Trigraph (3 letters, 1 sound)
The "air" sound — /air/
As in hair. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
'eh' then add 'r'
Gesture
Toss hair and say air-air-air
Example words
- hair
- fair
- pair
- chair
- stair
How to teach the “air” 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 /air/.
- Do the gesture. Toss hair and say air-air-air— 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 /air/ sound: “h–a–i–r”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /air/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
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ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids