SH Sound Worksheets: Free Printable SH Words by Position
Free SH sound worksheets: SH words at the beginning, middle, and end of words — printable as a worksheet, flashcards, or a coloring page by age band. Most children master SH by 4;0–4;11. Use them 3–5 minutes a day: you say the word, your child repeats with rounded lips, you mark what you heard.
About the SH sound
SH is a quiet, airy sound made with the lips rounded and pushed forward and the tongue just behind the ridge where S is made. Because the lips are visible, a mirror helps a lot.
Start with initial SH, move to final once initial is mostly clear, then medial. ASHA describes treatment as carrying a sound from words into phrases, sentences, and conversation once it is reliable.1
SH words by position (initial, medial, final)
| Position | Words |
|---|---|
| Initial (SH at the start) | shoe · ship · sheep · shell · shark · shirt · shop · shadow · shower · sugar |
| Medial (SH in the middle) | fishing · washing · ocean · cushion · sunshine · seashell · machine · station |
| Final (SH at the end) | fish · wash · brush · dish · bush · push · splash · crash · wish · trash |
SH practice words by word position.
SH phrases and sentences
| Level | Practice |
|---|---|
| Phrases | fresh fish · wash dishes · a shiny shell · push the cart · shoe shop |
| Carrier sentence | “Shh, the ___ is sleeping.” (sheep, fish, puppy) |
| Sentences | “She washed the shirt in the shower.” · “The shark swam by the ship.” |
| SH at the end | “I wish I had a brush.” · “Splash and crash in the wash.” |
Once SH is clear in single words, move up to these.
SH minimal pairs
Minimal pairs differ by one sound, so a swap changes the meaning — the contrast technique ASHA calls minimal oppositions.1
| Swap you hear | Word pairs |
|---|---|
| S for SH (“sip” for “ship”) | ship / sip · she / sea · shell / sell · shave / save · mash / mass · shoe / sue |
| T for SH — stopping (“top” for “shop”) | shop / top · shoe / two · shake / take |
Pairs for the common SH swaps.2
Getting a clear SH before the worksheet
- 1Round the lips and push them forward — “fish lips” — in a mirror.
- 2Pull the tongue a little further back than for S, with the sides touching the top back teeth.
- 3Blow a long, quiet “shhhh,” like telling a baby to be quiet.
- 4Add a vowel: “shhh-ee,” “shhh-oe,” then words: “she,” “shoe.”
Then use the sheet a few minutes at a time, most days: in a randomized trial of 54 preschoolers, three sessions a week beat the same total amount spread over once-weekly sessions.4
SH practice games
- Quiet game: say “shhh” every time someone in a picture book is sleeping.
- Fishing: “fish” for cardboard shapes with SH pictures on them.
- Shopping list: take turns naming SH things for a pretend shop — shampoo, shirts, shoes.
- Train vs. hush: you say SH or CH; your child points to a sleeping baby or a train.
Play keeps the repetitions coming; ASHA’s suggestions for parents center on talking, reading, and playing with the sounds you want your child to hear.5
What to listen for
- S for SH (“sip” for “ship”) — lips not rounded or tongue too far forward.
- T for SH (“top” for “shop”) — stopping; the airflow never starts.
- A wet or slushy SH — note it for an SLP.
- Clear in words but not in sentences — normal; sentences are harder.
When a worksheet is the wrong tool
In US norms, SH is acquired at 4;0–4;11 at the 90% criterion, alongside S, Z, CH, J, L, and V. An SH worksheet suits a child who is around that age or older and can make SH at least some of the time.3
ASHA lists stopping of SH (“top” for “shop”) as a developmental pattern usually gone by about 5. If your child stops several sounds, not just SH, an SLP can tell whether it is a pattern that needs support.2
See an SLP if
SH still is not emerging well past age 5; the SH sounds wet or slushy; several sounds are affected; your child is hard for unfamiliar adults to understand; or weeks of consistent practice show no change on your checklist.
ASHA ProFind lists certified speech-language pathologists.6
Print the SH worksheet
Pick SH in the generator, choose a position and an age band, and print a worksheet, flashcards, or a coloring page — no account needed. In SpeechStep, the same words can be practiced with listen-and-compare; an instant AI check is offered for R only.
Print SH worksheets
Choose SH, a position, and an age band — then print a worksheet, flashcards, or a coloring page.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my child’s SH sound slushy?＋
A slushy or wet SH often means air is escaping over the sides of the tongue instead of down the middle — the same pattern as a lateral lisp on S. Worksheets will not fix that on their own; a speech-language pathologist can set up the right tongue position first.
Which SH words should my child practice first?＋
Start with SH at the beginning of words — shoe, ship, sheep — then the end (fish, wash) and the middle (fishing, ocean). Rounded, pushed-forward lips are the visible cue that helps most.
At what age should a child say SH?＋
In Crowe & McLeod’s review of US children, SH was acquired at 4;0–4;11 at the 90% criterion. An occasional SH error at 3 or 4 is common; one that persists past 5 is worth a check.
My child says S for SH — what helps?＋
Round the lips (“like a kiss”) and pull the tongue slightly back from the S spot, then make a long, quiet “shhh” like telling a secret. Practice pairs such as “ship / sip” so your child hears that the sound changes the word.
Put this into practice today
Try the free print sh worksheets, or start daily AI speech practice — every child takes one SpeechStep at a time.
References
6 sources from authoritative bodies. Last reviewed October 2026.
- 1.ASHASpeech Sound Disorders: Articulation and Phonology — Practice Portal page.
- 2.ASHASelected Phonological Patterns — Practice Portal page.
- 3.Peer-reviewedCrowe & McLeod — Children’s English Consonant Acquisition in the United States: A Review — Systematic review (AJSLP), 2020.
- 4.Peer-reviewedAllen — Intervention Efficacy and Intensity for Children With Speech Sound Disorder — Randomized controlled trial (JSLHR), 2013.
- 5.ASHASuggestions for Parents: Speech and Language Development — Consumer guide.
- 6.ASHAASHA ProFind: Find a Certified Speech-Language Pathologist — Referral directory.