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Build Preschool Reading Skills with Tongue Twisters

by | Oct 23, 2022 | Core Skills

Did you know tongue twisters can be an effective tool for building reading and language Core Skills? A key component of the 5 C’s in the Begin Approach, Core skills (like reading, math, sequencing, and shape recognition) build a foundation for growth in school and life. Kids with well-developed Core Skills tend to have greater academic success down the road, and tongue twisters are a fun & easy way to start building literacy skills! 

The Short Cut

  • Tongue twisters are a fun way to encourage a love of language and build Core Skills
  • They teach children to practice close listening to sounds
  • Best of all, they build confidence and Creativity (try creating your own!)
  • Developing the 5 C’s doesn’t need to be complicated. You can make a big difference in only 15 minutes a day!

Who doesn’t love a good tongue twister? 

Sally Sells Sea Shells by the Seashore

Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers (Your family can check out this tongue twister set to music on the HOMER app!)

Illustration of children in Halloween costumes running through field of pumpkins toward scarecrow, text reads Professional pumpkin pickers are prone to pick the plumpest pumpkins

But did you know that when your kids are having fun with tongue twisters, they’re actually building foundational reading skills?

Think of tongue twisters as a literacy workout. Because tongue twisters challenge our capacity to enunciate the individual sounds in each word, they force us to pay careful attention to precise sounds in each word so we don’t trip up. Mastering the individual sounds in words is a critical skill for reading success.

The fun of tongue twisters is that we often find that the sounds of words get the better of us! And that too helps build reading skills. So have fun with these Halloween-themed tongue twisters, which are sure to make your child giggle all year long.

Illustration of two witches brewing potions in a cauldron at sunset. Text reads Which witch wished which wicked wish?
Illustration of cat in vampire costume standing in graveyard with bats flying above. Text reads If big black bats could blow bubbles, how big of bubbles would big black bats blow?
Illustration of big green slime in graveyard at night with ghosts. Text reads Giant, gross, green ghouls giggle at ghosts.

For extra giggles and tongue twisting fun, try your hand at creating your own. Word to the wise: witty, wacky, wonderful wordplay for the win!

Author

  • Dr. Jody LeVos

    As our Chief Learning Officer, Jody leads a highly knowledgeable team of early learning experts at Begin. She has a Ph.D. in Developmental Science, focused on children’s mathematical and cognitive development.

Dr. Jody LeVos
As our Chief Learning Officer, Jody leads a highly knowledgeable team of early learning experts at Begin. She has a Ph.D. in Developmental Science, focused on children’s mathematical and cognitive development.