Vowel team

The "ow" sound — /ow/

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

cow — keyword picture for the ow sound

Mouth shape

Start wide, close to 'oo'

Gesture

Pretend to prick finger saying ow-ow-ow

Example words

  • cow
  • now
  • how
  • town
  • down

How to teach the “ow” 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 /ow/.
  2. Do the gesture. Pretend to prick finger saying ow-ow-ow— 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 /ow/ sound: “c–o–w”.
  4. Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /ow/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
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ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids