The ability to pronounce the ‘TH’ sound and to use words containing this sound usually comes later on in the speech sound development of children. Typically, this sound is used well by the age of 5 or 6 years old, though some children may be using TH a little earlier than this.
As one of the later developing sounds, TH is difficult for many young children, particularly if the child has an underlying speech sound difficulty. If your child is struggling to use any sound in their speech, getting the right support and advice from a Speech and Language Therapist is always advised.
That being said, there are some things that you can do at home to support your child to use TH, and help them with those pesky ‘TH’ words.
To begin with, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the most common ‘TH’ words your child might use, as well as sharing some fun and engaging activities to help them recognise and practice this sound.
Let’s get started.
The different types of ‘TH’ sound
There are two different versions of the TH sound the voiced TH, and the voiceless TH.
A voiced ‘TH’ sound
A voiced sound is produced by turning our vocal cords on - our vocal cords vibrate during the sound. You can feel this if you press your fingers gently on your neck to feel your voice box as you say voiced sounds like ‘ahh,’ ‘eee’ or ‘zzzz.’ Some examples of the voiced TH sound can be heard in words such as:
This
The
Though
Smooth
Soothe
Breathe
A voiceless ‘TH’ sound
A voiceless sound, on the other hand, requires us to have our vocal cords open and still. Some examples of voiceless sounds are P, S and T. The voiceless TH sound is used in words such as:
Athlete
Birthday
Thin
Throw
Three
Common words starting with ‘TH’
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most common words starting with ‘TH’ that your child might need to use and therefore, those you might wish to start with when supporting their learning and speech development. These might include:
The
This
There
That
They
Them
These
Those
Three
Thirsty
Thumb
Think
Thirteen
Thanks
Third
Thunder
Thirty
Throat
Thing
Words containing ‘TH’ sound in the middle or the end
Although your child may have mastered some of these keywords with TH at the beginning, it can be tricky when this sound is placed elsewhere within the word. As there are lots of important words that require this sound, here are some good starting points when working with your child:
Mother
Father
Brother
Birthday
Weather
Together
Anything
Another
Nothing
Teeth
Earth
North
South
Month
Mouth
Tooth
Fourth
Sixth
Other
Fifth
Path
Bath
With
Both
At-home activities to improve the 'TH' sound for children
Practising and improving the ‘TH’ sound can be tricky for lots of children, but incorporating some gentle practise into fun, everyday activities can be a useful place to start.
If you’re stuck for ideas, here are some great activities that can make speech practice engaging and enjoyable for everyone involved.
Encourage mirror practice
Sit with your child in front of a mirror and make the ‘TH’ sound together, watching your faces carefully. You can show your child how to place their tongue between their teeth and blow air gently.
This can be a really helpful technique as children can visually see how the sound is produced and imitate your actions to produce this themself.
You might also want to use tactile cues, such as lightly tapping their tongue tip or having them gently touch their own mouth when saying the ‘TH’ sound.
This can serve to remind them of their tongue placement, and physical cues like this can help children remember the motor skills involved in creating this sound.
Get crafty
Arts and crafts are always a great way to inspire your child’s creativity and support their learning, and there are a couple of ways you can incorporate this when learning ‘TH’ words.
Create and use visual aids
Look through magazines, catalogues, newspapers or old books together. Carefully support your child to cut our any words they can find with TH, and stick them onto card to make a collage or flashcards.
Paper plate faces
Another fun and budget-friendly way to get your child involved in practice is to make funny faces on paper plates and use them to demonstrate the ‘th’ sound.
By drawing an exaggerated tongue sticking out between the teeth, you can demonstrate the ‘TH’ sound and then use these as puppets for storytelling or practice sessions.
Read aloud
Reading is an excellent way to improve many areas of speech, language and communication skills, and focusing on specific speech sounds within text offers an opportunity for repeated practice within context.
Choose simple books or short sentences that include lots of ‘TH’ sounds, and take turns reading with your child.
Be sure to gently correct your child if they make a mistake with their TH words, focusing on the placement of their tongue.
Utilise games and interactive learning
Finally, one of the top ways to engage children and support them in their learning is through games and play. There are loads of great online games out there for you to choose from, but it is advisable to balance screen time with in-person activities. Here are some ideas for practising those ‘TH’ words:
- Matching games - print out flashcards of matching TH words and play a game of pairs
- TH Sound Bingo - use the flashcards attached to print out a bingo sheet each. Print out another set, cut up into individual pictures to place in the middle of the table. Turn over the pictures one at a time, and see who can fill their Bingo card first
- TH Sound Scavenger Hunt - see how many things you can find at home or in the garden with a TH sound e.g. thimble, throw, three, thread, thermometer, brother, bath, thistle, thorn etc.
- Fill-in-the-Blank worksheets and speaking activities
By turning articulation practice into a game, your child is more likely to stay engaged and enjoy this time spent learning and developing their speech.
Remember - if your child is struggling with TH, or you aren’t sure how to help them progress, it is always a good idea to contact a Speech and Language Therapist for a full assessment and more tailored advice and support.