She Sells Seashells by the Seashore!
Toy Boat! Toy Boat! Toy Boat!
Try saying these words several times quickly and you'll see why tongues twisters can be a totally terrific part of your Language Arts curriculum. Not only are they silly, but these funny phrases focus on phonics, parts of speech, oral language, alliteration, reading, writing, and more.
First, pique the children's interest by introducing them to some of the more well-known tongue twisters. Challenge the children to say each phrase five times fast. "Toy Boat" is a great one because it sounds easy but it's actually quite difficult to repeat it fast. Try it yourself and see!
Next, read a tongue-twisting book such as Six Thick Thumbs, Dr. Seuss' Oh Say Can You Say?, or World's Toughest Tongue Twisters. The kids will love watching you struggle through the tongue-tickling phrases from these books. You will probably have to stop every so often to give the kids a chance to practice the twisters. It's simply too irresistible to them if they have to wait!
