K How to Teach the K Sound Tips Word Lists Activity Ideas
 

How To Teach The K Sound

K How to make the K sound picture card visual

To make the /k/ sound bring the back of the up to the roof of your mouth. The tongue should tap against the soft spot known as the soft palate. Quickly pull the tongue down and release air over the tongue. The voice is turned off. This quick movement and burst of air produces the /k/ sound.

 

At What Age Should a Child Say the K Sound?

Most English speaking children can say the K sound around age 2-3.*

What is the Difference Between k and /k/?

The written symbols, K and k, refer to the name of the letter “k”. When you see the k between diagonal lines, /k/, that refers to the sound the letter makes, /k/.

K is a letter name.

/K/ is the sound it makes.

What Are K and G Sounds?

K and G are paired together because they are made the same way, with one difference, our voice. The muscles in our mouth move the same way to make both sounds except our voice is “turned on” for the G and not the K. This means we vibrate or move our vocal folds as air passes through them to make a sound.

G is voiced.

K is unvoiced.

Try it!

Hold your hand to your throat and say /g/. Can you feel the vibration?

Now say the /k/ sound. Just air, no vibration.

How Do You Practice the K Sound?

It depends.

Understanding why your child is having difficulty making this sound is important. A speech therapist can do an evaluation to make a diagnosis. What words you choose and activities will vary depending on the cause.

Click here to read more about types of speech sound disorders and treatment


Initial K Word List

Picture card of a cup for initial k sound

cab

call

calm

can

candy

cap

car

card

care

castle

cat

catch

caterpillar

coat

cobweb

cold

comb

come

computer

cone

cook

cool

corn

cough

count

cousin

cow

cub

cup

cut

cute

kangaroo

ketchup

key

kid

kind

kindergarten

king

kite

kitten

Medial K Word List

Picture card of crackers for medial k sound

bacon

baker

bicycle

breakfast

bucket

chicken

chocolate

cooking

cracker

donkey

jacket

looking

lucky

monkey

napkin

pumpkin

raccoon

raincoat

rocket

soccer

turkey

uncle

vacuum

weekend

Final K Word List

Picture card of a bike for final k sound

back

bake

bike

black

block

book

break

cake

check

chick

cook

duck

hike

joke

kick

knock

lake

lick

like

lock

look

magic

make

milk

rake

rock

shake

sick

snack

snake

sock

speak

stick

talk

truck

walk

Note: Notice that some words are spelled with the K and some are spelled with a C.


Activity Ideas for Practicing the K Sound

Photo card of a cat for speech therapy activity

Practice Common Words

Write down a list of words with K that your child uses. Think of as many things (nouns), actions (verbs), and descriptive words (adjectives) as you can.

  • Nouns: car, bucket, book…

  • Verbs: kick, cut, looking…

  • Adjectives: cold, kind, lucky…

 

Photo card of a car for speech therapy activity

Games and Toys

Look for games and toys that include a lot of K words.

  • kick or catch a ball

  • play with cars

 

Colors AAC Core Vocabulary Speech Therapy Books

Books

Find books that have K words in them.

  • Think about characters, places, and objects (nouns)

  • What K action words does it have?

  • Does the book use descriptive words (adjectives with K words?)

Make your own K word book!

 

Speech Therapy Activity Idea for Toddlers Clap the Syllables of K words

Speech Therapy Materials

Check out the resources on the right side of the page for ideas.

Or Shop Here.

 


* Resource

McLeod, S. & Crowe, K. (2018). Children’s consonant acquisition in 27 languages: A cross-linguistic review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. doi:10.1044/2018_AJSLP-17-0100. Available from: https://ajslp.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=2701897


Editable Picture Cards Bundle
Sale
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Editable Picture Cards Bundle
Sale Price: $36.00 Original Price: $45.00

This is a digital download. You receive an instant email with Powerpoints and PDF’s in a Zip file. No physical materials are mailed.

The BEST picture cards for communication books or classroom visuals. Help your students learn a variety of vocabulary, make simple choices, request, answer questions. Excellent for early intervention, preschool, speech therapy, special needs classrooms, and home health.

Includes 1,637 cards!

There are TWO sets of files so you can get the most out of these picture cards.

Here’s how they work.

Set 1: Grid Cards (PowerPoint)

Why they're awesome: One word - EDITABLE.

These files must be printed as a grid but are editable. They contain one large image of pictures (background) with a grid overlay that you can adapt to meet your needs.

What you can do with these cards

•Print as grids

•Change label (change language)

•Change label position (top or bottom)

•Change border thickness

•Reduce size

What you can’t do with these cards

•Print individual pictures

•Change pictures

•Change picture order

Set 2: Individual Cards (jpegs)

Why they're awesome: Individual cards to print only what you need.

The individual cards are jpeg pictures organized in folders by categories. You can drag and drop, upload picture or copy and paste the cards to another document (ex. Word, PowerPoint, Pages, Slides). This allows you to print just one picture or to create your own grids.

What you can do with these cards:

•Print individual picture cards

•Create your own grids

•Easily reduce or increase the size

What you can’t do with these cards

•Change label

•Change label position

•Change border thickness

•Change pictures

Home Picture Cards include:

240 2 x 2" high-quality, real-life photo cards with label

Home: home, bedroom, closet, bathroom, kitchen, dining room, living room, garage (inside), garage (outside), yard, shed, fence, gate, roof, windows, curtains, door, door handle, doorknob, rug, couch, chair (3x), ottoman, fireplace, bookshelf (2x), bed (2x), bunkbed, crib, drawers, desk, table, stool, stepstool, bathtub, shower, sink, toilet, faucet, light switch, smoke detector, vent

Things at home: appliances, blender, dishwasher, hairdryer, iron, microwave, mixer, oven, refrigerator, toaster, TV, washer / dryer, dishes, plate, bowl, cup, glass, mug, utensils, fork, spoon (2x), knife, spatula (2x), can opener, vegetable peeler, whisk, napkin, dishtowel, hot pad, oven mitt, kettle, teapot, measuring cup, pan (3x), Tupperware, toothpick, straws, paper plate, thermos, toilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, gel, rubber ducky, shampoo / conditioner, soap, towel, comb, brush, clip, cream, lotion, sunscreen, razor, make-up, nail-file, nail polish, perfume, broom, dustpan, mop, bucket, dish soap, sponge, spray, duster, rag, vacuum, garbage can, pillow, blanket, books, journal, calendar, clock, fan, grill, groceries, lunch, key, lock, candle, lightbulb, lamp, laundry basket, laundry, hanger, hook, mailbox, invitation, letter, mail, doormat, photo album, plant, hose, trashcan, flower vase, bone, food, tag, collar, leash, bed, cage, fishbowl, tape, button, zipper, pin, needle, thread, yarn, ribbon, bow, paintbrush, paint, Velcro, batteries, flashlight, charger, phone, tablet, laptop, computer, mouse, headphones, remote, brown paper bag, bag, box, jar, bottle, coins, penny, nickel, dime, quarter, dollar, money, checks, credit card

Health: car seat, first aid, kit, Band-Aid, bandage, gauze, brace, X-ray, cane, crutches (2x), wheelchair, heating pad, IV, medicine (2x), shot, pill, stethoscope, thermometer, tissue, tweezers, sprain, sick, stomachache, headache

Food Cards include:

220 2 x 2" high-quality, real-life photo cards with label

Fruit: apple (2x), apples, applesauce, avocado, banana, bananas (2x), berries, blueberry, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, coconut, figs, grapes, kiwi, lemon, lime, orange, oranges, peach, pear, pineapple, plum, raspberries, strawberry strawberries, watermelon (3x)

Vegetables: beans, beets, broccoli, butternut squash, cabbage, carrot, carrots (2x), cauliflower, celery, chili pepper, corn (2x), eggplant, garlic, green beans, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, onion, peas, peppers, potato, pumpkin, radish, snap peas, sweet potatoes, tomato, zucchini

Grains: bagel, bread (3x), cereal (2x) cinnamon roll, crackers, croissant, hotdog bun, muffin, noodles, oatmeal, pasta, rice, roll, toast, tortilla, waffle, waffles

Dairy and Eggs: butter, cheese (4x), chocolate milk, egg (2x), milk (3x), yogurt

Meats: bacon, chicken, ham, meat, pork, sausage, sausage, shrimp, steak, tuna, turkey

Snacks: almonds, cheese and crackers, chips (3x), french fries, fruit and dip, goldfish, nuts, olive, peanuts, popcorn, pretzels, raisins, trail mix, veggies and dip

Sweets: brownies, cake, candy apple, candy cane, candy hearts, chocolate, cookie, cookies (2x), cupcake, doughnuts, fudge, gum, ice cream, banana split, sundae, ice cream cone, Jell-O, jelly beans, lollipop, marshmallows, milkshake, peppermint, popsicle, pudding, candy, sprinkles, toffee

Condiments, staples and spices: dip (7x), guacamole, honey, hummus, jam, jelly, ketchup, mustard, olive oil, vinegar, pickles, ranch, salsa, syrup, can, cinnamon, ginger, herbs, salt, pepper, sugar, vanilla

Meals: doughnut, pancake, french toast, eggs, lunch, peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese, sandwich, soup, salad, pizza (2x), chicken nuggets, hotdog, hamburger, cheeseburger, nachos, taco, burrito, quesadilla, enchiladas, sushi, stir fry (2x), mac and cheese, spaghetti, kabobs, BBQ

Drinks: coffee, hot cocoa, juice (2x), lemonade, milk (3x), chocolate milk, fruit punch, root beer float, smoothie, soda, tea, water, ice

Animal Picture Cards include:

156 2 x 2" high-quality, real-life photo cards with label

Farm Animals: chick, hen, chicken, rooster, duckling, duck, duck, goose, turkey, piglet, pig, lamb, sheep, goat, llama, donkey, calf, cow, pony, horse

Wild Animals: antelope, buffalo, camel, chimpanzee, elephant, giraffe, gorilla, hippo, lion, hyena, kangaroo, koala, jaguar, cheetah, leopard, panda bear, rhinoceros, tiger, yak, zebra

Pets: kitten, cat (3x), puppy (2x), dog (6x), fish, turtle, bunny, rabbit, gerbil, hamster, guinea pig (2x)

Birds: bird (2x), cardinal, crow, dove, eagle, flamingo, hawk, hummingbird, macaw, Ostridge, parakeet, parrot, peacock, pigeon, robin, sparrow, swan, toucan, vulture, seagull, penguin, pelican

Insects/Reptiles/Amphibians: ant, alligator, chameleon, lizard, snake, cobra, spider, tarantula, scorpion, turtle, beetle, bee, butterfly (2x), caterpillar (2x) cocoon, cricket, dragonfly, fly, grasshopper, inchworm, ladybug, moth, slug, frog, toad, wasp, worm

Forest Animals: mouse, mice, rat, chipmunk, squirrel, hedgehog, raccoon, mole, beaver, skunk, porcupine, fox, owl, bat, wolf, fawn, deer, elk, moose, bear

Ocean: clam, sea star, crab, lobster, seahorse, eel, fish (2x), octopus, seal, sealion, walrus, dolphin, orca, whale, jellyfish, coral

Extra: polar bear, cub, boar, sloth, ram

Action Verb pictures Include:

180 2 x 2" high-quality, real-life photo cards with label

Action Verbs: bake, balance, bark, bend, bite, blow, bounce, break, brush, buckle, burp, call, camp, carry, carve, catch, change, chase, cheat, cheer, chop clap, clean up, clean, color, cough, cover, crawl, cry, cut, dance, deliver, dig, dip, dive, draw, dress up, drink, drip, drop, dry, eat, feed, feel, fight, fish, fix, float, fold, follow, get a haircut, giggle, give, go, grab, guess, hang, help, hide, hike, hit, hold, hug, hurt, jump, kick, kiss, laugh, learn, lick, listen, lock, make, melt, meditate, mix, open, paint, pay, peek, pick, pinch, plant, play, point, pop, pour, pretend, pull, push, put in, put on, raise your hand, rake, reach, read, receive, recycle, relax, ride a horse, ride bikes, rip, roll, row, run, save, scratch, sew, share, shop, show, sing, sit, sleep, slide, slip, smell, smile, sneeze, snuggle, spill, spin, splash, spray, squeeze, stack, stop, stretch, sweep, swim, swing, take, take a bath, take a picture, take off, taste, tease, tell, think, throw, tie, touch, travel, turn, type, wait, walk, wash, wash hair, wash hands, watch, water, wave, weigh, wink, wipe, work, write, yawn, yell

Clothes Picture Cards include:

80 2 x 2" high-quality, real-life photo cards with label

Clothes: tank top, T-shirt, blouse, shirt, dress, skirt, shorts (2x), overalls, jeans, pants, leggings, pajamas, robe, sweatpants, hoodie, sweatshirt, sweater, coat, jacket, raincoat, vest, swimsuit (2x), socks, diapers, underwear (2x), flip flops, sandals (2x), shoe, shoes (4x), boots (3), boot, rain boots, snow boots, slippers, cleats

Accessories: apron, backpack, belt, sunglasses, glasses, gloves, mittens, beanie, hat (2x), cap, crown, helmet, party hat, pirate hat, police cap, straw hat, visor, headband, mask, purse, suitcase, scarf (2x), tie, wallet, watch, wig

Jewelry: bracelet (3x), earrings (2x), necklace, ring (2x)

Toy Picture Cards include:

95 2 x 2" high-quality, real-life photo cards with label

Toys: action figure, animal hospital, ball (2x) stacking ball, stretchy ball, ball and hammer, gumball machine, ball tower, ball toy, balloon, Barbie, bath toys, blocks (2x), game, bowling, bubbles, bucket, bus, car (3x), car toy, cards, Cariboo, cash register, chess, Connect Four, crayons, dice, doll, dollhouse, Don’t Break the Ice, dress-up, finger puppets, fishing pole, jacks, Jenga, jump rope, jump house, jumping frog, Kerplunk, kite, Legos, farm, pirate ship, playground, blocks (magnetic), mailbox, marbles, Mickey car, microphone, Minion, Mr. Potato Head, music instruments, pegs and hammer, piano, piggy bank, Play-Doh, play figures, food, microwave, Pop-Up Pirate, pop-up toy, ball popper, puppet, puzzle, rattle, rubber ducky, sand toys, shape sorter, Slinky, squirt gun, stacking cups, stacking rings, Star Wars, spaceship, stickers, stuffed animal, Thinkertoys, top (2x), train (2x), toys, trampoline, truck (2x) video game, wand, windup toy, yo-yo, Zingo, Zoob

School Picture Cards Include:

242 2 x 2" high-quality, real-life photo cards with label

School: school, classroom, office, hallway, nurse, bathroom, cafeteria, gym, computer lab, library, art, story time, recess, reading, math, science, student, teacher, circle, class, friends, locker, backpack, lunch, tray, book

School / Art Supplies: book, books, binder, paper (2x), crayon, markers, chalk, pencil, pen, highlighter, Sharpie, pencil sharpener, eraser, scissors, glue stick, glue, tape, stapler, paperclips, tack, clip, rubber bands, ruler, protractor, calculator, globe, tablet, computer, headphones, chair, desk, table, whiteboard

Colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white, black, gray, pink, brown, silver, gold

Pattern Block Shapes: hexagon, rhombus, skinny rhombus, square, trapezoid, triangle

Basic Shapes: circle, heart, heptagon, hexagon, octagon, oval, parallelogram, pentagon, rectangle, rhombus, square, star, trapezoid, triangle (3x). (solid black and outlined)

Lower Case Alphabet: a-z

Upper Case Alphabet: A-Z

Numbers: 0-31, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100

Music: music instruments, banjo, cello, bongo, clarinet, drum, drums, flute, guitar, harm, horn, piano, recorder, saxophone, triangle, tuba, ukulele, violin, xylophone

