6 Best Vocal Exercises For Projection That Vocal Coaches Recommend

Has your child ever been in a school play or choir, full of passion, but their voice gets lost past the first row? You whisper to your partner, "I can’t hear them!" and they just can’t seem to get louder without shouting. This is a classic challenge, but the solution isn’t about volume; it’s about teaching the skill of vocal projection.

Understanding Projection vs. Yelling for Kids

Ever told your child to "use their big voice," only to get a strained, scratchy yell in return? It’s a common confusion. We have to help them understand that projecting their voice is completely different from shouting.

Yelling is a forceful push from the throat. It’s tense, hard to control, and tires the voice out almost immediately. Projection, on the other hand, is a supported, resonant sound powered by deep breaths from the diaphragm. It’s like the difference between a short, messy squirt from a squeezed water bottle versus the strong, steady stream from a garden hose.

For younger kids, especially in the 5-to-8-year-old range, yelling is a natural default. The goal isn’t to scold them for it, but to introduce a new physical coordination. We’re teaching them how to use their core muscles to "send" their voice out, which feels very different from the neck and jaw tension of a yell. This is the foundational concept they need before any other technique will stick.

Using the TonalEnergy App for Practice

Once your child understands the goal, you need a way to practice effectively at home. This is where a professional tool can make a world of difference without the cost of daily private lessons. I consistently recommend the TonalEnergy Tuner & Metronome app to families.

This isn’t a game; it’s a serious musician’s tool that is incredibly useful for young vocalists. Instead of just guessing, a child can sing a note and see direct visual feedback. Is the line on the tuner steady and green? That means their breath support is consistent. Is it shaky and all over the place? They need to focus more on their breathing. This turns an abstract feeling into a concrete, visual goal.

For a one-time purchase of just a few dollars, it’s one of the smartest investments you can make. It’s a fantastic entry point for a child just joining choir (ages 8-10) and scales all the way up to a high schooler preparing for a musical theater audition. The built-in recording function is also gold, allowing them to hear the playback and clearly distinguish the sound of a supported projection versus a tense yell.

Exercise 1: The Diaphragmatic Breathing Hiss

Everything starts with the breath. Without the right fuel, the voice has no power. This exercise isolates the core muscles needed for strong, steady airflow.

Have your child lie flat on their back with their knees bent. Place a small, lightweight paperback book on their belly, right above the navel. Ask them to breathe in deeply through their nose and "make the book go up to the ceiling," feeling their belly expand. This helps them physically locate the diaphragm.

Next, they’ll exhale on a long, slow, controlled "sssssss" sound, like a leaky tire. The goal is to make the hiss as smooth and even as possible for as long as they can, watching the book slowly lower. This isn’t about pushing all the air out at once; it’s about managing the release of air. This simple exercise builds the muscle memory that is the engine for every other vocal technique.

Exercise 2: Lip Trills for Supported Sound

Now it’s time to connect that controlled breath to sound production without any vocal strain. Lip trills (sometimes called "lip bubbles") are a favorite warm-up of vocal coaches everywhere because they are almost impossible to do with a tense jaw or throat.

Instruct your child to take a good diaphragmatic breath, just like in the hiss exercise. Then, they should loosely close their lips and blow air through them to create a "brrrrrr" sound, like a motorboat or a horse. The key is to keep the lips and jaw completely relaxed.

Start by just sustaining the trill on a single, comfortable pitch. As they get the hang of it, encourage them to slide their pitch up and down like a gentle siren, all while keeping the trill going. A beginner might only manage a few seconds, but as their breath support improves, they’ll be able to sustain the trill for much longer. This is a direct measure of their progress.

Exercise 3: Finding Resonance with an "NG" Siren

Projection isn’t just about breath; it’s about using the natural amplifying spaces in the face. This exercise helps a child feel where the sound should be vibrating, moving it out of the throat and into the "mask" area.

Have your child say the word "sing" and hold onto the final "ng" sound. Ask them, "Where do you feel that buzzing?" They should point to their nose, and maybe even feel it in their front teeth or cheeks. That buzz is resonance, and it’s the key to a voice that carries.

Once they can feel the buzz, have them hold that "ng" sound while sliding their voice up and down in pitch, like a cartoon siren. The challenge is to keep the buzz in the same forward spot no matter if the note is high or low. This teaches them to place their sound correctly, creating a bright, clear tone that will project effortlessly.

Exercise 4: The Focused "Hey!" Projection Call

This exercise takes the foundational skills of breath and resonance and applies them to a real word. It teaches direction and intent without reverting to a yell.

Ask your child to imagine a friend is across the playground. They don’t need to scream in alarm; they just want to get their attention. With a deep belly breath, they should call out a clear, downward-inflected "Hey!" The feeling should be of tossing the sound to a specific spot, not forcing it.

Start with a target that’s close, maybe 10 feet away. Then try calling "Hey!" to a spot 20 feet away, and then across the yard. The volume will increase naturally, but the effort should feel like it’s coming from their core, not their throat. This is a perfect exercise for kids in theater or public speaking, as it directly translates to filling a room with their voice.

Exercise 5: Sustaining Open Vowel Shapes

A tight jaw or a barely-open mouth is like putting a muffler on the voice. To truly project, the sound needs a clear, open path to escape. This exercise focuses on creating that space.

Using a deep diaphragmatic breath, have your child sing a single, comfortable note on a pure, open vowel. The best ones to start with are "Ah" (like you’re at the doctor) or a round "Oh." They can use a mirror to check that their jaw is relaxed and dropped, not clenched.

This is another moment where the TonalEnergy app is a game-changer. Have them sustain the vowel while watching the tuner. A steady, unwavering line on the screen is proof of consistent breath support and a stable, open vowel shape. If the line is wobbly, it’s instant feedback that they need to relax their jaw or focus on their breath.

Exercise 6: Reading Aloud with Full Voice

Finally, it’s time to put all the pieces together in a practical application. This exercise builds vocal stamina and integrates breath support, resonance, and clear articulation into normal speech.

Choose a short passage from a book they enjoy. Have them stand up in a "ready" position—feet shoulder-width apart, tall spine, relaxed shoulders. Their task is to read the passage aloud as if they were presenting it to a small, friendly audience in a classroom.

Remind them of the building blocks: take a low breath before starting a sentence, feel for the "buzz" of resonance in their face, and keep their jaw relaxed on the vowel sounds. At first, they may only be able to maintain that supported sound for a sentence or two before getting tired. That’s normal! The goal is to gradually build the endurance to read a full page with consistent, energized, and projected tone.

Remember, projection is a physical skill, just like throwing a ball or learning to ride a bike. It’s built through consistent, playful practice, not by forcing it. These exercises give your child the tools to build a strong, confident voice that will serve them well, both on the stage and in all parts of life.