How Old Are Tongue Twisters & Where Did They Come From?

Tongue twisters have been around for hundreds of years. The first documented tongue twister was published at the end of the 19th century in England, and it happens to be on our list. She sells seashells by the seashore was the one that helped coin the term 'tongue twister.'

These phrases and rhymes have been passed down by word of mouth over many years, across many generations. Similar to storytelling, the repetitive use of tongue twisters has created a lasting record of written and spoken phrases that continue to give giggles to kids today.

What Are the Benefits of Tongue Twisters for Kids?

The benefits of Tongue Twisters – beyond the pure, hilarious fun – are endless. Tongue twisters can be full of alliteration, rhyme, rich vocabulary, and personification. These literary elements, when combined with "twisted" language, allow kids to work through a challenge of words. Performing tongue twisters in front of family or friends can also boost confidence and memory skills as well as promote the development of speech and articulation.

 
Can you say this 5 times fast? Photo by Eren Li, courtesy of Pexels

Short Tongue Twisters for Kids

Say these 5 times fast … Ready, Set, Go!

1. Rubber baby buggy bumpers

2. She sees cheese.

3. Red leather, yellow leather

4. Shave a single shingle thin.

5. Toy boat

6. Selfish shellfish

7. Unique New York

Poor Fuzzy Wuzzy. Perhaps he had the fur loved right off him! Photo by Suntorn Somtong via Pexels

Familiar Tongue Twisters for Kids

8. 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?

9. She sells seashells by the seashore.

10. Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy, was he?

11. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

12. Fresh fried fish, fish fresh fried, fried fish fresh, fish fried fresh

13. Lesser leather never weathered wetter weather better.

Is this an enemy anemone? Photo by Ivan Babydov via Pexels

Funny Tongue Twisters for Kids 

14. Many an anemone sees an enemy anemone.

15. Any noise annoys an oyster, but a noisy noise annoys an oyster more.

16. The bottom of the butter bucket is the buttered bucket bottom.

17. No need to light a night-light on a light night like tonight.

18. Fresh French fried fly fritters

19. The big bug bit the little beetle, but the little beetle bit the big bug back.

20. Eleven benevolent elephants

 
Teens will love the challenge of these trickier tongue twisters. Photo by Mary Taylor, courtesy of Pexels

Ready for a Challenge? Hard Tongue Twisters

21. Betty Botter bought some butter. “But," said she, "this butter's bitter! If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter. But a bit of better butter will but make my batter better." Then she bought a bit of butter, better than the bitter butter, made her bitter batter better. So 'twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter!

22. I saw Susie sitting in a shoeshine shop. Where she sits, she shines, and where she shines, she sits.

23. Pete’s pa pete poked to the pea patch to pick a peck of peas for the poor pink pig in the pine hole pigpen.

24. The sixth sheik’s sixth sheep is sick.

25. Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager managing an imaginary menagerie.

26. Silly Sally swiftly shooed seven silly sheep. The seven silly sheep Silly Sally shooed shilly-shallied south. These sheep shouldn’t sleep in a shack; sheep should sleep in a shed.

27. A big black bug bit a big black bear, made the big black bear bleed blood.

28. Six sick hicks nick six slick bricks with picks and sticks.

29. I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won't wish the wish you wish to wish.

30. If you must cross a coarse, cross cow across a crowded cow crossing, cross the cross, coarse cow across the crowded cow crossing carefully.

31. Send toast to ten tense stout saints’ ten tall tents.

32. The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.