A LITTLE TIME TOGETHER

/z/ sound practice

Explore /z/ with 9 picture words, including zebra, zoo, zipper. Use the animated guide, spoken models and listening choices, then try a comfortable level of connected speech.

Free to useNo account needed5 min
0 little wins on this device

Sound settings Natural word & phrase audio

Natural voice clips are generated speech bundled with this site, not a human or clinician recording. You can choose human word recordings where available. Any missing clips use your selected device voice. No text or practice recordings are sent to a speech service during play.

SEE IT. EXPLORE IT. TRY IT TOGETHER.

A gentle practice cue, brought to life.

A side-view guide to what’s happening inside the mouth.

/z/
roof of mouthfront teethtongueBACKFRONT →
TongueAirflow◉ Voice on
1 · GET READY

Teeth comfortably close

Keep teeth close without clenching.

Simplified illustration, not a scan or a view of your child’s mouth. It shows one possible placement; language, dialect and individual anatomy vary. The tongue’s side contact is not visible in this side view.

Where these placement ideas come fromMotor-based strategies for R: tutorial and diagrams ↗NHS speech-sound development toolkit ↗
WORD 1 OF 9● Natural voice available

Zebra

Model → Explore → Take a turn
Natural audio is generated speech (Jenny, US English), not a human recording.
0 of 10 little tries
Hear your own little turn

A grown-up can help record a short turn. Listen back together, without judging or scoring.

Optional · 10 seconds maximum · stays in this page’s memory · removed when you leave
A practice turn records participation, not pronunciation accuracy. Listen back together and choose comfortable targets with your speech-language pathologist.
FOR GROWN-UPS · /Z/ SOUND PRACTICE

Using /z/ sound practice together

This page focuses on /z/ sound practice. The word bank below shows the positions available in this particular deck.

A short way to begin

  1. Start with zebra or another familiar picture from this deck.
  2. Select Shape & say to explore the illustrated placement, or Sound detective to match a spoken word to a picture.
  3. Use One word, A little phrase or A whole sentence to change the model you hear.
  4. Optionally record a short turn and listen back together. The game does not score speech accuracy.

Adapt this activity

Listen to the word together. Model it naturally, leave time to respond, and welcome an attempt without pressure.

What the feedback means

A schematic mouth picture cannot show every tongue shape or the learner’s own movement. Synthetic pronunciation models, dialect and individual anatomy vary; a speech-language pathologist can select appropriate targets.

Beginning of a word

  • Zebra
  • Zoo
  • Zipper

Middle of a word

  • Lizard
  • Puzzle
  • Scissors

End of a word

  • Nose
  • Rose
  • Cheese

Questions about this activity

Which /z/ words are included?

This deck contains zebra, zoo, zipper, lizard, puzzle, scissors, nose, rose, cheese. Use the position buttons to narrow the available words.

Does the microphone decide whether a word is correct?

No. The optional recorder is for listening back. Practice counts record participation; the listening game checks picture choices, not pronunciation.

Can I share this exact practice setup?

Yes. Set the position, practice mode and repetition goal, then use Share activity. Those settings are included in the link; microphone recordings are not.

Sources and further guidance

These links provide background guidance. They do not imply endorsement of this website or establish that its games have been clinically validated.

Clinical review scope and editorial policy →

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