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

Natalie Fitzgerald
Speech-Language Pathologist
01/27/25 | Last modified: 03/25/25

The /L/ sound is key to clear speech and is usually mastered by ages 4 to 6. Because it requires precise tongue placement, some children replace it with “w” or “y,” saying “wion” for “lion” or “yike” for “like.” These substitutions can affect communication with parents, teachers, and peers. This article offers a list of /L/ words and fun activities to help make speech therapy engaging and effective!

/L/ Word list: 150+ Words by Position

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

L Word Lists by Syllables

Practicing /l/ words of various and increasing lengths is another important component of practicing /l/ 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 /l/ words for kids breaks down the /l/ sound by syllable, making it easy to select the right level of practice for your child. 

Further /L/ Word Practice: Short Phrases and Sentences

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

Carrier Phrases for L Words

Starting out, you may want to try letting your child use /l/ words in short, predictable phrases, called “carrier phrases.” Carrier phrases allow your child to practice using the /l/ 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 light.
• I want a lego.
• I like lemons.
• Give me the pillow.
• She has a ball.
• He has a(n) apple .
• Look at the police.
• The locket is big. 

Short Phrases with K words

Once you’ve practiced carrier phrases with /l/ words, moving on to short phrases with /l/ 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 /l/ words in different contexts. Here are some examples of short phrases you can try with /l/ words:

Short Sentences with K Words

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

L Word Reading Practice

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

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

Initial /L/ Sound Practice

Leonard the llama loves to listen to music. He listens to all kinds of music, but he really loves listening to lullabies. Leonard puts on his headphones and listens to lullabies until it’s time for him to eat lasagna for dinner. 

Lily loves lemons, and she likes to lick them slowly. One day, she found a little ladybug on a large leaf. Laughing loudly, she leaned over and let the ladybug crawl on her hand. She looked at it carefully and thought, “What a lucky little ladybug!” Later, Lily went to the lake, where she learned how to leap over little logs. She looked at the clear, blue water and felt light as air.

Medial /L/ Sound Practice

Alex felt a little thrill as he walked along the hill. He saw a yellow balloon floating in the air and called out to his friend, “Look at that! It’s flying so high!” As they continued their walk, they passed a small village, where they heard the sound of children playing. Alex smiled and said, “This is a lovely place to visit.” Later, they stopped by a local shop and bought a cold, delicious lemonade.

Ella was excited to explore the island with her family. As they traveled along the trail, they admired the colorful flowers and listened to the gentle rustle of the leaves. They stopped at a little waterfall, where Ella pointed out the sparkling water. “It’s a beautiful sight,” she said, feeling delighted. Later, they found a cozy cabin to relax in and enjoyed a quiet evening listening to the crackling fire.

Final /L/ Sound Practice

Carl had a big smile as he kicked the ball. He watched it bounce and roll down the hill and then stop near the small animal stall. He picked it up and called to his friend, “Let’s play once more before the sun sets!” After a while, they decided to sit on a hill and talk about their day. “This was so fun,” Carl said with a grateful smile, feeling calm and content.

Paul watched a squirrel climb up a tall tree. It went into a hole in the tree, but he could still see its tail. Paul watched it for a while, but then went for a stroll along a small trail. On the trail, Paul saw another animal drinking from a pool of water and thought it looked like a quail. 

Games & Activities with L Words 

Incorporating games and activities into speech therapy is always beneficial for practicing the /l/ 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. 

“L” Sound Scavenger Hunt

How to play:

• Create a list of items around the house or classroom that contain the /l/ sound (e.g., lemon, lamp, ball, pillow).

• 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 /l/ sound clearly and practice the word in different positions (e.g., initial, medial, and final /l/).

“L” Sound Bingo

How to play:

• Create Bingo cards with pictures of items that contain the /l/ sound (e.g., ladder, ball, apple, school).

• As you call out the words, the child marks them on their card.

• Encourage the child to repeat the words after you and emphasize the /l/ sound.

• For added difficulty, provide the word in a sentence or have your child create their own unique sentence.

“L” Sound Memory Match

How to play:

• Create matching cards with pictures of items that contain the /l/ 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 /l/ sound.

• To increase the difficulty, when they flip over non-matching words, have them create a silly sentence using both of the words.

“L” Sound Bowling

How to play:

• Set up a bowling game with soft pins (or use plastic cups) and label them with /l/ words (e.g., leaf, table, ball).

• 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 /l/ 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.

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

An /L/ word is any word that includes the /l/ sound, such as lamp, yellow, or ball. The /l/ sound can appear at the beginning (initial position), middle (medial position), or end (final position) of words. 

Some children may have difficulty producing the /l/ sound correctly. Common errors with /l/ include replacing it with a “w” (such as “white” for “light” or “bawoon” for “balloon”) or replacing it with a “y” (such as “yick” for “lick”). These difficulties occur because /l/ is considered a later-developing sound and requires more muscle coordination than “easier” sounds like “w” and “y”.  

Pronouncing the /L/ Word Sound 

The /l/ sound is a voiced consonant made by lifting the tip of the tongue to touch the alveolar ridge (the bumpy area just behind the top front teeth). As the tongue makes contact, air flows around the sides of the tongue while the vocal cords vibrate. To pronounce the sound correctly:

1. Tongue position – Place the tip of the tongue at the alveolar ridge. For some children, moving the tongue slightly forward to the front teeth can be helpful.
2. Voicing – With the tongue in the correct position, begin to phonate (turn your voice on). This will make the “llll” sound.
3. Tongue release – Release the tongue from the top teeth back down to the floor of the mouth while the vocal cords continue to vibrate. This release is what makes the complete /l/ sound.

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

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

• Tongue Placement: The tip of the tongue should lightly touch the alveolar ridge, right behind the top front teeth. Encourage your child to “tap” this spot when making the sound.
• Lip Position: Lips should stay relaxed and neutral. Unlike other sounds, the lips don’t play a major role in producing /l/.
• Teeth Alignment: The teeth should be slightly apart, allowing space for the tongue to move comfortably.
• Voice Activation: The /l/ sound is voiced, so the vocal cords should vibrate. Have your child place a hand on their throat to feel the vibration while saying “llll.”

Using Forbrain to Practice L 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 /l/.

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

• Increasing awareness of the /l/ 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 tongue placement and voice use while practicing /l/ 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 /L/ sound can be fun with the right tools and activities. Whether working on initial, medial, or final /L/ 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 /L/ 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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