Helping Kids Master Difficult Words to Say

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Why Are Some Words Difficult for Kids to Say? Understanding the Hurdles
3. Common Categories of Difficult Words and How to Help
4. Speech Blubs: Your Partner in Conquering Difficult Words
5. Practical Tips for Parents to Support Speech Development
6. Investing in Your Child’s Future: Speech Blubs Pricing
7. Conclusion
8. Frequently Asked Questions

Ever notice your child stumble over a word, even one they’ve heard a hundred times? Or perhaps they avoid saying certain words altogether, opting for simpler phrases? As parents, we’ve all been there, watching our little ones grapple with sounds and syllables that seem straightforward to us. But for developing minds, some words truly are “difficult words for kids to say.” This isn’t just about vocabulary; it’s about building confidence, fostering clear communication, and nurturing their ability to “speak their minds and hearts” – a mission we deeply believe in at Speech Blubs.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore why certain words pose a challenge, offer practical, play-based strategies you can use at home, and show you how Speech Blubs can transform tricky words into joyful learning opportunities. Understanding these hurdles and equipping ourselves with the right tools can empower our children to overcome speech difficulties and embrace the full power of their voice.

Introduction

The journey of speech development is a wondrous and complex process, filled with exciting milestones like a baby’s first babble, a toddler’s first word, and a preschooler’s budding sentences. Yet, alongside these triumphs, parents often observe moments of frustration when a child struggles with particular sounds or entire words. These aren’t necessarily signs of a significant speech delay, but rather common developmental hurdles that many children face. Recognizing these challenges early and providing targeted support can make a world of difference. Our commitment at Speech Blubs is to provide an immediate, effective, and joyful solution for the 1 in 4 children who need speech support, blending scientific principles with play into one-of-a-kind “smart screen time” experiences. We believe every child deserves the chance to communicate clearly and confidently, and our goal with this guide is to equip you with the knowledge and tools to help them conquer those tricky words.

Why Are Some Words Difficult for Kids to Say? Understanding the Hurdles

For adults, most words roll off the tongue effortlessly. But for children, especially those just beginning to master language, “difficult words for kids to say” can be challenging due to a combination of factors involving phonetics, phonology, motor planning, and cognitive processing. It’s not just about knowing a word; it’s about being able to retrieve it, break it down into its component sounds, and then coordinate the mouth, tongue, and vocal cords to produce those sounds in the correct sequence.

The Science Behind Speech Difficulty

Our founders at Speech Blubs all grew up with speech problems and created the tool they wished they had. We understand these difficulties firsthand, and our app’s unique approach, incorporating “video modeling” methodology, where children learn by watching and imitating their peers, is built upon a deep understanding of speech science.

Here are some core reasons why certain words can be tough:

