Single letter
The "r" sound — /r/
As in run. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
Tongue curls back, voice it
Gesture
Pretend to be a dog with a bone and say rrrrr
Example words
- run
- red
- rug
- rat
- rip
How to teach the “r” 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 /r/.
- Do the gesture. Pretend to be a dog with a bone and say rrrrr— 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 /r/ sound: “r–u–n”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /r/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
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ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids