Vowel team

The "oo" sound — /oo/

As in moon. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.

moon — keyword picture for the oo sound

Mouth shape

Small round mouth, long 'oo'

Gesture

Move head as if watching a cuckoo clock saying oo-oo-oo

Example words

  • moon
  • food
  • zoo
  • tool
  • cool

How to teach the “oo” sound

  1. 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 /oo/.
  2. Do the gesture. Move head as if watching a cuckoo clock saying oo-oo-oo— kids remember sounds 2× faster when there’s a physical action attached.
  3. Find it in words. Read the 5 example words aloud slowly, stretching the /oo/ sound: “m–o–o–n”.
  4. Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /oo/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
Get the app

Get the full app — 15 phonics games, 43 native sounds

Free on iPhone, iPad, and Android. Works offline. No ads, no surprise paywalls.

ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids