English tongue twisters kids

60 Tongue Twisters in English for Kids

Funny tongue twisters for kids have been around for generations. Those seemingly gibberish-sounding sentences are not only fun, but they also help you speak better. They boost your repertoire of exciting and fun-sounding words and make a good public orator out of you. Plus, who does not like to have fun with friends and family by challenging them with words? Whether you are in school, park, or out with friends or cousins, a game of fun tongue twisters will surely give you a lifelong memory to cherish. Politicians, actors, and news anchors also happen to use tongue twisters before going on air to stretch their mouths and perfect their speech. There are plenty of easy-to-memorise tongue twisters to downright impossible ones to test your speaking skills. Here’s our lowdown on some popular tongue twisters, and why you and your kids should recite them together. Don’t worry if you don’t begin very well; with enough practice, these will come totally easy to you!

What Are Tongue Twisters?

In reality, tongue twisters are phrases, which have similar sounding words in a repetitive sequence. They aid language development, boost vocabulary, and are a lot of fun when recited together in a group.

What Are the Different Types of Tongue Twisters?

Depending on the age, tongue twisters have been categorised into different types. These include short tongue twisters for children, long tongue twisters for kids, funny tongue twisters for little ones, popular tongue twisters for lil champs, and easy tongue twisters for kids. With age, you can progress with learning short and easy to long and difficult tongue twisters to enhance your speech and vocabulary well.

Benefits of Tongue Twisters for Young Kids

Kids begin to develop their speech and diction at a young age, and tongue twisters can help them stretch the muscles that are necessary for speech. This helps them develop clear pronunciation and speech patterns.

Tongue Twisters for Children to Recite

Don’t make your child recite tongue twisters, alone. Multiply the fun by participating in a group. Here are our 20 best tongue twisters in English for kids, which will give you a real challenge.

1. I Scream

I scream, you scream, we all scream, for ice cream!

2. Peter Piper

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers

A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers

Where’s the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked?

3. Betty Botter

Betty Botter bought a bit of butter.

“But,” she said, “this bit of butter’s bitter,

But a bit of better butter mixed with this butter might just make my bit of bitter butter better.”

So, Betty bought a bit of better butter to make her bitter butter better.

4. Susie Shine

I saw Susie sitting in a shoe shine shop.

Where she shines, she sits, and where she sits, she shines.

5. Woodchuck

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if the woodchuck could chuck wood?

He would chuck, he would, as much as he could,

And chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would,

If a woodchuck could chuck wood.

6. Doctor Doctor

If one doctor doctors another doctor,

Then which doctor is doctoring the doctored doctor?

Does the doctor who doctors the doctor, doctor the doctor the way the doctor he is doctoring doctors?

Or does he doctor the doctor the way the doctor who doctors doctors?

7. Thought A Thought

I thought a thought,

But the thought I thought wasn’t the thought I thought I thought.

If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought,

I wouldn’t have thought so much.

8. Fuzzy Wuzzy

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear,

Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair,

Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t very fuzzy, was he?

9. She Sells

She sells sea shells by the seashore

And the shells she sells by the seashore are sea shells for sure.

10. All I Want is a Proper Cup of Coffee

All I want is a proper cup of coffee,
Made in a proper copper coffee pot
I may be off my dot
But I want a cup of coffee
From a proper coffee pot.

Tin coffee pots and iron coffee pots
They’re no use to me –
If I can’t have a proper cup of coffee
In a proper copper coffee pot
I’ll have a cup of tea.

11. Bleeding Boys

Brave, bleeding boys battle bald, biting babies

Biting babies ride battle toys while bumbling boys brave bald biting babies.

12. Denise Sees

Denise sees the fleece,

Denise sees the fleas.

At least Denise could sneeze

And feed and freeze the fleas.

13. Dark Dock

To sit in solemn silence in a dull, dark dock,

In a pestilential prison, with a life-long lock,

Awaiting the sensation of a short, sharp shock,

From a cheap and chippy chopper on a big black block!

14.

Luke Luck likes lakes.

Luke’s duck likes lakes.

Luke Luck licks lakes.

Luke’s duck licks lakes.

Duck takes licks in lakes Luke Luck likes.

Luke Luck takes licks in lakes duck likes.

15. Cheese Trees

Through three cheese trees three free fleas flew

While these fleas flew, freezy breeze blew

Freezy breeze made these three trees freeze

Freezy trees made these trees’ cheese freeze

That’s what made these three free fleas sneeze

16. Black and Brown Background

Black background, brown background,

Brown background, black background,

Background background, black, black, brown, brown.

17. Why Willy?!

Why do you cry, Willy?

Why, Willy?

Why, why, why?!

Why do you cry?

Willy, Willy!

Willy cry, why you cry, Willy?

18.

Ned Nott was shot and Sam Shott was not.
So it is better to be Shott than Nott.

Some say Nott was not shot.
But Shott says he shot Nott.
Either the shot Shott shot at Nott was not shot,
Or Nott was shot.

If the shot Shott shot shot Nott, Nott was shot.
But if the shot Shott shot shot Shott,
Then Shott was shot, not Nott.

However, the shot Shott shot shot not Shott, but Nott.

19. Butter And Jelly

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.

Spread it thick, say it quick!

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread,

Spread it thicker, say it quicker!

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.

Don’t eat until you are spreading it like a spread!

20. Chester Cheetah

Chester cheetah chews a chunk of cheap cheddar cheese

If the chunk of cheese chunked Chester cheetah,

What would Chester cheetah chew and chunk on?

Short Tongue Twisters for Children

Here are some short tongue twisters for kids that are easy to recite and perfect for beginners.

1. Six slippery snails slid slowly seaward.
2. Zebras zig and zebras zag.
3. Irish wristwatch.
4. Red lorry, yellow lorry.
5. Selfish Shellfish.
6. Toy boat. Try boat. Toy boat. Try boat.
7. Kitty caught the kitten in the kitchen.
8. Greek grapes, Greek grapes, Greek grapes.
9. Fred fed Ted bread and Ted fed Fred bread.
10. Bad money, mad bunny.

Long Tongue Twisters for Kids

How about going to the next level with something longer and fun tongue twisters?

1. Fresh fried fish, fish fresh fried, fried fish fresh, fish fried fresh.
2. Fox on clocks on bricks and blocks. Bricks and blocks on Knox on box.
3. No needs to light a night light On a light night like tonight.
4. If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?
5. Why do you cry, Willy? Why, Willy? Why why why? Why do you cry? Willy, Willy! Willy cry, why you cry, Willy?
6. I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit. Upon the slitted sheet, I sit.  
7. If you must cross a course cross cow across a crowded cow crossing, cross the cross coarse cow across the crowded cow crossing carefully.
8. Whether the weather is warm, whether the weather is hot, we have to put up with the weather, whether we like it or not.
9. If practice makes perfect and perfect needs practice, I’m perfectly practised and practically perfect.
10. Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.

Funny Tongue Twisters for Children

For ultimate fun in practising tongue twisters, nothing could be better than these funny tongue twisters. Let’s take a look and laugh, shall we?

1. A tutor who tooted the flute tried to tutor two tooters to toot.
   Said the two to the tutor, “Is it harder to toot or to tutor two tooters to toot?”
2. If you want to buy, buy, if you don’t want to buy, bye bye!
3. An ape hates grape cakes.
4. I have got a date at a quarter to eight; I’ll see you at the gate, so don’t be late.
5. Any noise annoys an oyster, but a noisy noise annoys an oyster more.
6. Picky people pick Peter Pan Peanut-Butter, ’tis the peanut-butter picky people pick.
7. Birdie birdie in the sky laid a turdie in my eye.
8. If two witches would watch two watches, which witch would watch which watch?
9. .A sailor went to sea to see what he could see. And all he could see was sea, sea, sea.
10. A synonym for cinnamon is a cinnamon synonym.

Well Known Tongue Twister for Kids

Regardless of short or hard, there are many popular tongue twisters that have been loved for ages. Here are some of them:

1. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
2. Sheena leads, Sheila needs.
3. Betty bought butter but the butter was bitter, so Betty bought better butter to make the bitter butter better.
4. And when they battle in a puddle, it’s a tweetle beetle puddle battle.
5. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
6. A big black bug bit a big black bear.  
7. How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?
8. If Stu chews shoes, should Stu choose the shoes he chews?
9. How much ground would a groundhog hog if a groundhog could hog ground? A groundhog would hog all the ground he could hog if a groundhog could hog ground.
10. Five frantic frogs fled from fifty fierce fishes.

Try out these tongue twisters at home with your kids and see if you can recite them at breakneck speeds. Let us know how it went, by getting in touch with us.

Also Read: 

Fun and Clever Riddles for Kids with Answers
English Learning Games and Activities for Kids
Smart Ideas to Teach Kids to Rhyme Words and Sounds
What is Child Speech Therapy?
Speech and Language Delay in Children

55+ of the Best Tongue Twisters For Kids, Ranging from Easy to Impossible

Entertainment

Because watching a parent repeatedly trip over their words is hilarious.

Updated: July 26, 2022

Originally Published: Jan. 14, 2021

Most people think of tongue twisters as a trivial activity for kids, full of gibberish and phrases that are equally fun and frustrating. But really, these seemingly random constructions of alliterative words and palindromic phrases are a surefire way to improve fluency and pronunciation. And it’s a great way to get your kid’s speaking skills up to par. In fact, Natalie Portman dedicated an entire section in her acting MasterClass to the tongue-twisters she uses before going on set to perfect her speech. Politicians and news anchors are also known to practice tongue twisters before going on air.

Of course, these deliberately difficult expressions can be the opposite of fun for kids who are still learning to speak, so it’s important to find that balance between challenging tongue twisters and downright impossible ones. We’ve compiled a list of the best easy-to-memorize tongue twisters that will give your kid (and you) instant satisfaction when they finally get them right.

1. I thought a thought. But the thought I thought wasn’t the thought I thought I thought. If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought, I wouldn’t have thought so much.
2. I saw Susie sitting in a shoe shine shop where she shines, she sits, and where she sits, she shines.
3. A big black bug bit a big black dog on his big black nose.
4. Six slippery snails slid slowly seaward.
5. Whether the weather is warm, whether the weather is hot, we have to put up with the weather, whether we like it or not.
6. The bottom of the butter bucket is the buttered bucket bottom.
7. A sailor went to sea to see what he could see. And all he could see was sea, sea, sea.
8. If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?
9. Five frantic frogs fled from fifty fierce fishes.
10. Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair, Wuzzy wasn’t very fuzzy, was he?
11. If practice makes perfect and perfect needs practice, I’m perfectly practiced and practically perfect.
12. Betty and Bob brought back blue balloons from the big bazaar.
13. I saw a saw that could saw out any other saw I ever saw.
14. Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely.
15. I slit the sheet, the sheet I slit, and on the slitted sheet I sit.
16. A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk, but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.
17. Any noise annoys an oyster, but a noisy noise annoys an oyster more.
18. Four furious friends fought for the phone.
19. Chester Cheetah chews a chunk of cheap cheddar cheese.
20. Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better.
21. We surely shall see the sun shine soon.
22. Wayne went to Wales to watch walruses.
23. Fred fed Ted bread, and Ted fed Fred bread.
24. Betty Botter bought some butter; “But,” said she, “The butter’s bitter. If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter.” But a bit of better butter will make my bitter batter better. So she bought some better butter, better than the bitter butter, Put it in her bitter batter, made her bitter batter better.
25. Birdie birdie in the sky, laid a turdie in my eye. If cows could fly, I’d have a cow pie in my eye.
26. How much ground would a groundhog hog, if a groundhog could hog ground? A groundhog would hog all the ground he could hog, if a groundhog could hog ground.
27. “Surely Sylvia swims!” shrieked Sammy, surprised. “Someone should show Sylvia some strokes so she shall not sink.”
28. The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.
29. Can you can a canned can into an un-canned can like a canner can can a canned can into an un-canned can?
30. Red lorry, yellow lorry, red lorry, yellow lorry, red lorry, yellow lorry.
31. Thin sticks, thick bricks, thin sticks, thick bricks, thin sticks, thick bricks.
32. Stupid superstition, stupid superstition, stupid superstition.
33. Two tried and true tridents, two tried and true tridents, two tried and true tridents.
34. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
35. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
36. When a doctor doctors a doctor, does the doctor doing the doctoring doctor as the doctor being doctored wants to be doctored, or does the doctor doing the doctoring doctor as he wants to doctor?
37. If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch?
38. If you notice this notice, you will notice that this notice is not worth noticing.
39. If you must cross a course cross cow across a crowded cow crossing, cross the cross coarse cow across the crowded cow crossing carefully.
40. Something in a 30-acre thermal thicket of thorns and thistles thumped and thundered, threatening the 3D thoughts of Matthew — although, theatrically, it was the 13,000 thistles and thorns through the underneath of his thigh that the 30-year-old thought of that morning.
41. To sit in solemn silence in a dull, dark dock, in a prickly pot with a lifelong lock, playing with bees that give you short, sharp shocks.
42. Six sleek swans swam swiftly southwards.
43. Willie’s really weary.
44. He threw three free throws.
45. Denise sees the fleece, Denise sees the fleas. At least Denise could sneeze and feed and freeze the fleas.
46. These thousand tricky tongue twisters trip thrillingly off the tongue.
47. Gobbling gargoyles gobbled gobbling goblins.
48. Picky people pick Peter Pan Peanut-Butter, 'tis the peanut-butter picky people pick.
49. Brisk brave brigadiers brandished broad bright blades, blunderbusses, and bludgeons—balancing them badly.
50. Six sticky skeletons.
51. Each Easter, Eddie eats eighty Easter eggs.
52. Six sleek swans swam swiftly southwards.
53. Cooks cook cupcakes quickly.
54. Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.
55. Six Czech cricket critics.
56. Babbling baby boys blurted boldly.
57. Which wristwatches are Swiss wristwatches?
58. I’m a mother pheasant plucker; I pluck mother pheasants.
59. The two-toed tree-toad tried to win. The three-toed she-toad’s heart,

This article was originally published on Jan. 14, 2021

TOP 15 tongue twisters in English for children

It is not easy to pronounce tongue twisters in their native language, but in a foreign language it is a disaster. Why are they needed at all?
First, it's a great way to improve your pronunciation. Tongue twisters help to train the muscles responsible for the correct reproduction of sounds.

In addition, regular exercises with tongue twisters pump diction. Diction is important if you are speaking in front of an audience. Famous actors, presenters, announcers must say a few tongue twisters before an important performance. nine0003 If a child regularly pronounces tongue twisters, then diction and pronunciation improve not only in English, but also in Russian, as the muscles of the speech apparatus get used to the load and various positions.
Tongue twisters for children are the best way to develop correct diction in both English and Russian. After classes with tongue twisters, the pronunciation becomes clearer, and the child more easily masters the sounds of his native speech.
There is even an international tongue twister day: it is celebrated on the second Sunday of November. You still have time to get ready! nine0004

The word “patter” itself is translated into English as tongue twister. English tongue twisters do not differ in principle from their Russian counterparts - they use complex sounds that are repeated in every word.
What is the best way to learn English tongue twisters: with or without translation? Unfortunately, when translated, the tongue twister ceases to be it. On the other hand, without translation it is very difficult to remember it without understanding the meaning. If you read English tongue twisters with translation, do not be surprised - their translation is usually quite meaningless or strange, and situations are repeated several times. All this is done solely in order to complicate the task of the one who pronounces the tongue twister. nine0004

The easiest tongue twisters in English

You can also prepare to pronounce tongue twisters. To warm up the speech apparatus, do some special exercises:
Exercise "Fence-tube"
Smile broadly and show closed teeth. Then draw out the lips with a tube. Repeat several times.
Exercise "Swing"
Open your mouth and with the tip of your tongue stretch first to the nose, then to the chin. Repeat several times. nine0003 Exercise "Drummer"
Smile, open your mouth, put your tongue behind your upper teeth, loudly, distinctly, repeatedly repeat: "D-D-D-". Gradually speed up the pace, do not bring the teeth together.
After the speech apparatus is warmed up, you can start tongue twisters. It is better to start with simple options.
First read the tongue twister to yourself and try to understand it, or refer to the translation. If you understand the tongue twister, it will be easier for you to pronounce it.
Then listen to the sample, if possible. Concentrate on slow pronunciation, and not on how the announcer quickly pronounces the sounds. nine0003 Try to read the tongue twister at a normal pace, without rushing anywhere. Pronounce sounds correctly. If you are studying on your own, without a teacher, then you should record your reading on a voice recorder and compare it with a sample.
If you managed to read the tongue twister correctly, repeat it again, but a little faster. Don't try to do it as quickly as possible. The muscles of the speech apparatus work in the same way as any other muscles in the body: they need time to remember the sequence of actions and get used to them. As soon as you can easily read the tongue twister at a normal pace or a little faster, move on to faster reading. nine0003 Start with simple English tongue twisters with translation - they will help you prepare for pronunciation of more complex ones. Are these tongue twisters suitable for children? Of course! It is with them that it is better to start setting the correct pronunciation.

A combination of [r] and [l] is being trained here. Say these sounds separately, and then practice the tongue twister.

The most difficult tongue twisters in English with pronunciation

After practicing with easier options, try more difficult tongue twisters. They are usually longer, and in addition to the correct pronunciation of repeated complex sounds, you also need to control your breathing.
Classic breathing exercises that will help you work even more effectively with long and complex tongue twisters:

Candle Exercise
Draw air into your chest and exhale in short bursts, as if blowing out candles on a cake one at a time. The more candles you blow out, the better. nine0003 Exercise “Underwater”
Draw air into your chest and exhale slowly, stretching your lips with a tube. Repeat several times, try to exhale slowly and evenly.

To start complex tongue twisters, after breathing and articulatory gymnastics, practice short, less complex tongue twisters for the same groups of sounds - this will be like a warm-up before a difficult sporting event.

Ready? Let's start with the most difficult tongue twister, which was included in the Guinness Book of Records:

The combination of hissing sounds in this tongue twister is very difficult to pronounce. Try it, will it work for you?

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked;
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Peter Piper collected a lot of pickled peppers.
Peter Piper collected a lot of pickled peppers.
If Peter Piper collected a lot of pickled peppers,
So where is that pile of pickled peppers that Peter Piper collected?

A difficult rhyme-patter for practicing sound [p]. Don't forget that in English this sound is pronounced with a breath and a little "explosion"

She sells seashells on the seashore.
The shells she sells are seashells, I'm sure.
So if she sells seashells on the seashore,
Then, I’m sure she sells seashore shells.

She sells seashells by the sea; nine0003 The shells she sells are seashells, I'm pretty sure
So if she's selling seashells by the sea,
I'm sure she's selling seashells.

A classic patter for practicing the sounds [∫] and [s]. We hope you didn't break your tongue trying to pronounce it!

Betty Botter bought some butter
But, said she, the butter’s bitter.
If I put it in my batter,
it will make my bitter batter.
But a bit of better butter
will make my bitter batter better.
So she bought some better butter,
better than the bitter butter,
put it in her bitter batter,
made her bitter batter better.
So it was better
Betty Botter bought some better butter.

A very long patter-song for practicing sound [b].

English tongue twisters

They will help you improve your pronunciation. Ask a teacher or friend who knows English well to evaluate how you pronounce tongue twisters. Do not forget to record yourself on video or a voice recorder to track your progress and compare yourself with the sample. nine0004

English tongue twisters for children: translation and video

English tongue twisters for children will help you gain speaking skills, catch the nuances of the sound of similar English words, and expand your vocabulary. Helps overcome the fear of speaking long sentences.

Contents

1. What are tongue twisters in English?
2. How to work with tongue twisters
3. Short tongue twisters in English for children
4. One-line tongue twisters
5. Difficult tongue twisters
6. Video - an example of tongue twisters Sat on the mat

What are tongue twisters in English?

Tongue-Twisters tongue twisters

Tongue twisters in English for children: can be both simple and complex, short and long. But before you start saying everything, you should think: what sound would I like to master perfectly? Since all rhymes are individual. For example, they can be aimed at staging labial and nasal sounds, fricatives and sonorants, as well as explosive and interdental sounds. You will get a good result if you preliminarily read them aloud and repeat until noticeable progress in your speech. In addition, tongue twisters in English are easy to remember. nine0004

How to work with tongue twisters

Working with tongue twisters in a foreign language is a great recipe for polishing your pronunciation.

Playing with rhymes in English always brings joy, here you can work only with humor, which is very important for children, because having fun is much more interesting than doing something serious. You should not overstrain the baby and demand that he memorize a dozen English tongue twisters daily, the ideal option is to study several rhymes a month. For variety, work with phonetic stories that sound similar. nine0004

• First you need to learn how to read them slowly but correctly.
• Read them in a circle, Gradually increase the speed of pronunciation.

The longer you practice each tongue twister, the better and clearer your English diction will be.

Another advantage of tongue twisters is that you get used to the fact that English speech is fast.

Short tongue twisters in English for children

Sid sees, Sid sees, Sid sees
Six trees, six trees, six trees.

Sid sees, Sid sees, Sid sees
6 trees, 6 trees, 6 trees.

*********

I scream, you scream.
We all scream for ice-cream.

I scream, you scream.
We all demand ice cream.

********

A big black bug bites a big black bear.
A big black bear hits a big black bug. nine0019