Oro-motor skills and why they’re important for your toddler’s speech and eating

When people talk about fine motor skills, they are often referring to developing control of hands and fingers, but it also involves small muscles in other parts of the body. Learning to control their lips and tongue is an important part of your toddler’s eating and learning to talk. Scientists describe movements of the lips, cheeks, jaw and tongue as oral-motor (or oro-motor) skills. 

Development begins before birth 

The area around your toddler’s mouth has been sensitive to touch since around the ninth week of pregnancy. And since birth they’ve probably used their mouth to find out more about themselves (sucking and chewing their hands) and new toys or other objects.  

Skills continue to develop for years 

Your toddler will be able to move and position their mouth, lips and tongue in different ways now, perhaps to say a particular word, or make a sound, but these skills will continue to develop for years yet. 

Developing oro-motor skills is an important part of learning to talk 

When they talk, your toddler needs to move their mouth, lips and tongue into different positions to make the sounds they need. So, having good oro-motor skills can help your toddler as they start to say more.  

Oro-motor skills are an important part of eating 

Your toddler will have changed the way they chew as their oro-motor skills develop, from early up and down and side-to-side movements to using a circular chewing pattern.  

Being able to use different chewing patterns, and to chew with lips closed, helps your toddler to eat a range of food and with a bit less mess – less developed oro-motor skills are one reason why sometimes babies can’t keep food in their mouths.  

Some children are particularly sensitive to touch around their mouth 

Just as some of us might be sensitive to our feet or neck being touched, some people are sensitive around their mouth. If your toddler is under- or over-sensitive around their mouth, this can make toothbrushing and eating trickier.  

Also, sensitivity around the mouth can mean for some people chewing can be calming, so toddlers might chew toys or the cuffs of clothing to soothe themselves.  

You can help your toddler develop oro-motor skills, which might also help with sensitivity 

Play games involving blowing 

This could be as simple as blowing bubbles or a dandelion clock.  

It might take a while for your toddler to master blowing rather than sucking, so keep things they blow a little away from their mouth and make sure anything they have to blow is safe.  

Find a mirror and make some funny faces together 

Make some funny faces and see if your toddler can copy them – look in the mirror or use the selfie camera on your phone so they can watch themselves.  

Think about moving your mouth, lips and tongue in different ways – and you might need to make sure your toddler understands sticking tongues out is part of this game but not something they can do all the time.  

Give your toddler a variety of food textures 

Think about the meals and snacks your toddler has; make sure they have some crunchy foods (like carrot sticks or crackers) and some chewy foods (like bagels).  

Crunchy and chewy foods give your toddler good sensory feedback. 

If your toddler chews on toys or clothing to calm themselves, you could get them a toy that’s safe to chew 

There are various toys available that can be good for toddlers (and older children) who want to chew – if you look at these, make sure to always check the safety advice and age recommendations before you pick one.