5 Fun Ways to Target Prosody and Intonation in Apraxia of Speech (Without Losing Engagement!)

Engaging Ways to Target Prosody in Apraxia of Speech Therapy

If you’ve ever worked with a student with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), you know how easy it is to focus on articulation and motor planning - and forget about prosody. But prosody (aka the melody of speech—intonation, rate, volume, and pitch) is key to making speech sound natural, connected, and expressive.

Monotone speech can make kids sound robotic or disconnected, even when their articulation improves. That’s why building intonation and prosody practice into your sessions early on makes such a big difference. Here are five fun, no-boredom ways to bring prosody to life in your speech therapy sessions (and at home too!).

1️⃣ Act It Out with Visual Cue Cards

Use Apraxia of Speech Intonation and Prosody Visual Cue Cards to cue changes in pitch, rate, and volume. Have students “talk like the picture” — whisper like th  mouse, shout like the lion, or stretch words like the sloth. These visuals make abstract speech concepts instantly understandable for preschoolers and early elementary students.

💡 SLP Tip: Start each session with a quick “prosody warm-up” using the cards to boost engagement and awareness before motor speech drills.

2️⃣ Turn Storytime into a Prosody Playground 

Books are magic for prosody practice! Use interactive and repetitive stories for speech therapy to explore changes in tone, pacing, and emotion while reading aloud. Encourage your student to match their voice to what’s happening in the story - loud for exciting parts, soft for sleepy moments, and varied for dialogue.

Try pairing stories with familiar toys or actions to keep attention high and make speech more natural.

3️⃣ Make a Prosody “DJ Booth” 

Transform your therapy room into a voice experiment station! Add toy microphones, echo mics, or kid-friendly voice changers to help students explore fast vs. slow, loud vs. quiet, and high vs. low speech patterns.

Pair this with your free Prosody Calendar for themed daily ideas.” These mini-routines keep prosody practice consistent and fun.

4️⃣ Build Prosody Awareness with Emotion Cards 

Prosody isn’t just musical — it’s emotional. Use emotion cards to connect voice changes to feelings. Have your student pick a card (happy, angry, surprised, sleepy) and say a word or short phrase using that emotion’s tone.

This helps bridge emotional expression and speech rhythm, making their communication sound more authentic and socially appropriate.

5️⃣ Use Daily Routines for Real-World Practice

Prosody practice doesn’t stop when the session ends. Encourage parents to model expressive voices during everyday routines - bedtime stories, songs, and playtime chats. Use the Apraxia Home Planning Session Freebie to make this carryover easy for families.

Consistent practice at home turns therapy gains into lasting, natural-sounding speech.

Quick FAQ for SLPs

Q: When should I start targeting prosody?
A: From day one! Building rhythm and intonation early helps shape natural speech patterns alongside motor planning goals.

Q: How often should I use visual cue cards?
A: Frequently! Short, playful bursts during transitions or warm-ups work beautifully to reinforce awareness.

 Whether you’re working on apraxia of speech or just helping your students sound more natural, integrating prosody activities keeps sessions engaging, musical, and motivating.

➡️ Grab the Apraxia Prosody Visual Cue Cards and Prosody Calendar Freebie to start adding melody back into your sessions today!