Single letter
The "t" sound — /t/
As in tap. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
Tongue touches behind top teeth, quick puff
Gesture
Turn your head side to side like watching tennis and say t-t-t
Example words
- tap
- tip
- top
- tin
- ten
How to teach the “t” 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 /t/.
- Do the gesture. Turn your head side to side like watching tennis and say t-t-t— 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 /t/ sound: “t–a–p”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /t/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
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ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids