Th Words For Kids: Voiced & Voiceless

The th sounds can be some of the later sounds that your child produces. Words with th sounds may be replaced with p, b, f, or v sounds in younger years. However, words with th sounds such as "the," "that," and "thank you" come up quite often in English when children start to construct longer sentences or phrases. This guide will give you examples of th words for kids to use and some activities to support them in making the th sound.

What Are Words That Start With a Th?

Children tend to start making the th sound between ages 4-7. Though there will always be some children that get the hang of the th sound earlier or later than that. Below are some useful examples of th words to practice with your child:

• Three
• Thousand
• Thirsty
• Thumb
• Thin
• Thorn
• Think
• Thirteen
• Thanks
• Thief
• Thigh
• Third
• Thunder
• Thirty
• Throw
• Throat
• Therapy
• Thing
• Theatre

Which Words Have a Th Sound in the Middle and End?

Your child might be able to make words with th sound at one part of a word but might find it harder in a different part. The part of a word that the th sound could appear in is the start, middle, or end. Below are some common th words that have th in the middle and end:

• Mother
• Father
• Brother
• Birthday
• Weather
• Athlete
• Smooth
• Path
• Bath
• Earth
• North
• South
• Month
• Mouth
• Tooth
• Fourth
• Fifth
• Sixth

What Is a Common Word With Th?

When children start to learn how to put together longer sentences, there are plenty of useful th phonics words that they can use to add some structure. Here are some common th words that can help your child develop their language:

• The
• There
• This
• That
• They
• Them
• These
• Those
• Than
• Together
• With
• Nothing
• Both
• Underneath
• Something
• Anything
• Other
• Another

What Is a Voiced Sound?

When we make sounds, we can either make our vocal cords vibrate during the sound (a voiced sound) or have our vocal cords open and still (a voiceless sound). A useful way to tell if a single sound is voiced is to put two fingers on your voice box, which is on your throat just below your chin. If you're making a voiced sound, you'll feel your voice box vibrating.

Examples of voiced sounds: b, d, g, z, l, and n

Examples of voiceless sounds: ch, t, k, p, and s

What Is an Example of a Voiced Th?

There are two types of th sounds: a voiced th sound or a voiceless th sound. Children may have difficulty making one type of th sound but be confident making the other type of th sound. Here are some examples of words with voiced and voiceless th sounds.

Th Words That Are Voiced

• This
• The
• Though
• Mother
• Weather
• Together
• Smooth
• Soothe
• Breathe

Th Words That Are Voiceless

• Thin
• Throw
• Thunder
• Nothing
• Athlete
• Birthday
• Math
• Earth
• Teeth

At-Home Activities to Improve the Th Sound

Trying to make a new or unfamiliar sound can be hard if your child doesn't hear the difference between the sound they're making and the th sound. Have activities to help them understand the different sounds, start to produce them accurately, and have fun doing it!

1. Sound Comparison Activity

If your child is replacing the th sound with a different sound, have pictures or objects of pairs of words that only have one different sound in them—the th sound and the sound they're replacing it with. Examples are "third" and "bird," "thigh" and "pie," or "math" and "mad."

2. Family Tree Game

Make a game or activity around creating a family tree with the family members' birthdays in it. If mothers, fathers, and/or brothers are part of your family, try and use these words more in the activity and have your child use them. Be sure to count thirty or thirty-one days in a month and talk a lot about everyone's birthdays!

3. Body Parts Song

Use the "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" song to make a song about your teeth, mouth, thumb, and throat. Your kid might find it silly, but that's all part of the fun!

4. Sports and Physical Activities

During sports or physical activities that they enjoy doing, try and integrate numbers into play and use th phonics words to describe the activity, such as "this," "them," "that," or "another." Use number positions such as third, fourth, and fifth during the activity.

5. High Five Game

When you hear your child replace a th word for another sound, ask your child, "Did you say thigh or pie?" Showing your hands, left for thigh and right for pie, ask your child to high-five the correct hand for the correct sound.