Speech
S and Sh Mix-Ups: Why Your Child Says "Sip" for "Ship"
Why children mix up s and sh, when both sounds usually arrive, a quick check you can do at home, the smile-and-round-lips cue that teaches the difference, and s and sh, s and z and sh and ch minimal pairs with free picture cards.
Children often mix up s and sh because the two sounds are made in almost the same place in the mouth, so ship becomes “sip” or, the other way round, sun becomes “shun”. Both sounds usually arrive between 4 and 5. The way to teach the difference is a change of mouth shape: a smile for s, rounded lips for sh. The pairs below practice it, with s and z and sh and ch alongside.
Why do kids mix up s and sh?
S and sh are both long hissing sounds made with the tongue near the ridge behind the top teeth, so a child who has not yet found the difference uses one for both. Saying s for sh is palatal fronting, the sh moved forward; it is the cousin of fronting, where k becomes t.
Some children do the opposite and say sh for s. A child whose s comes out with the tongue between the teeth (“thun” for sun) has a lisp, which is a different problem with its own page.
When are s and sh usually mastered?
Most children say s and sh correctly by about 4 to 5. A 2020 review of English consonant acquisition by Crowe and McLeod found s, sh, z and ch were all acquired by 90% of children between 4;0 and 4;11, years and months. The speech sound activities from MyHealth Alberta, presented by a pediatric speech-language pathologist, give “by 5 years of age” for both.
Ask a speech-language pathologist if the mix-up is still there past 5, or if you are worried. ASHA ProFind lists certified speech-language pathologists.
Quick s and sh check
This is an at-home screening, not a diagnosis, and it does not replace an evaluation by a speech-language pathologist. It separates hearing from saying. First read five pairs aloud, such as sip and ship, sell and shell, or sock and shock, and ask whether each sounds the same or different. Then ask your child to name five pictures or things: sun, ship, shoe, chip and zip. A child who hears the difference but cannot yet say it needs the mouth shapes; a child who cannot hear it needs the listening games first.
How do I teach the difference at home?
Teach the two mouth shapes, then practice with pairs. MyHealth Alberta’s cues are the clearest: for s, “spread your lips and make a smile”; for sh, “round your lips like you’re going to blow out a candle”.
Smile for s
Spread your lips in a smile and blow a long hiss, like a snake: sssss. Let your child copy you in a mirror.
Round the lips for sh
Round your lips as if you are going to blow out a candle and blow a quiet shhh. Switch between the two so your child sees the lips move.
Practice with the pairs
Lay out a pair such as sip and ship. Say one and let your child point, then swap roles. Point to the one you heard, not the one they meant.
S and sh minimal pairs
S and sh minimal pairs are words that differ only in s against sh. Only a few of them can both be pictured, so the picture cards carry three and the rest are for saying aloud. Tap a sound or a word to hear it.
| S | Sh |
|---|---|
| sip | ship |
| bus | bush |
| sell | shell |
To say aloud (for the same-or-different game, where you read two words and your child says whether they sound the same): sea and she, sue and shoe, seat and sheet, save and shave, sort and short, sign and shine, mass and mash.
S and z minimal pairs
S and z minimal pairs differ only in whether the voice is on. Put a hand on the front of your throat: z buzzes and s does not.
| S | Z |
|---|---|
| sip | zip |
| ice | eyes |
For s or z on its own, sorted by where it falls in a word, see s and z words for speech.
Sh and ch minimal pairs
Sh and ch minimal pairs differ in how the sound starts: sh is a long sound you can hold, ch is short, like a sneeze.
| Sh | Ch |
|---|---|
| ship | chip |
| shop | chop |
| wash | watch |
| shoe | chew |
| cash | catch |
S and sh games and tongue twisters
Every game here asks the child to hear or say the difference to win.
- Snake or shush. You say a word; your child hisses like a snake if it starts with s and holds a finger to their lips if it starts with sh.
- Go fish. “Do you have the ship?” only works if the asker says ship.
- Same or different. Read two words from the say-aloud list; your child says whether they sound the same.
- Tongue twisters, slowly: “Sam sees six shells.” “Shy Sue shops for socks.”
Free printable s and sh cards and worksheets
Free PDF · no sign-up
Free printable s and sh minimal pairs
Pair cards for s and sh, s and z, and sh and ch with the games on the last page, a circle-the-one-I-say listening sheet, a same-or-different game for the pairs that can only be said aloud, and s and sh picture cards sorted by where the sound falls in the word (start, end and middle). The cue cards and a practice log come from the minimal pairs page, and the mouth shape cards for every sound from the English sounds chart. No account, no email.
- Minimal Pair Cards (PDF)10 pairs · 4 pages
- Circle the One I Say (PDF)10 pairs · answer key included · 3 pages
- Same or Different? (PDF)7 pairs · answer key included · 2 pages
- Articulation Picture Cards (PDF)53 cards for S and Sh · 7 pages
- Speech Sound Cue Cards (PDF)7 sounds · 4 pages
- Mouth Shape Cards (PDF)46 sounds · 9 pages
- 5-Minute Speech Practice Log (PDF)5 days · 1 page
Sh words for kids
The sh word lists cover sh for reading and spelling, with words that start and end with sh.
Frequently asked questions
How can parents help their children with S and SH sounds at home?
Teach the two mouth shapes first: a smile for s and rounded lips for sh. Then play listening games with pairs such as sip and ship, where you say one and your child points, before asking your child to say them. Five minutes most days is plenty.
What age should children start practicing S and Z minimal pairs?
Most children say s and z by about 4 to 5, so a 3-year-old mixing them up is usually on time. Pairs such as sip and zip help a child who is still mixing them up after that, or one whose speech-language pathologist has suggested them.
Can you give examples of words that use 's' and 'z' to demonstrate differences?
Sip and zip, ice and eyes, sue and zoo, and bus and buzz each differ only in s against z. Put a hand on your throat: z buzzes and s does not, which is the whole difference.
Common challenges with S and SH minimal pairs in therapy
The two sounds are made in almost the same place, so they are easy to mix up in both directions, and few s and sh pairs can both be pictured. That is why listening games where the grown-up reads the words aloud are useful alongside picture cards.
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