud — the pictures help keep them engaged. A few books that reinforce the /b/ sound: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Big Bear and Small Bear, and Polar Bear, Polar Bear.

In Conversation:

Once your child uses the sound well in sentences, the final step is reinforcing it in natural conversation. Listen carefully during everyday talk, and offer gentle reminders if the sound is misarticulated. If errors become frequent again, it may help to return to sentence- or paragraph-level practice before moving forward.

When to See a Speech Therapist

While many of these activities can be practiced at home, professional guidance makes a real difference — especially if:

• Your child is past the typical age for mastering these sounds and still struggles

• Errors persist despite consistent home practice

• You're unsure whether your child is producing the sound correctly

• Your child shows frustration or reluctance to communicate

A licensed speech-language pathologist can properly assess your child's specific pattern of errors and create a targeted plan — something general activities alone can't fully replace. This is especially relevant if your child shows signs of a broader misarticulation or speech sound disorder.

Book a free screening with our speech therapy team to get a personalized assessment for your child.

FAQs

At what age should a child be able to say the P and B sounds correctly?

Most children develop the /p/ and /b/ sounds early, typically by age 2–3, as these are among the earliest speech sounds acquired.

What if my child can say P but not B, or vice versa?

This is common — /p/ and /b/ differ only in voicing, so a child may master the mouth position for one before learning to add voicing for the other. Targeted practice on voicing (like the grunt technique above) can help.

Can I do articulation therapy activities at home without a speech therapist?

Simple games like the ones above can support practice at home, but a speech therapist can properly diagnose the specific error pattern and ensure your child is practicing correctly, especially if progress stalls.

How long does it typically take to correct P and B sound errors?

This varies by child, but with consistent practice and professional guidance, most children show noticeable improvement within a few months of targeted therapy.

When should I be concerned about my child's speech sounds?

If your child is still struggling with early-developing sounds like /p/ and /b/ past age 3–4, or if unclear speech is affecting their ability to communicate, it's worth scheduling a speech evaluation.

How can I get a speech evaluation for my child at 1SpecialPlace?

You can book a free screening with our speech therapy team to assess your child's needs and get a personalized therapy plan.