LESSON 8: Ff /f/

Help Your Child Learn to Say, Write, and Read with the Letter Ff!

What Will We Learn Today?

Today we’re learning all about the letter Ff. It spells the sound /f/, like in the word fish. In this lesson, your child will learn to say the /f/ sound, write uppercase and lowercase Ff, blend letter sounds into words, and read simple sentencesusing familiar letters.

Let’s float into learning with the letter Ff!

How to Make the /f/ Sound

The letter Ff spells the /f/ sound, as in fish, fan, and feet.

Here’s how to teach your child to say /f/:

• Place your top teeth gently on your bottom lip.

• Blow air out through your mouth.

• Keep your lips and teeth in place.

• Say: /fffff/. This is an unvoiced, continuous sound, so it can be stretched.

Articulate
Have your child place their hand in front of their mouth to feel the air as they say the sound. Try it together slowly and stretch the sound out: /fffff/.

How to Write the Letter Ff

Time to grab your whiteboard and marker.

Uppercase F

• Draw a straight line down.

• Add a line across the top.

• Then add a shorter line across the middle.

Lowercase f

• Start with a curved line going up and around, like a hook.

• Then go straight down through the writing line.

• Add a small line across the middle.

Try writing in different ways—on paper, in shaving cream, or using your finger in the air.

Fun and Meaningful Activities for Letter Ff

Ff Sound Hunt

Search your home for things that start with the /f/ sound—like fan, fork, feather, or foot.

Ask:

“Can you find something that begins with the /f/ sound?”

Ff Collage

Cut or draw pictures of objects that begin with /f/. Let your child glue them onto a page to create their own Ff Collage, adding uppercase and lowercase F letters for decoration.

Read and Spot the /f/ Sound

Read these short sentences and ask your child to listen for words that begin with /f/:

• The fish is fun.

• I found a fan.

• Fred fed the fox.

• I feel the fur.

Ask:

“Which word has the /f/ sound? Can you say it again?”

Color, Trace, and Write

Use printable worksheets where your child can:

• Color /f/ pictures

• Trace uppercase and lowercase Ff

• Write the letter independently

Download the Ff Worksheet Here:

Flashcard Practice – Beginning Sound /f/

For flashcard practice, let’s focus on words with /f/ at the beginning.
These words help children hear and say the starting /f/ sound clearly.

Examples:

• fan

• fish

• frog

• fox

Show a picture card, say the word slowly, and ask:
👉 “What sound do you hear at the beginning of the word?”

Download the Ff Flashcards here:

Blending Sounds to Read Words

Let’s review blending short words that use letters we've already learned. These words help your child connect sounds to spelling patterns and begin to read fluently.

Blending Words to Read:

• mat

• pat

• map

• fat

• sat

• tap

• sap

• Sam

• Tam

Say each sound slowly:
“/f/ – /a/ – /t/” → fat
Then say it quickly: fat

Encourage your child to sound out and blend on their own.

Let’s Practice Reading Sentences

Practice these short, decodable sentences together. Point to each word and read slowly:

• I tap the fat mat.

• I pat the fat map.

• Sam sat at the fat mat.

Ask:

“Can you find the word ‘fat’? What sound does it start with?”

Conclusion

The letter Ff brings a fun, flowing sound to early reading. With lots of practice—saying the sound, writing the letter, blending words, and reading sentences—your child will continue to grow as a confident reader.

Make learning active and joyful. What new “F” word can your child think of today? Share it in the comments!