How to make the /b/ sound:

• Bring both of your lips together to stop the airflow.
• Turn on your voice ( voice is the rumbling in your vocal folds.  Have your child/client place their hand on their/your neck during the production of /b/ and /p/, and have them feel the difference between the two.  In the production of /p/, there should be no rumble or voicing.  While in the production of /b/, there should be a rumbling or voicing.)
• Let the air that has been stuck inside your mouth out explosively!

Tricks and Tips for producing the /b/ sound:

• First, see if your child/client can make the /p/ sound correctly.  If they can, then have them try making the p sound with voicing.  Try telling them to make the /p/ sound “with the car engine rumbling” or “with the buzzing sound”.
• Tell the child to pretend they are at the doctor’s office and they need to say and hold the sound “ahhhh”.  Once they are holding the “ahhhh” sound, have them bring their lips together while they keep saying “ahhhh”.  When the child’s lips touch, a perfect /b/ sound should be produced!
• To visually show the child how we explosively release air from our mouths to produce the /b/ sound, hold a piece of string in front of their mouths, and have them try to move the string with the release of air.  It is important to remind them to remember to use their voicing during this activity!
• If you have a board game that uses a spinner, have the child see if they can move the spinner using the explosions of air from their mouths.
• If the child can correctly produce the /m/ sound, have the client pinch their nostrils shut.  Once they have pinched their nostrils shut to stop airflow from leaking out, have them make short and explosive /b/ sounds.
• Have the child take a deep breath, and then have them make a bunch of small bursts of air like they are trying to imitate blowing out a bunch of candles.