M Words for Speech Therapy: Words, Games, and Activities for Caregivers

Natalie Fitzgerald
Speech Language Pathologist
01/27/25 | Last modified: 05/26/25

The /M/ sound is key to clear speech and is usually one of the first sounds children master. It’s often found in first words, such as “mama” and “more”. However, even though this sound typically develops early, some children have difficulty with the lip closure required or have trouble getting the air to flow through their nose. 

Most commonly, when children cannot produce /m/, they will instead use sounds like /n/ or /b/, or will produce /m/ using their upper teeth instead of their upper lip. This article offers a list of /M/ words and fun activities to help make speech therapy engaging and effective!

/M/ Word list: 150+ Words by Position

Even if you know your child has difficulty with the /m/ sound, knowing which words to practice can be difficult. To help with this, we’ve put together a list of 150 /m/ words, organized by where the sound appears in the word: at the start, in the middle, or at the end. 

M Word Lists by Syllables

Practicing /m/ words of various and increasing lengths is another important component of practicing /m/ at home. Usually, it’s best to start with shorter, 1-2 syllable words and, as your child progresses, begin working on 3-5 syllable words. 

This second list of /m/ words for kids breaks down the /m/ sound by syllable, making it easy to select the right level of practice for your child: 

Further /M/ Word Practice: Short Phrases and Sentences

After your child is doing well using /m/ in all positions of a variety of words, it may be time to start working on using /m/ in short phrases in sentences. This encourages generalization of the /m/ sound beyond single words. 

Carrier Phrases for M Words

Starting out, you may want to try letting your child use /m/ words in short, predictable phrases, called “carrier phrases.” Carrier phrases allow your child to practice using the /m/ sound in initial, medial, and final positions in a more naturalistic way than single words alone. 

Examples of carrier phrases can include:

• I see a monkey.
• I want a muffin.
• I like mommy.
• Give me the marker.
• She has a(n) drum.
• He has a(n) game.
• Look at the hammer. 
• The camel is big. 

Short Phrases with M words

Once you’ve practiced carrier phrases with /m/ words, moving on to short phrases with /m/ words is a logical progression. These phrases stand apart from carrier phrases in a few significant ways: 

1. They are more varied and less repetitive, and 
2. They typically aren’t full sentences, usually containing only 2-3 words. 

The aim of working with these types of phrases is to help you apply /m/ words in different contexts. Here are some examples of short phrases you can try with /m/ words:

Short Sentences with M Words

After your child can say a variety of /m/ words in phrases, they may be ready to try longer sentences. Practicing /m/ words in multiple contexts allows your child to continue working towards mastery of /m/ in connected speech.

M Word Reading Practice

Reading practice is another enjoyable and effective way to reinforce the /m/ sound in different positions. Books around your home or at your local library are filled with /m/ words that your child can read with you. 

For more focused /m/ word practice, we’ve put together a selection of short, engaging stories and paragraphs designed to help kids practice initial, medial, and final /m/ words. These activities promote repetition and help children build confidence in their pronunciation.

Initial /M/ Sound Practice

Molly’s mother made magical muffins on Monday morning. The moist muffins smelled marvelous, melting in her mouth with every munch. Meanwhile, Max mixed mangoes and milk for a morning smoothie. Molly and Max smiled, enjoying their marvelous meal together.

Milo the monkey made many mischiefs in the morning. He climbed massive mango trees, munching on the sweet fruit. Milo’s mom warned him not to make a mess, but he managed to make more mayhem. The monkey merrily moved from branch to branch, making everyone laugh.

Medial /M/ Sound Practice

Tommy and Emma were excited to see the summer camp posters on the wall. They imagined the fun games they’d play and the friends they’d make. As the moment passed, Emma remembered how much she loved the lemonade at the camping site, making Tommy smile.

Carmen couldn’t wait to see all the animals at the zoo, including the mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. She wanted to watch the pandas eat bamboo and then she hoped to pet the camels. She liked to watch the monkeys imitate the people watching them. Sometimes, they were even lucky enough to spot the monkeys eating tomatoes. 

Final /M/ Sound Practice

On the farm, Sam fed the lamb and checked the plum trees. He heard the sound of a ram in the distance, coming from the farm’s barn. As the sun set, he felt calm and enjoyed a warm meal before heading to bed.

At the museum, the children admired a rare gem. Afterward, they played a game outside and shared some gum. The day ended with a calm walk home, while they listened to their teacher hum their favorite song. 

Games & Activities with M Words 

Incorporating games and activities into speech therapy is always beneficial for practicing the /m/ sound, as they provide an engaging and interactive way to reinforce articulation skills. Games not only capture a child’s attention but also help make practicing speech sounds more enjoyable, which in turn increases motivation and engagement. 

“M” Sound Scavenger Hunt

How to play:

• Create a list of items around the house or classroom that contain the /m/ sound (e.g., marker, lemon, ham, mint).
• Have the child go on a scavenger hunt to find these objects.
• As they find each item, have them say the word out loud. Encourage them to pronounce the /m/ sound clearly and practice the word in different positions (e.g., initial, medial, and final /m/).

M Sound Sorting

How to play:

• Create cards or find items around your house that contain the /m/ sound.
• Place all the cards or items into a pile and sort them based on whether the /m/ in at the beginning, middle, or end of the word.
• Practice the word each time you sort it into its pile.

“M” Sound Memory Match

How to play:

• Create matching cards with pictures of items that contain the /m/ sound.
• Place the cards face down and take turns flipping over two cards at a time.
• When a match is found, the child must say the word out loud, focusing on the /m/ sound.
• To increase the difficulty, when they flip over non-matching words, have them create a silly sentence using both of the words.

“M” Sound Bowling

How to play:

• Set up a bowling game with soft pins (or use plastic cups) and label them with /m/ words (e.g., mine, hammer, arm).
• Take turns rolling a ball to knock down the pins.
• When a pin is knocked over, the child must say the word on the pin and focus on pronouncing the /m/ sound clearly.
• For added fun, make the task into a game by challenging the child to knock down the most pins in a certain amount of time.

“M” Word Obstacle Course

How to play:

• Set up an obstacle course in your home or yard.
• At each station, place an object or card with an /m/ sound that your child has to say before they can move on to the next obstacle. 

What is a /M/ Word and How to Pronounce It?

An /m/ word is any word that includes the /m/ sound, such as man, mom, or moon. The /m/ sound can appear at the beginning (initial position), middle (medial position), or end (final position) of words.

Some children may have difficulty producing the /m/ sound correctly. Common errors with /m/ include replacing it with sounds like /b/ (such as saying “ban” for “man”), replacing it with /n/ (such as “noon” for “moon” or “nine” for “mine”) or leaving the sound out entirely. Another common error involves the child using their upper teeth and lower lip to make the sound instead of pressing their lips together. These difficulties may arise because the /m/ sound requires proper coordination of the lips, which can take practice for some children.

Pronouncing the /M/ Word Sound 

The /m/ sound is a voiced consonant made by bringing both lips together and allowing the air to flow through the nose as the vocal cords vibrate. To pronounce the sound correctly:

1. Lip Position: Gently press both lips together to block the airflow through the mouth. To produce /m/, the air needs to come out through the nose.
2. Voicing: As the lips touch, turn on your voice (the vocal cords vibrate) to produce the /m/ sound, like in “mmm”.
3. Release: Keep your lips together as you release the air through the nose, maintaining the vocal cord vibration throughout.

How to Help Your Child Produce the /M/ Sound Correctly

If you need some additional assistance to help your child produce the /m/ sound, consider these tips:

• Lip Placement: Encourage your child to gently press both lips together without tension, ensuring they don’t over-close their lips.
• Voice Activation: Remind your child that the /m/ sound is voiced, so they should feel the vibration in their throat when saying “mmm.” You can even have them place their hand on their throat to feel the vibrations.
• Nasal Airflow: Explain to your child that the /m/ sound requires the air to come out through their nose. They can try holding their nose while making the sound to feel the difference.

Using Forbrain to Practice M Words

Forbrain is an auditory stimulation headset designed to improve speech, articulation, and language skills by helping individuals hear their own voice more clearly and accurately as they speak. The device uses bone conduction technology and a dynamic filter to enhance the sound of the speaker’s voice, providing immediate auditory feedback. This real-time feedback helps the brain better process speech sounds, which can be especially helpful when practicing challenging sounds like /m/.

When working on /m/ words, Forbrain can support children by:

• Increasing awareness of the /m/ sound through amplified feedback, making it easier to hear whether the sound is being produced correctly.

• Improving articulation by helping the child self-monitor their lip placement and voice use while practicing /m/ words in isolation, phrases, and sentences.

• Boosting focus and attention during speech practice, keeping the child engaged and motivated through active listening.

Final Words

Practicing the /M/ sound can be fun with the right tools and activities. Whether working on initial, medial, or final /M/ sounds, consistent practice with word lists, phrases, and games builds confidence and accuracy. Engaging activities like scavenger hunts, memory games, and reading make learning enjoyable. Tools like the Forbrain headset offer helpful auditory feedback. Always be patient and encouraging by celebrating small wins and keeping practice playful. With time, consistency, and the resources in this article, your child can master the /M/ sound and develop clear, confident communication skills.

Natalie Fitzgerald

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Natalie is a licensed SLP who holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from ASHA. Additionally, Natalie is a Certified Autism Spectrum Clinical Specialist. She earned her Master's degree in speech and hearing sciences at the University of North Carolina. Natalie has worked with children of 1-21 years of age and has experience with a wide variety of speech and language disorders.

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