• Complex Sound Combinations (Consonant Clusters): Many difficult words for kids to say involve two or more consonants grouped together without a vowel in between (e.g., “str” in street, “spr” in spring, “bl” in blue, “thr” in three). These clusters require precise tongue, lip, and jaw coordination, which can be hard for developing motor skills. For instance, a child might say “tring” instead of “string” or “bue” instead of “blue.”
• Specific Tricky Sounds (Phonemes): Certain individual sounds (phonemes) are developmentally later to emerge. Sounds like ‘r’, ‘l’, ‘s’, ‘z’, ‘th’ (voiced and unvoiced), ‘ch’, ‘sh’, and ‘j’ are often the last to be mastered, sometimes not fully until age 7 or 8. Words containing these sounds, especially in the middle or end, become inherently difficult. Think of squirrel, library, treasure, or clothes.
• Multisyllabic Words: Longer words with multiple syllables (e.g., hippopotamus, elephant, supermarket, telephone, beautiful) require more complex sequencing and rhythmic accuracy. Children might drop syllables, reverse them, or simplify the word (e.g., “potamus” for “hippopotamus,” “efant” for “elephant”).
• Irregular Spellings and Pronunciations: English is notorious for not always being phonetic. Words like knife (silent ‘k’), choir (pronounced ‘kwire’), colonel (pronounced ‘kernel’), gnome (silent ‘g’), or yacht (silent ‘ch’) can confuse children who are also learning to read and associate letters with sounds. While our focus is on spoken language, this discrepancy can add to the cognitive load for overall word mastery.
• Homophones and Homonyms: Words that sound the same but have different meanings and sometimes different spellings (e.g., to, too, two or there, their, they’re) can be conceptually tricky. While context usually helps, the nuanced differences can make them difficult to differentiate and use correctly in speech.
• Abstract Concepts: Words related to feelings, time, or abstract ideas (e.g., before, after, happy, sad, yesterday, tomorrow) can be difficult not because of their sounds, but because the underlying concept is complex for a young child to grasp. If they don’t fully understand the meaning, using the word correctly in conversation becomes harder.
• Infrequent Exposure: Simply put, words that children don’t hear often will be harder for them to learn and say. A child growing up in a city might easily say “subway,” but struggle with “tractor,” while a child from a farm might have the opposite experience.
• Phonological Processes: Young children naturally simplify words using “phonological processes” (e.g., saying “wabbit” for rabbit or “nana” for banana). While typical at younger ages, persistent use of these simplifications for older children can indicate ongoing difficulty with specific sounds or word structures.

Understanding these reasons helps us approach speech development with empathy and targeted strategies. It’s not about a child being “slow” but about them navigating a complex linguistic landscape with developing cognitive and motor skills.

Common Categories of Difficult Words and How to Help

Instead of just listing difficult words, let’s categorize the types of words that often pose challenges and provide actionable strategies for each. This approach helps parents understand the underlying issue and apply a broader solution.

1. Words with Tricky Consonant Clusters (e.g., “street,” “splash,” “drum”)

These words require the tongue, lips, and jaw to move quickly and precisely from one consonant position to another without a vowel sound in between.

Why they are difficult: The rapid, accurate sequencing of articulators (mouth parts) is demanding for developing motor control.

How Speech Blubs helps: Our app features dedicated “Sounds & Blends” sections that focus on isolating and practicing specific consonant blends. Children watch their peers make these sounds, which activates mirror neurons and facilitates imitation. For a child struggling with ‘fl’ sounds, the “My Family” section might present the word “flower” or “fly,” where they can visually mimic the mouth movements of their peers.

At-Home Strategies:

• Slow Down and Stretch: Encourage your child to say the word very slowly, “stretching out” each sound in the cluster (e.g., “s-t-r-eet”).
• Break It Down: If “strawberry” is hard, try practicing “straw” and “berry” separately, then putting them together.
• Exaggerate Mouth Movements: When you say these words, make your mouth movements very clear and visible. Use a mirror together so your child can see their own mouth and yours.
• Focus on the First Sound: For “spoon,” if they say “poon,” emphasize the ‘s’ sound first: “s-s-s-poon.”

2. Words with Late-Developing Sounds (e.g., “rabbit,” “yellow,” “treasure,” “thumb”)

These sounds typically include ‘r’, ‘l’, ‘s’, ‘z’, ‘th’, ‘sh’, ‘ch’, ‘j’.

Why they are difficult: These sounds require very specific and often subtle tongue placement and airflow control that takes time to master.

How Speech Blubs helps: Our “Sounds & Blends” and “Animals” sections are fantastic for these. For example, the “Animal Kingdom” section could help a child working on the ‘r’ sound by imitating peers saying “rooster” or “rabbit.” Similarly, the “When I Grow Up” section might feature “teacher” for ‘ch’ or “chef” for ‘sh’. We offer a screen-free alternative to passive viewing (like cartoons) and a powerful tool for family connection, as these activities are best done with an adult present to guide and encourage.

At-Home Strategies:

• Targeted Sound Practice: Focus on one difficult sound at a time. If ‘r’ is challenging, practice words starting with ‘r’ like “run,” “red,” “robot.”
• Contextual Cues: For the ‘th’ sound, explicitly show your child how your tongue comes between your teeth.
• Minimal Pairs: Use pairs of words that differ by only one sound (e.g., light vs. right, sheep vs. sleep). This helps children hear and produce the difference.
• Sing Songs and Rhymes: Many children’s songs repeat words with these sounds, making practice fun and natural.

3. Multisyllabic Words (e.g., “butterfly,” “ambulance,” “vegetables”)

Longer words with several syllables can be challenging to sequence correctly.

Why they are difficult: Requires strong auditory memory and precise motor planning to produce multiple syllables in the correct order and rhythm.

How Speech Blubs helps: Our app’s diverse categories, like “Food,” “Animals,” and “Occupations,” naturally introduce multisyllabic words within engaging contexts. Children hear and see peers produce words like “banana” or “elephant,” then imitate. This “smart screen time” is designed to be interactive and active, rather than passive. Parents can access a free 7-day trial to explore these sections and see the video modeling in action.

At-Home Strategies:

• Clapping Syllables: Say a word like “butter-fly” while clapping for each syllable. Make it a game!
• Segmenting: Break the word into its syllables and say them slowly, then speed up.
• Visual Cues: Use your fingers to count out syllables as you say them.
• Storytelling: Use multisyllabic words in simple stories and sentences your child can repeat.

4. Words with Irregular Pronunciation/Silent Letters (e.g., “island,” “knight,” “debt”)

These words don’t follow typical phonetic rules, making them confusing.

Why they are difficult: The discrepancy between how a word is spelled and how it sounds can be perplexing, especially for emergent readers.

How Speech Blubs helps: While our app primarily focuses on spoken language, consistent exposure to the correct spoken form of these words through video modeling helps reinforce accurate pronunciation. Children hear the target word said correctly by their peers, building a strong auditory model, which can eventually override the visual confusion of spelling.

At-Home Strategies:

• Focus on Sound, Not Spelling: When practicing, emphasize the spoken word. “We say ‘nait’ for knight.”
• Repeated Exposure: Use these words frequently in conversation and reading aloud. The more they hear the correct pronunciation, the more natural it will become.
• Meaning First: Ensure your child understands the word’s meaning before focusing heavily on pronunciation.

5. Abstract Words and Homophones (e.g., “peace/piece,” “yesterday,” “thought”)

These words present conceptual or auditory discrimination challenges.

Why they are difficult: Abstract concepts are harder to concretize. Homophones require a strong grasp of meaning to differentiate.

How Speech Blubs helps: Through varied contexts and thematic units, Speech Blubs helps children build a rich vocabulary alongside pronunciation. For instance, in “Riddles” or “Guess What” activities, children learn words like “happy” or “sad” by associating them with facial expressions and peer modeling, making the abstract more concrete. To understand the science behind our methods, you can visit our research page.

At-Home Strategies:

• Visual Aids for Abstract Words: Use pictures, gestures, or real-life situations to explain words like “frustrated” or “excited.”
• Sentence Context for Homophones: Always use homophones in sentences that clearly distinguish their meaning (e.g., “I ate two apples. The number is two.”).
• Charades/Acting Out: For emotional words, act them out together to help your child connect the word to the feeling.

Speech Blubs: Your Partner in Conquering Difficult Words

At Speech Blubs, we are committed to empowering children to “speak their minds and hearts.” Our company was born from the personal experiences of our founders, who all grew up with speech problems and created the tool they wished they had. We understand the challenges and the triumphs that come with speech development, and we pour that understanding into every aspect of our app.

How Speech Blubs Makes Learning Fun and Effective

Our app is designed to be a powerful supplement to a child’s overall development plan and, when applicable, professional therapy. It’s a “smart screen time” solution that actively engages children, unlike passive cartoon viewing.

