Teaching Letter B and the /b/ Sound

The alphabet letter B is one of handful of consonants that makes a short and quick sound. It's made by a quick puff of air being force through the mouth, and the /b/ "buh" sound can't really be stretched without being distorted. Some other short sound letters include C, D, K, G and a few others.

The 3 year old child in the video below demonstrates phonetic reading, and how to make the proper /b/ sound.

/b/ denotes the "buh" sound of letter B; however, it's important to note that you don't actually say "buh" where the "-uh" part is not voiced. So you can't really stretch the /b/ sound by saying "buhhhhhh". That is not the proper way.

Some examples of words include:

BOY - /b/ /oy/

BED - /b/ /e/ /d/

BAND - /b/ /a/ /n/ /d/

Learning Activity for /b/

• Print the letter B and a on a piece of paper or blank card
• Suggested time: 2-3 minutes repeated several times during the day

1. Point to letter B and explain the sound of this letter is /b/. Make sure to not teach the child to say B as /buh/ but /b/. You do not want the child to try to sound out words as "buh-oy" or "buh-ed".
2. Have your child repeat the /b/ sound after you several times.
3. Work with /b/ sound words, and ask your child to name a few words or objects which contain the /b/ sound.
4. Practice the /b/ sound with these words: BAD, BOY, BUS, BUNNY, BUZZ, BEE. Emphasize the /b/ sound in the words.

Letter B Worksheets

Below are printable worksheets for practicing the letter B and its /b/ sound.

   

Rhyme and Song for /b/

Big bad bear Bonkers. Buh, buh, buh!

Bonkers is big. Bonkers is bad. Buh, buh, buh!

Big bad bear Bonkers. Buh, buh, buh!

 

A beehive, a beehive, Bonkers wants some honey.

Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz! The bees are buzzing.

 

Big bad bear Bonkers, ow ow ow!

Bonkers gets stung by a big bad bee!

Buh, buh, b-eeee!

 

Note: Please note in the above rhyme, we've written "Buh" for the /b/ sound, but please try not to pronounce it as /buh/, but say the PROPER /b/ sound instead! We wrote it as "buh" to make it easier to read. Otherwise, it would look like this:

Big bad bear Bonkers. /b/ /b/ /b/!

Bonkers is big. Bonkers is bad. /b/ /b/ /b/!

Big bad bear Bonkers. /b/ /b/ /b/!

Which looks kind of funny!