Digraph (2 letters, 1 sound)
The "th" sound — /th/
As in thin. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
Tongue between teeth, blow
Gesture
Pretend to be naughty and stick out tongue saying th-th-th
Example words
- thin
- this
- that
- then
- them
How to teach the “th” 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 /th/.
- Do the gesture. Pretend to be naughty and stick out tongue saying th-th-th— 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 /th/ sound: “t–h–i–n”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /th/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
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ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids