LESSON 3: Ss /s/
Help Your Child Learn to Say, Write, and Explore the Letter Ss!
What Will We Learn Today?
The letter Ss is one of the first consonants children learn when beginning to read. In this lesson, your child will learn how to say the /s/ sound, write uppercase and lowercase Ss, and try exciting and meaningful activities to build confidence with the letter.
Let’s get started on making the letter Ss simple, strong, and fun to learn.
How to Make the /s/ Sound
The letter Ss spells the sound /s/, just like in the word sun.
Here’s how to teach your child to say /s/:
Place the tip of your tongue close to the back of your upper teeth.
Keep your lips slightly open.
Let the air flow out through the small space between your top and bottom teeth.
Say: /sssssss/. This is an unvoiced, continuous sound, so it doesn’t use the voice and can be stretched out.
Articulate
Practice saying the /s/ sound together. Try whispering it slowly, like a slithering snake. Can your child hold the sound for as long as they can?
How to Write the Letter Ss
Time to grab your whiteboard and marker.
Uppercase S
Start near the top.
Curve down and around to the left.
Then curve back the other way as you go down.
It looks like a big, wiggly snake.
Lowercase s
Start near the middle.
Make a small curve one way, then curve back the other way as you go down.
It looks like a tiny snake!
Make writing fun by drawing the letter in the air, using finger paint, or tracing with glitter glue.
Fun and Meaningful Activities for Letter Ss
Ss Sound Hunt
Go on a sound hunt around your house. Ask your child to find things that start with the /s/ sound—like sock, spoon, or soap.
Say the name of each item out loud and ask:
“Do you hear the /s/ sound at the beginning?”
Ss Collage
Cut out or draw pictures of items that begin with the /s/ sound. Stick them onto a large sheet of paper to create your child’s own Ss Collage. Let them label the items or trace the letter next to each one.
Read and Spot the /s/ Sound
Read these short sentences together. Ask your child to listen carefully and point to the words that start with /s/.
The sun is hot.
Sam sat on the sand.
The snake slid past.
Sari sips soup.
Ask: “Can you find the words with the /s/ sound? Let’s say them slowly together.”
Color, Trace, and Write
Use printable worksheets where your child can:
Color pictures that start with /s/
Trace uppercase and lowercase Ss
Practice writing Ss on their own
Download the Ss Worksheet Here:
Flashcards – Middle Sound Focus
For flashcard practice, let’s focus on words with /s/ at the beginning.
These words help children recognize and say the starting /s/ sound clearly.
Examples:
sun
sock
sit
sand
Show a picture card, say the word slowly, and ask:
👉 “What sound do you hear at the beginning of the word?”
Download the Ss Flashcards here:
Conclusion
The letter Ss is everywhere—from the sun in the sky to the socks on our feet. With clear sound practice, writing tips, and simple home activities, your child can build early reading confidence and have fun along the way.
Keep encouraging their effort, celebrate their growth, and enjoy every little learning moment. What’s your child’s favorite word that starts or ends with /s/? Share it in the comments!