PE / Sports: ball, baseball, baseball bat, basketball, basketball hoop, football, golf, tennis, soccer ball, goal, volleyball, skateboard, weight, tennis shoes, whistle, stopwatch, ribbon, trophy, team, coach

People Picture Cards include:

136 2 x 2" high-quality, real-life photo cards with label

People: baby, girl, boy, kids, dad, grandfather, mom, grandmother, grandparents, family (3x), man (2x), woman (2x), bride, groom, brother/sister, twins

Body Parts: ear, elbow, eyelashes, eyes, feet, braid, hair, back, hand, face, knee, mouth, neck, nose, bones, teeth, throat, thumb, toes, tongue

Emotions: board, brave, confused, excited, happy, hopeful, hungry, jealous, lonely, mad, nervous, overwhelmed, sad, shocked, shy, silly, surprised, unsure, upset, worried

Occupations/People: architect, artist, barber, baseball player, basketball, player, cashier, cheerleader, clown, coach, construction worker, cowboy, dentist, detective, doctor, farmer, fire fighter, football player, garbage collector, graduate, gymnast, hikers, hockey player, ice skater, custodian, king, lifeguards, mail carrier, nurse, patient, pirate, pitcher, plumber, police officer, prince, princess, project manager, queen, receptionist, journalist, thief, scientist, scuba diver, skier, snowboarder, soccer player (2x), solider, superhero, surfer, surgeon, swimmer, teacher, team, umpire, veterinarian, waitress

Tools: axe, drill, hammer, ladder, level, matches, nail, pliers, rake, saw, screw, screwdriver, snow shovel, shovel, tape measure, toolbelt, toolbox, wheelbarrow, wood, wrench

Places and Nature Picture Cards include:

112 2 x 2" high-quality, real-life photo cards with label

Places: airport, apartments, aquarium, bank, barber, barn, bridge, campground, castle, church, city, country, dentist, desert, doctor, farmers market, grocery store, baseball field, basketball court, golf course, soccer field, football stadium, tennis court, hospital, hotel, library, mall, theater, museum, neighborhood, office building, palace, park, playground, restaurant, school, temple, waiting room, zoo, crosswalk, curb, elevators, escalators, lamppost, parking lot, ramp, walk,

Nature: acorn, bamboo, bark, bay, beach, bush, cactus, cave, cliff, cloud, dirt, Earth, feather, fire, blossom, flower (daisy), flower (sunflower), rose, flower (tulip), flower, fog, forest, grass, iceberg, island, lake, leaf, leaves, lightning, log, moon, mountains, nest, ocean, trail, pinecones, planets, pond, rainbow, reef, river, rocks, sand, shells, smoke, snow, snowflake, stars, sticks, storm, stream, sunrise, sunset, sun, thorns, tree (Pine tree), tree (palm tree), tree, twig, vine, volcano, water, wave, wind

Transportation Picture Cards include:

56 2 x 2" high-quality, real-life photo cards with label

Transportation: airplane, ambulance, bike, boat, bulldozer, bus (2x), school bus, camper (2x), canoe, car, crane, dump truck, fire truck, garbage truck, helicopter, hot-air balloon, jeep, jet, kayak, limo, moped, truck, police car, raft, rocket, rowboat, sailboat, scooter, ship, shuttle, skateboard, spaceship, stroller, submarine, subway, tank, taxicab, tractor, train (2x), tram, tricycle, van, wagon, yacht, anchor, steering wheel, stop sign, tire, train track

Basic Concept pictures Include:

120 2 x 2" high-quality, real-life photo cards with the label

Basic Concepts: on, in, next to, by, between, in front, behind, through, top, bottom, over, under, beginning, middle, end, first, second, third, fourth, last, on, off, turn on, turn off, open, closed, good, bad, yes, no, right, wrong, go, slow down, stop, don’t, up, down, front, back, hot, cold, wet, dry, long, short, sharp, dull, clean, dirty, fast, slow, big, little, large, small, near, far, tiny, huge, old, new, happy, sad, hard, soft, heavy, light, empty, full, light, dark, day, night, asleep, awake, tall, short, quiet, loud, north, south, east, west, left, right, upside down, center, together, apart, same, different, straight, crooked, bent, curly, thick, thin, wide, narrow, one, few, some, all, many, more, most, less, least, none, equal


Find It Fast K
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Find It Fast K
$2.50

This is a digital download. You receive an instant email with a PDF file. No physical materials are mailed.

