Single letter
The "z" sound — /z/
As in zip. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
Like 's' but voice it
Gesture
Pretend to zip up a jacket and say zzzzz
Example words
- zip
- zoo
- zap
- zig
- zag
How to teach the “z” 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 /z/.
- Do the gesture. Pretend to zip up a jacket and say zzzzz— 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 /z/ sound: “z–i–p”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /z/?” 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