Single letter
The "v" sound — /v/
As in van. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
Top teeth on bottom lip, voice it
Gesture
Drive a van and say vvvvvv
Example words
- van
- vet
- vim
- vat
- vest
How to teach the “v” 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 /v/.
- Do the gesture. Drive a van and say vvvvvv— 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 /v/ sound: “v–a–n”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /v/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
Get the full app — 15 phonics games, 43 native sounds
Free on iPhone, iPad, and Android. Works offline. No ads, no surprise paywalls.
ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids