So there I was—hot coffee in hand, phonics cards in a pile, and a few freshly printed ch worksheets ready for our lesson. I was feeling pretty confident about teaching this common digraph. After all, I’d gone over it plenty of times during my years teaching in the public schools.
“Today we’re learning about ch—it says /ch/ like in cheese!” I announced, holding up a cute picture of a cheddar block with the letters ch underneath.
Simple. Easy. Let’s check that off the list.
Until my daughter asked,
“What about this one, Mom? What sound does ch make in school?”
Huh.
“Well… that ch says /k/, actually. English is a strange language,” I mumbled, suddenly feeling a lot less confident.
The truth? I had no idea how to fully explain it.
Was there a rule?
Was there any rhyme or reason?
How could I teach her when to use ch in spelling—if I didn’t fully understand it myself?
Honestly, I’d grown up just memorizing ch words like Christmas and school, never stopping to wonder why the ch didn’t say what it was supposed to.
Even after years of teaching reading, there were still gaps in my knowledge—gaps left over from my own school experience and even my reading classes at the University of Kentucky. I realized I was missing the strong foundation I needed to understand and explain the patterns of English—and now, as a homeschool mom, I was determined to build it and answer questions.
Have you been there—trying to teach a sound you thought you fully understood, only to realize you’re learning it all over again?
You’re not the only one!
This post is the first in a new phonics series where we’ll tackle those tricky sounds together—starting with the many moods of ch. I’ll walk you through what’s going on, when to teach it, how to make it stick, and even share a free download with printable ch worksheets for some hands-on practice. (No linguistics degree required!)
So go ahead, top off your coffee, and let’s get your kids reading—one page at a time. ☕💛
Let’s start with the basics.
A digraph is when two letters come together to make one sound. In this case, c and h team up to form the digraph ch, which usually says /ch/—like in chicken, cheese, and chop. This is the most common sound, and it’s usually introduced near the beginning of phonics instruction. (If you’re wondering, it typically shows up in the kindergarten or 1st grade English language arts curriculum.)
Fun fact? The /ch/ sound is actually made by blending /t/ and /sh/. Try it—you’ll hear it! (Technically, it’s a voiceless palatal affricate, but don’t worry, we’re not getting a linguistics degree here. 😉)
Here’s a simple way to explain the ch blend it to your child:
👉 “Round your lips a little, close your teeth, and make the train sound: ch-ch-ch!”
But here’s the twist:
Ch doesn’t always say /ch/.
In fact, it can make three different sounds depending on the word.
Most reading programs (and curriculums like mine!) introduce the /ch/ sound first and save the other two pronunciations for later as they naturally come up in reading and spelling.
You don’t have to teach all three sounds at once—promise.
If your child is still in the early stages of learning to read, just focus on the most common /ch/ sound for now. But if you have a fluent reader who’s zipping through books—or you’re circling back to review tricky sounds—it’s perfectly okay to introduce the other pronunciations, even if you don’t dive deep into the rules just yet.
Think of it like planting a seed. 🌱
You’re giving your child something to notice and wonder about later—and when the time’s right, you’ll water it with a little more understanding.
And if your child stumbles across a word like school and says “sch-ool,” that’s okay!
It’s actually a great opportunity to pause, explain that sometimes ch breaks the usual rule, and talk about why. (Kids love solving word mysteries!)
And just for you, mama—here’s a quick peek at other ways the /ch/ sound can be spelled, because yes… English likes to keep us on our toes:
Bonus: Other Spellings of the /ch/ Sound
Now, don’t feel like you need to teach all of this at once—this is just here so when your child inevitably asks “Why does that say /ch/?”—you’ll know you’re not crazy. 😉
So… when should you teach ch?
Most lesson plans introduce the digraph ch after kids are comfortable blending three-sound words (like cat, sun, and hop). Once your child is confident with those CVC words, it’s a great time to start adding in common initial digraphs like ch, sh, and th. These are sometimes referred to as the h brothers which is a fun way to remember the sounds.
👉 Quick Tip: A good sign your child is ready for digraphs? They start noticing “chunks” or common patterns at the beginning of words—like ch in chip or chick. That’s a great time to pull out some targeted phonics worksheets or digraph activities to reinforce what they’re learning.
You can introduce the ch sound through a favorite read-aloud, a silly chant, or a quick activity with magnetic letters. And when you’re ready for a little extra practice, that’s where the ch worksheets come in handy—they give your child a chance to see, say, and work with the sound in different ways.
Ready to bring it all to life in your homeschool reading lessons? I’ve created a free download of printable ch phonics worksheets and ch word work activities to help your child practice what they’re learning in a fun, hands-on way.
In this mini packet, you’ll get:
These ch worksheets are a great way to support your child’s understanding of consonant digraphs while keeping learning light and engaging. I use them in my small groups at our homeschool co-op.
And hey—if no one ever told you that ch can say /k/? Welcome to the club. 💛
👉 Stay tuned for the next post in our phonics series—where we’ll tackle another one of those head-scratching sound patterns every homeschool parent runs into eventually.
Until then, keep reading—and don’t forget your coffee. ☕😉
