Tongue Twisters for Speech Practice: Lists by Sound (S, R, L, SH, CH, TH)
Tongue twisters are a carryover exercise, not a starting point. They help a child who can already say a sound correctly in words use it quickly and automatically in connected speech. Below are kid-friendly tongue twisters for S, Z, R, L, SH, CH, TH, K, and F, plus how to use them — slowly first, then faster.
When tongue twisters help — and when they don’t
ASHA describes speech sound treatment in three phases: establishment (getting the sound right on purpose), generalization (carrying it through syllables, words, phrases and sentences, and conversation), and maintenance (making it automatic, with the child monitoring and correcting their own speech). Tongue twisters are fast, sound-dense connected speech — a generalization and maintenance exercise.1
| Ready | Not yet |
|---|---|
| Says the sound correctly in most single words | Still can’t make the sound on its own |
| Gets short phrases right when trying | Sound breaks down in single words |
| Can tell when they got it wrong | Doesn’t hear the difference yet |
Is your child ready for tongue twisters?
Speed is the last step
Saying a tongue twister fast and wrong practices the error. Accuracy first, then speed.
How to use tongue twisters
- 1Say it together, slowly, exaggerating the target sound.
- 2Your child says it alone, slowly. Praise each clear target sound.
- 3Speed up a little. Stop at the fastest speed where the sound stays clear.
- 4Switch roles: your child listens to you and catches your “mistakes.”
- 5Try saying it three times in a row as the final challenge.
A tutorial on motor learning in speech treatment reviewed how the structure of practice and the type of feedback affect learning and retention; at this stage, the goal is for your child to start judging their own accuracy. ASHA’s parent suggestions emphasize making speech practice part of play and everyday talk.2,4
S and Z tongue twisters
- Sam sees six silly snakes sitting in the sun.
- Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
- Seven sleepy seals sip soup.
- Zippy zebras zigzag through the zoo.
- Busy bees buzz past the roses.
S and Z are acquired at 4;0–4;11 at the 90% criterion in US data; tongue twisters are for children who already have a clear S in words.3
R and L tongue twisters
- Red rabbits run around the rocky road.
- Rory’s red car races really fast.
- Larry’s little lamb licks lemon lollies.
- Lucy likes lots of yellow lilies.
- Red lorry, yellow lorry.
R is acquired at 5;0–5;11 and L at 4;0–4;11 at the 90% criterion — R twisters are best saved for children who already say R correctly in words.3
Free Sound Practice
Practice the sound in single words first — listen-and-compare, with an instant AI check for R.
SH and CH tongue twisters
- Shy Sheila shares sugar with sheep.
- She shows shiny shells on the shore.
- Chester chews cherry chocolate chips.
- Charlie’s chicken chased a chattering chipmunk.
- Cheap ships, cheap chips — check which!
TH tongue twisters
- Thirty-three thirsty thrushes thought.
- Theo thinks three things through.
- This and that, these and those, there they go.
- Thank the thin thief for the thimble.
Voiced TH (“this”) is acquired at 5;0–5;11 and voiceless TH (“think”) at 6;0–6;11 at the 90% criterion — the last English consonants — so TH twisters suit older children.3
K, G, and F tongue twisters
- Kate’s cat caught a kite in the kitchen.
- Greedy goats gobble green grapes.
- Five fat frogs found four flies.
- Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread.
If a sound breaks down in single words, go back to word-level practice — and if it never becomes reliable, ask a speech-language pathologist. Find one through ASHA ProFind.5
Frequently asked questions
Do tongue twisters help speech?＋
They can help at the right stage. ASHA describes speech sound treatment as establishing a sound and then generalizing it to increasingly challenging levels — syllables, words, phrases and sentences, and conversation — and maintaining it with self-monitoring. Tongue twisters are hard connected speech, so they fit late in that sequence, once a sound is reliable in words.
Are tongue twisters good for a lisp?＋
Only once your child can already make a clear S in single words and short phrases. Practicing fast S-heavy sentences before that tends to rehearse the lisp. Start with the lisp exercises, and add tongue twisters as a final, fun challenge.
What age are tongue twisters for?＋
Usually school-age children who have the sound in words. Many target sounds are late-developing — R at 5;0–5;11 and voiceless TH at 6;0–6;11 at the 90% criterion in US data — so tongue twisters for those sounds make most sense from about 6 or 7.
How should we practice tongue twisters?＋
Slowly and accurately first; speed comes last. Say it together, then have your child say it alone slowly, then a little faster. Stop at the speed where the target sound stays clear.
Put this into practice today
Try the free sound practice, or start daily AI speech practice — every child takes one SpeechStep at a time.
References
5 sources from authoritative bodies. Last reviewed October 2026.
- 1.ASHASpeech Sound Disorders: Articulation and Phonology — Practice Portal page.
- 2.Peer-reviewedMaas et al. — Principles of Motor Learning in Treatment of Motor Speech Disorders — Tutorial/review (AJSLP), 2008.
- 3.Peer-reviewedCrowe & McLeod — Children’s English Consonant Acquisition in the United States: A Review — Systematic review (AJSLP), 2020.
- 4.ASHASuggestions for Parents: Speech and Language Development — Consumer guide.
- 5.ASHAASHA ProFind: Find a Certified Speech-Language Pathologist — Referral directory.