Digraph (2 letters, 1 sound)
The "sh" sound — /sh/
As in ship. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
Lips pushed forward, blow
Gesture
Put finger to lips and say shhhh
Example words
- ship
- shop
- shut
- shed
- shell
How to teach the “sh” 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 /sh/.
- Do the gesture. Put finger to lips and say shhhh— 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 /sh/ sound: “s–h–i–p”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /sh/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
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ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids