Remember trying to rattle off tongue twisters with your friends, giggling every time you tripped over the words? Tongue twisters have been making kids (and adults!) laugh for generations, and they’re just as much fun today.
Here are 20 popular tongue twisters for kids to recite — a mix of true classics and a few sillier ones that might catch out even the grown-ups.
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Terrific Tongue Twisters for Kids
Teach your child a few of these and watch them work hard to get their tongue around each one. Once they’ve mastered a twister or two, they’ll be delighted to show off their new party trick to grandparents, cousins and classmates.
#1. She Sells
She sells sea shells by the seashore
And the shells that she sells are sea shells for sure.
#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. I Scream
I scream
You scream
We all scream for ice cream!
#4. If a Dog
If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?
#5. Betty Botter
Betty Botter bought a bit of butter but the bit of butter was too bitter,
so Betty bought a better bit of butter to make the bitter butter better.
#6. Susie Works
A little cheeky, so have fun with this one:
Susie works in a shoeshine shop.
Where she shines she sits, and where she sits she shines shoes.
#7. Woodchuck
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
A woodchuck would chuck as much wood as a woodchuck would, if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
#8. Red Lorry
Red lorry, yellow lorry.
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#9. Tutor Who Tooted
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?
#10. If One Doctor
If one doctor doctors another doctor, does the doctor who doctors the doctor doctor the doctor the way the doctor he is doctoring doctors?
Or does the doctor doctor the way the doctor who doctors doctors?
#11. I Thought a Thought
I thought a thought but the thought I thought, wasn’t the thought you thought I thought.
#12. Pheasant Plucker
This one is best saved for older kids and adults:
I am not a pheasant plucker, but a pheasant plucker’s son.
And I am only plucking pheasants ’till the pheasant plucker comes.
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Fancy More Lunchbox Giggles?
We’re always on a mission to make lunchboxes more fun. Grab our free printable lunchbox notes and jokes for a daily dose of giggles tucked in alongside the sandwiches.
!Lunchbox printable notes sample
#13. Fuzzy Wuzzy
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair, then Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy, was he?
#14. Twelve Twins
Twelve twins twirled twelve twigs.
#15. Six Slippery Snails
Six slimy snails slid slowly seaward.
#16. Sixth Sheik’s Sheep
The sixth sheik’s sixth sheep is sick.
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!Mother and daughter laughing together
#17. A Skunk Sat on a Stump
A skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk, but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.
#18. Whether the Weather
Whether the weather be fine or whether the weather be not, whether the weather be cold or whether the weather be hot, we’ll weather the weather whatever the weather, whether we like it or not.
#19. How Many Yaks?
How many yaks could a yak pack pack if a yak pack could pack yaks?
#20. Swan Swam
Swan swam over the sea, swim, swan, swim!
Swan swam back again — well swum, swan!
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Tips for Getting the Most Giggles
Try saying each tongue twister slowly first, then speed up a little each time. Challenge the kids to say their favourite three times fast without stumbling, or turn it into a family competition on a car journey or rainy afternoon. The more mistakes, the more laughs — that’s really the whole point!
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a good tongue twister for kids?
The best tongue twisters repeat similar sounds close together, which makes the tongue and mouth work harder to keep up. Short ones are a great starting point for younger children, while longer ones like Peter Piper give older kids more of a challenge.
Are tongue twisters good for kids’ speech development?
Many parents and teachers use tongue twisters as a fun way to practise pronunciation and clear speech, since they encourage careful, deliberate use of tricky sound combinations. They’re a playful addition to speech practice, though they’re not a substitute for professional speech therapy if a child needs extra support.
What age are tongue twisters suitable for?
Simple ones like “I scream, you scream” work well for younger children, while trickier twisters suit older kids and adults who enjoy a bigger challenge. A couple in this list are best kept for older children and grown-ups, as noted alongside them.
How can we use tongue twisters at home?
They’re perfect for car journeys, waiting rooms, sleepovers or just filling a few minutes with laughter. Try turning it into a game by seeing who can say one the fastest without stumbling.
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