• Video Modeling: Learning by Imitation: Our core methodology leverages “video modeling,” where children learn by watching and imitating real children their age. This unique approach taps into mirror neurons in the brain, making the learning process incredibly intuitive and effective. When a child sees another child pronounce “broccoli,” they are more likely to successfully imitate it themselves.
• Engaging Activities and Themes: From “Animal Kingdom” to “When I Grow Up,” our app is packed with hundreds of activities and thousands of words organized into exciting themes. This contextual learning helps children associate words with concepts and practice them in a fun, motivating way.
• Personalized Experience: Speech Blubs offers voice detection technology that provides immediate feedback, encouraging children to repeat words until they get it right. This personalized guidance is like having a little speech coach right in your pocket.
• Family Connection: We encourage active co-play and support from parents and caregivers. Speech Blubs is a tool for you to use with your child, fostering precious learning moments and strengthening your bond.
• Scientific Backing: Our approach is backed by speech therapy science and consistently receives high ratings on the MARS (Mobile App Rating Scale), placing us in the top tier of speech apps worldwide. You can explore more about our methodology and its effectiveness on our research page.

Setting Realistic Expectations with Speech Blubs

While Speech Blubs is a powerful tool, it’s important to set realistic expectations. Our aim is to foster a love for communication, build confidence, reduce frustration, develop key foundational skills, and create joyful family learning moments. We don’t guarantee your child will be giving public speeches in a month, but we promise a supportive and engaging environment where they can make significant strides in their speech development.

We believe in celebrating every small victory – from mastering a tricky sound to confidently pronouncing a multisyllabic word. Our app is a journey, not a quick fix, and every step taken is a step towards a more articulate and self-assured child.

Practical Tips for Parents to Support Speech Development

Beyond using apps like Speech Blubs, there are many everyday practices that can significantly aid your child in mastering difficult words.

Create a Language-Rich Environment

• Talk, Talk, Talk: Narrate your day. “Now we’re going to the supermarket to buy some vegetables.”
• Read Aloud Daily: Choose books with diverse vocabulary. Point to pictures and name objects clearly. Pause and ask questions to encourage interaction.
• Sing Songs and Rhymes: Nursery rhymes are excellent for developing phonological awareness and practicing rhythm and intonation.
• Encourage Conversation: Ask open-ended questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer.

Be a Great Communication Model

• Speak Clearly and Slowly: Articulate words precisely, especially those your child struggles with.
• Avoid “Baby Talk”: While cute, prolonged baby talk can hinder proper speech development. Use correct words and grammar.
• Expand on Their Speech: If your child says “Tat!” (for cat), you can say, “Yes, that’s a big, fluffy cat!” This models correct pronunciation and expands their vocabulary.
• Patience is Key: It can be frustrating when your child isn’t understood, but maintaining a calm and supportive attitude is crucial. Celebrate their efforts, not just perfect pronunciation.

Make Learning a Game

• “I Spy” with Sounds: “I spy with my little eye something that starts with /b/!”
• Tongue Twisters: As they get older, tongue twisters can be a fun way to practice tricky sounds.
• Vocabulary Games: Introduce new words through board games, card games, or even simple matching games.
• Storytelling: Create silly stories together, focusing on using certain target words. For example, if ‘sh’ is tricky, tell a story about a shiny shoe and a shell.

When to Seek Professional Guidance

While many children overcome speech hurdles with consistent home practice, it’s important to know when professional help might be beneficial. If you notice any of the following, consider consulting a pediatrician or a speech-language pathologist:

• Your child is frequently frustrated when trying to communicate.
• Family members and close friends consistently struggle to understand your child’s speech past a certain age (e.g., by age 3, about 75% of speech should be intelligible to strangers; by age 4, close to 100%).
• Your child is not producing certain sounds by the typical developmental age (e.g., ‘p’, ‘b’, ‘m’, ‘h’, ‘w’, ‘n’ should be present by 2-3 years; ‘k’, ‘g’, ‘f’, ‘t’, ‘d’ by 3-4 years; ‘l’, ‘s’, ‘z’, ‘sh’, ‘ch’, ‘j’, ‘v’ by 4-5 years; ‘r’, ‘th’ by 5-7+ years).
• You have general concerns about their overall language development.

