Single letter
The "c" sound — /c/
As in cat. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
Same as 'k' - back of tongue
Gesture
Pretend to play castanets and say c-c-c
Example words
- cat
- cap
- cup
- cot
- can
How to teach the “c” 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 /c/.
- Do the gesture. Pretend to play castanets and say c-c-c— 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 /c/ sound: “c–a–t”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /c/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
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ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids