The letter C is one of the easier letters for children to recognise but it can be a little tricky to learn as it has more than one sound. The hard ‘c’ sound, as in car, is generally taught first, and later the soft ‘c’ sound, as in cycle. 

If you are trying to teach your child when to use the soft and hard sounds, the general rule is that when a ‘c’ is followed by an i, e or y, it has the soft sound.