Animal Sounds for Toddlers: Full List + How to Teach Them
"Moo" might not sound like a big deal, but for many toddlers an animal sound is one of their very first words. Animal sounds are short, fun and repetitive, and many use the easiest speech sounds there are.
Animal sounds list (easiest first)
Start at the top. The first group uses lip sounds like m, b, p and w, which most children can say by age 3. Sounds further down the list use sounds that develop later, so a "close try" is perfect.
| Animal | Sound | A great first try |
|---|---|---|
| Cow | Moo | "mmm" or "moo" |
| Sheep | Baa | "ba" or "baa" |
| Dog | Woof woof | "wuh" or "oof" |
| Cat | Meow | "mow" or "eow" |
| Owl | Hoo hoo | "hoo" or "oo" |
| Monkey | Ooh ooh ah ah | "oo" or "ah" |
| Horse | Neigh | "nay" or "neh" |
| Pig | Oink oink | "oi" or "oink" |
| Bird | Tweet tweet | "tee" or "eet" |
| Duck | Quack quack | "ack" or "tack" |
| Chicken | Cluck cluck / bawk bawk | "buh-buh" or "uck" |
| Frog | Ribbit | "ibbit" or "bit" |
| Snake | Sss | any hissy sound |
| Bee | Buzz | "bzz" or "zzz" |
| Lion | Roar | "aah" or "wah" |
Why this order? Children usually master p, b, m, h, w and n first, then sounds like k, g, d and t, and later l, s and z. R is one of the very last sounds, often not until age 6 or 7, so "wah" for roar is right on track. Our speech sounds by age chart explains more.
How to teach animal sounds
- Get face to face. Hold the toy animal or book near your face so your child can see your mouth.
- Say it slowly and stretch it. "Mmmmooooo." Long, exaggerated sounds are easier to copy.
- Pause and wait. After the sound, look at your child and count to five in your head. Give them a turn.
- Add a gesture. Flap your arms for a chicken, make "ears" for a dog. Gestures help sounds stick.
- Celebrate any try. "Mmm" for moo is a great try! Smile and say the full sound back.
- Repeat, repeat, repeat. The same few animals, many times a day, works better than many new ones.
Free animal sounds game
Tap the animal to hear its sound, tap again to hear it slowly, then let your child try.
5 animal sound games to play today
- Animal in a bag. Hide toy animals in a bag or box. Shake it, pull one out slowly and make its sound together.
- Old MacDonald pause. Sing "...and on that farm he had a cow, E-I-E-I-O, with a..." and pause so your child can add the "moo."
- Bath-time duck. Hide a rubber duck behind your back, then pop it up: "Quack!"
- Picture book hunt. Flip through an animal book and make each animal's sound. Let your child turn the pages.
- Animal walks. Hop like a frog ("ribbit!"), stomp like a lion ("roar!"). Moving and sounds go great together.
Common questions
When do toddlers start making animal sounds?
Many children start copying animal sounds somewhere between about 12 and 18 months, often around the same time as their first words. Some start earlier, some later.
My child understands but won't say the sound. Should I worry?
Understanding usually comes before talking. Keep modeling the sound, pause and wait, and don't pressure them to say it. If your toddler isn't copying sounds or saying a few words by around 18 months, mention it to your pediatrician.
Which animal sound should we start with?
Start with "moo," "baa" or "woof." They use early lip sounds and are easy to stretch out slowly.
More ideas: 12 simple ways to help your toddler talk and speech milestones by age.
This article is general information to support everyday play. It is not a diagnosis or a replacement for advice from your child's doctor or a licensed speech-language pathologist.