This week’s lesson focuses on words that start with ‘h’. The /h/ sound is like a soft breathy sound, as in “hat” or “horse.” There are other letters in the English alphabet that produce soft, breathy sounds, similar to the sound made by the letter H. These sounds are often called fricatives and involve the airflow being partially obstructed as it passes through the vocal tract. For example, the letter F is the only other voiceless fricative that I’ve covered in the blog up to now. So, without further ado…
H is for…
- House: A place we call home.
- Horse: A majestic animal known for its speed.
- Hat: Worn on the head for style or protection.
- Heart: The symbol of love and life.
- Honey: A sweet treat made by bees.
- Hammer: A tool for building and fixing.
- Hippo: A large, water-loving mammal.
- Hand: Part of the body used to hold and make.
- Hen: A farm animal that lays eggs.
- Hook: Used for catching or holding things.
- Hill: A small rise in the landscape.
- Harmonica: A musical instrument played with the mouth.
- Helmet: Worn on the head for safety.
- Hexagon: A shape with six sides.
- Holiday: A day of celebration or observance.
Note that most of the words on this list are not sight words. We’re not focusing on reading with this lesson, although ‘hat’ or ‘hill’ could certainly be pulled out of stories. For this lesson, recognizing the lowercase ‘h’ vs. the uppercase and getting the correct pronunciation is the goal. I’m also using some coloring and tracing pages, which you can download below.
Crafting Cool ‘H’ Words
- A great craft for teaching the letter H is creating a Handprint H. Cut a large letter H out of construction paper (about 8 inches tall). Use a paintbrush to apply paint to one of the child’s hands. Help the child press their painted hand onto a sheet of construction paper to make a handprint. Repeat this with the other hand, then cut out the hands. Glue the two handprints at the top of each vertical line of the letter H (one on each side). Glue the horizontal piece of the H in the middle.
Engaging Activities with ‘H’
Here are some additional games to help emphasize words that start with ‘h’.
- H Sound Hunt: Hide objects or pictures of items that start with the letter H around the classroom or play area (e.g., hat, horse, hammer). Let your little one find and collect the items, then say the name of each item, emphasizing the /h/ sound.
- H Letter Matching: Create cards with uppercase and lowercase H and other letters. Have your child match the uppercase H with the lowercase h. They can also match pictures of items starting with H to the letter H.
That’s a wrap on the letter ‘h’. As always if you found value in this post please leave a comment or share. Happy Teaching!