This newly updated game now includes BOTH printable cards and digital Boom Cards for distance learning. Originally designed to target language and vocabulary but expanded to include pages for speech sounds and phonemic awareness (ex. rhyming, syllables).

A great activity for quick repetitions and carryover of speech sounds.

What's Included:

Game

  • Find it Fast Boom Card Deck (26 cards)

  • Find It Fast printable cards (13 cards)

  • Picture word bank

  • 10 MORE games, plus additional activities

Worksheets

  • Speech

  • Words listed by initial, medial and final sounds

  • Individual word list sheets

  • Language

  • Yes/No Questions

  • Wh Questions

  • Categories, Descriptions

  • Basic Concepts

  • Negatives

  • Plurals

  • Compare / Contrast

  • Facts and Opinions

  • Tier 2 Vocabulary

  • Social Skills

  • Rubric (circle 1 - 5) for turn-taking, topic maintenance, asking for clarification, clarifying and repairing breakdowns, regulating emotions, respecting others

  • Phonemic Awareness

  • Auditory Discrimination

  • Rhyming

  • Syllables

  • Initial Sounds

  • Final Sounds

  • Blending

  • Segmenting

Target Words: blanket, couch, markers, keys, car, coat/jacket, fork, cat, sick, cookie, book, sock, backpack

________________________________________________________________

Find It Fast Boom Card Deck also sold separately here.

To use Boom Cards, you must be connected to the Internet. Boom Cards play on modern browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge). Apps are available for Android, iPads, iPhones, and Kindle Fires. For security and privacy, adults must have a Boom Learning account to use and assign Boom Cards. You will be able to assign the Boom Cards you are buying with "Fast Pins," (play provides instant feedback for self-grading Boom Cards). Fast Play is always a free way for students to engage with Boom Cards decks. For additional assignment options, you'll need a premium account. If you are new to Boom Learning, you will be offered a free trial of our premium account. Read here for details: http://bit.ly/BoomTrial.


Jack and the Beanstalk (Wordless Book and Activities)
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Jack and the Beanstalk (Wordless Book and Activities)
$6.00

This is a digital download. You receive an instant email with a PDF file. No physical materials are mailed.

Jack and the Beanstalk is a classic fairy tale toddler, preschool, and kindergarten students love.

Use these books for:

  • improving speech (apraxia, articulation)

  • building vocabulary

  • developing oral language (retelling)

  • early literacy

  • parent education

This instant PDF download includes: 

Small (4.25" x 5.5")

  • Cover + 15 pages

  • Color and black & white

  • Great for one-on-one sessions.

  • Black and white copies can be printed and sent home for carryover.

  • Print additional sets to use for sequencing or visuals for retelling.

Large book (8.5" x 11")

  • Cover + 15 pages

  • Color and black & white

  • Uploaded as a no-print activity to a tablet or computer for small group sessions. (These pages were made on request, they can be a lot to print)

  • Black and white copies can be used as coloring pages.

Additional pages

  • Dialogic reading handouts (great for teaching parents)

  • Vocabulary worksheets (level 1 / level 2)

  • Suggested vocabulary word lists

  • Articulation word lists

  • Simple syllable cards for apraxia

  • AAC Visuals (communication board / Go Talk 9+)

What you’ll receive:

A digital PDF download (48 pages). No physical product will be shipped.

To use:

You will need to have an up to date version of a PDF Reader like Adobe Reader installed on your computer to open this resource.

Questions or Concerns?

I’d love to hear from you. Email me: Lia@speechandlanguageathome.com