"fudge" and...
"orange."
To practice /dʒ/ at the phrase level, ask your child what kind of fudge is for sale. Targets may include "chocolate fudge," "peanut butter fudge" and "vanilla fudge."
To practice /dʒ/ at the sentence level, ask your child what she knows about oranges. Targets may include, "An orange comes from Florida," "An orange is sweet," and "An orange is orange!"
To practice /dʒ/ at the conversation level, ask your child what she can do with an orange. Targets may include, "I can eat an orange. I can peel an orange. I can make orange juice."
The /dʒ/ sound can be hard to explain to someone how to produce. It is really a combination of two sounds, /d/ as in "dog" and /ʒ/ as in "genre" or "treasure." It might be easiest to practice making the /d/ sound, then the /ʒ/ sound; then, make one after the other until they flow seamlessly together. Touch cues are helpful for the /d/ sound. Show your child how one's tongue taps the roof of the mouth behind the teeth. This may require some pre-teaching at home before you go to the store. You two can practice in front of a mirror. You can also use your finger to tap the ridge behind her teeth (known as the alveolar ridge) where her tongue should be. /ʒ/ is a little more complicated of a sound to explain, generally because it is not a common sound in English. A friend from graduate school, LH, provided me with these tips based on an adaptation she made from a publication (see reference below): Round your lips; flatten your cheeks; then, "slush" air out between your teeth; then turn your voice "on." I was very skeptical about these instructions, but they really work!
If this technique doesn't work, try instructing your child to make the /dʒ/ sound in this way: Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth, round your lips, let air blow out, turn on your voice.
Secord, W. (1981). Eliciting Sounds, Techniques for Clinicians. Charles E Merrill Publishing Co.: Columbus.
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