If you’re unsure if your child could benefit from extra support, we offer a quick 3-minute preliminary screener on our website. It involves 9 simple questions and provides an assessment and next-steps plan, including a free 7-day trial of our app. It’s a great, low-pressure way to gain some insights and peace of mind.

Investing in Your Child’s Future: Speech Blubs Pricing

We believe that high-quality speech and language development tools should be accessible to every family. That’s why we’ve designed our pricing to offer exceptional value, especially through our Yearly plan.

Here’s how our plans break down:

• Monthly Plan: For $14.99 per month, you get access to all core Speech Blubs features. Please note that this plan does not include the 7-day free trial, the extra Reading Blubs app, early access to new updates, or our 24-hour support response time.
• Yearly Plan: Our most popular and highly recommended option, priced at just $59.99 per year. This breaks down to an incredible $4.99 per month, allowing you to Save 66% compared to the monthly subscription!

The Yearly plan isn’t just cheaper; it’s the clear best choice because it unlocks a full suite of exclusive, high-value features designed to supercharge your child’s learning journey:

• 7-Day Free Trial: Experience everything Speech Blubs has to offer before committing.
• The Extra Reading Blubs App: A fantastic bonus to further support early literacy skills.
• Early Access to New Updates: Be the first to try out exciting new content and features.
• 24-Hour Support Response Time: Get your questions answered quickly and efficiently by our dedicated team.

We encourage you to choose the Yearly plan to get the free trial and the full suite of features that will empower your child to speak confidently and joyfully. It’s an investment in their communication future that truly pays dividends.

Conclusion

Helping your child master “difficult words for kids to say” is a significant part of their developmental journey, impacting not just their ability to speak, but also their confidence, social interactions, and academic readiness. By understanding why certain words are challenging and employing a blend of empathetic, play-based strategies, you can provide the foundational support they need to thrive.

Remember, every child progresses at their own pace, and consistent, joyful practice is more valuable than intense, stressful drills. Whether it’s through engaging conversations, reading together, or utilizing “smart screen time” with tools like Speech Blubs, you are building a positive relationship with language that will last a lifetime. Our mission is to empower children to speak their minds and hearts, and with your loving guidance and our scientifically-backed, playful approach, we can achieve that together.

Ready to transform tricky words into triumphs? Download Speech Blubs on the App Store or Google Play to begin your 7-day free trial today. Make sure to select the Yearly plan when you sign up to unlock the full range of features and the best value for your family!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: At what age should I be concerned if my child is still struggling with difficult words?

A1: While every child develops at their own pace, and certain sounds are typically mastered later (like ‘r’ and ‘th’), persistent difficulty with multiple sounds, frequent frustration when speaking, or significant unintelligibility by age 3-4 could warrant a consultation with a pediatrician or speech-language pathologist. Our 3-minute preliminary screener can offer initial insights.

Q2: How is Speech Blubs different from just watching educational cartoons?

A2: Speech Blubs offers “smart screen time” by employing a unique “video modeling” methodology. Children don’t passively watch; they actively learn by watching and imitating their peers, with real-time voice detection and feedback. This interactive, imitative learning activates specific brain functions essential for speech development, making it a powerful, guided learning experience compared to passive viewing.

Q3: Can Speech Blubs replace traditional speech therapy?

A3: Speech Blubs is designed as a powerful supplement to a child’s overall development plan and, when necessary, professional speech therapy. It provides a fun, engaging, and accessible tool for consistent practice at home, reinforcing skills learned in therapy and exposing children to a language-rich environment. It is not intended to replace personalized guidance from a certified speech-language pathologist for severe delays or disorders.

Q4: What are the benefits of choosing the Yearly plan for Speech Blubs?

A4: The Yearly plan is our best value, offering a 66% saving compared to the monthly subscription. Beyond the significant cost savings, it includes exclusive features like a 7-day free trial, the bonus Reading Blubs app, early access to new updates, and 24-hour support response time. These added benefits provide a comprehensive and supported learning experience for your child. You can create your account here to get started with the Yearly plan’s free trial.