Vowel team
The "ai" sound — /ai/
As in rain. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
Long 'a' sound - ay
Gesture
Cup hands to catch rain and say ai-ai-ai
Example words
- rain
- tail
- pain
- wait
How to teach the “ai” sound
- Hear it first. Tap Play three times. Have your child watch your mouth while you copy the sound — no letter name yet, just the pure sound /ai/.
- Do the gesture. Cup hands to catch rain and say ai-ai-ai— kids remember sounds 2× faster when there’s a physical action attached.
- Find it in words. Read the 5 example words aloud slowly, stretching the /ai/ sound: “r–a–i–n”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /ai/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
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ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids