Thinkabara🚀 The R sound: articulation words & activities
Everything you need to practice the R sound /r/: 62 words at the beginning, middle and end of words (each with a picture and audio), blends, phrases, sentences, a short story and printable R articulation worksheets.
How to make the R sound
- Smile slightly, then pull the tongue back so the sides touch the upper back teeth.
- Keep the tongue tip off the roof of the mouth — it can point up or down.
- Hum a long "grrr" like a tiger, then add a vowel: "grrr-ed" → red.
R words — beginning of the word 16
R words — middle of the word 14
R words — end of the word 16
R words — blends 16
Tap any picture to hear the word (uses your device's built-in voice).
Practice mode and printable R worksheets
Pick a level and position, then open the big-card practice mode or print picture cards, bingo boards, a memory game, a home practice log or a word list.
Phrases
- red rocket
- run around
- rainbow ring
- four bears
- read a story
- race car
- ripe red cherry
- roaring tiger
Sentences
- The rabbit runs in the rain.
- Ruby reads under the rainbow.
- The red rocket roars.
- Four bears sit on the chair.
- The tiger is very hungry.
- My brother drives a race car.
- Grandpa grows carrots.
- Rory rides the train to the store.
📖 Short story: Rory the Rocket
Rory was a red rocket. Every morning Rory rolled out to the runway and roared, "Ready!" One rainy day a rabbit ran up. "Rory, can you carry me to the rainbow?" Rory said, "Sure! Grab the rail and hold on tight." Three, two, one — ROAR! They raced up through the rain, past four fluffy clouds and a surprised parrot. At the top of the rainbow the rabbit found a garden full of carrots. "Hooray!" cried the rabbit. Rory smiled. Rockets are great friends.
Read it together slowly. Pause on each R word and let your child say it, or ask who, what and where questions.
About the R sound
R is one of the hardest sounds in American English and one of the last ones children master. The tongue has to pull back and bunch up (or curl its tip up) without touching the roof of the mouth, while the lips round a little.
There are two kinds of R practice. "Prevocalic" R comes before a vowel, as in red and carrot. "Vocalic" R comes after a vowel, as in car, bird, chair and tiger — the R colors the vowel. Many children get one kind before the other, so the lists below keep them apart.
It is common for young children to say "wabbit" for rabbit (this is called gliding). That is a normal part of development for a long time.
When do children learn it? Most children (about 90%) produce the R sound by around age 5–6, according to a 2020 review of US studies (Crowe & McLeod). Every child is different — see the speech sound development chart.
🎲 Practice games
Rocket launch
Count down "3, 2, 1" together. The child says an R word to make the rocket "launch" (zoom a toy or paper rocket up high).
Tiger growl warm-up
Before word practice, growl like a tiger — "grrrr" — and stretch the R. Then say "grrr-ed… red!"
Bingo and memory
Print the bingo boards (each one is different) and the caller cards. Whoever calls a card says the word; players say it again as they cover the square.
Tips for parents and teachers
- Keep sessions short and playful: 5–10 minutes a day beats one long session a week.
- Go step by step: sound alone → syllables → words → phrases → sentences → the story → conversation. If it gets hard, go back one step.
- Model the word correctly instead of correcting ("Yes, a rabbit!").
- Practice one kind of R at a time (for example, only "ar" words like car, star, jar) — it is what most speech-language pathologists do.
- Blowing and tongue exercises without speech ("oral-motor exercises") have not been shown to improve speech sounds. Practicing the sound itself is what helps.
Frequently asked questions
At what age should a child say the R sound?
In a 2020 review of US studies (Crowe & McLeod), about 90% of children produced R /r/ by around age 5–6. That is a range, not a deadline — many children master it earlier, and some later. If you are worried, talk to a licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP).
How do I practice the R sound at home?
Practice for 5–10 minutes a day, a little at a time. Start with whatever level is easy (a single sound, then words, phrases, sentences and the story). Say the word correctly yourself and let your child copy you — don't ask them to "say it right". If your child sees an SLP, follow their plan and practice the words they choose.
Which position should we start with?
Usually the position the child finds easiest. For many sounds that is the beginning of the word, but not always — an SLP will test which words and positions are stimulable (easy to imitate) for your child.
Are these printable articulation worksheets free?
Yes. Every word list, card set, bingo board and home practice log on this page is free to print on US Letter paper, with no sign-up.
More speech sounds
Related pages
All speech therapy activitiesMinimal pairsArticulation card makerHome practice sheets