Speech sound
The CH sound: how to teach it
Everything you need to practise the CH sound at home — how the mouth actually makes it, the age most children get there, the mistakes that are normal along the way, and 122 practice words grouped from easiest to hardest. Free, no sign-up.
- Written
- /tʃ/
- Sound type
- affricate, voiceless
- Usually mastered
- Age 4–6
- Kids call it
- the train sound
- Practice items here
- 122 words · 20 phrases · 20 sentences
Hear it first
This is the same “Teach Me” clip the app plays before practice. Listen together, then copy it a few times before touching any words.
How the mouth makes the CH sound
Touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth. Pop it down as you push air out.
- Tongue: Pressed against the roof, then released
- Lips: Slightly rounded and pushed forward
- Air: Quick burst of air when tongue releases
- Voice: Off — the throat stays quiet, it is air only.
What usually goes wrong
These are patterns, not carelessness. Recognising which one your child is doing makes the practice far more targeted.
- Substituting SH — "chip" becomes "ship", losing the little pop at the start.
- Substituting T — "chair" becomes "tair".
- Dropping it at the end of words — "watch" becoming "wah".
Three things that help
- CH is really two sounds glued together: a T pop and then an SH. Say them slowly, then speed them up until they merge.
- The train is the perfect prop — choo choo is CH practice that runs itself.
- Check the end of words too. Many children get CH at the start and still drop it at the end.
122 CH words to practise
Every word here starts with the CH sound, which is where a new sound should begin. Once it is reliable at the start of a word, the phrases and sentences below put it in the middle and at the end too.
Start here — short words
One-syllable words. Easiest to get right, so this is where a new sound should begin.
- chin
- chair
- cheese
- chest
- chip
- chop
- check
- child
- chain
- chase
- chalk
- chat
- cheek
- cheep
- chew
- chick
- chill
- chime
- chore
- chirp
- choose
- champ
- chance
- change
- chant
- charge
- charm
- chart
- chunk
- church
- cheer
- chief
- chess
- chimp
- chips
- chicks
- chased
- chopped
- checked
- chirped
- cheered
- chimes
- chants
- charms
- charts
- cheeks
- chews
- chills
- chained
- charged
- chewed
- chilled
- chimed
- chirps
- chose
- chops
- checks
- chug
- chugged
- chomp
- chimps
Next — two-syllable words
Once the short words are reliable, longer words keep the sound accurate under more load.
- chicken
- cheetah
- cherry
- chilly
- chimney
- chipmunk
- chatter
- cheerful
- chewy
- choppy
- children
- chapter
- charging
- chasing
- chatting
- checking
- chewing
- chirping
- chopping
- cheering
- chugging
- chuckle
- chunky
- cherries
- checkup
- checklist
- chestnut
- chickpea
- chitchat
- choo-choo
- chopstick
- chopsticks
- chowder
- cheddar
- checkers
- cheeky
- chatty
- chatted
- chanted
- chuckled
- chomping
- chickens
- cheetahs
- chipmunks
- chestnuts
- chimneys
- chuckles
- chapters
- checkups
- chickpeas
Challenge — longer words
Three syllables and up. Save these for when the sound is solid everywhere else.
- chocolate
- champion
- chatterbox
- chickadee
- chimpanzee
- chinchilla
- cheeseburger
- chattering
- cheerfully
- champions
- chocolates
CH phrases
The step between single words and real talking. Say the phrase together first, then let your child do it alone.
- A cheese chip
- Check the chair
- A child with a chin
- Chop the cheese
- Chase the chain
- Chubby cheeks
- Cheese chunk
- Chocolate chip
- Cheeky chimp
- Chilly chin
- Chirpy chick
- Chew gum
- Chop chop
- Choo-choo train
- Chicken chase
- Cherry chocolate
- Chalk chart
- Champ cheers
- Chess champ
- Chunky cheese
CH sentences
The last step before everyday conversation. Each sentence packs the CH sound in several times, so one sentence is worth several words.
- The child sits on the chair to eat cheese.
- Charlie chops chips in the kitchen.
- Check if the chain is on the chest.
- The cheerful child chases the chicken.
- I chose a chunk of chocolate and cheese.
- The chick chirps at the chipmunk.
- The child chews chewy gum.
- The chimp munches chocolate chips.
- Check the chart with chalk.
- The choo-choo train chugs along.
- The cheetah chases the chicken.
- Chop the cheese into chunks.
- The champ cheers for the children.
- Children chatter in the chilly air.
- The chick sits on the chair.
- I chose the chocolate chip cookie.
- Chipmunks chew chestnuts and cherries.
- The child checks the checkers board.
- The chubby chipmunk chews a chocolate chip.
- The children cheer when the champ wins.
Three games for the CH sound
Practice that does not feel like practice. A child will do fifty repetitions inside a game and refuse ten on a worksheet.
Choo-choo train
Push a train and chant choo-choo, speeding up and slowing down.
Chip snack sort
Every snack gets a CH word before it is eaten — chip, cheese, chocolate.
Chair swap
Musical chairs where each round starts with everyone shouting "chair!"
When to ask a professional
Most children have the CH sound by around age 6. If your child is past that and it has not appeared, if people outside the family regularly cannot understand them, or if they are starting to avoid talking, book an appointment with a speech-language pathologist. One session will tell you whether this needs treatment or just time.
Help Me Talk is a practice app, not a diagnosis or a replacement for a licensed speech-language pathologist. If you are worried about your child’s speech, talk to your doctor or an SLP — this app is for the practice in between.
Age ranges follow the Iowa–Nebraska articulation norms (Smit, Hand, Bird & Bernthal), the same norms the app uses to suggest sounds by age.
CH sound questions
- At what age should a child say the CH sound?
- Most children have the CH sound somewhere between four and six years old. It is one of the later sounds, so a younger child who has not got it yet is usually right on schedule. Age ranges follow the Iowa–Nebraska articulation norms (Smit, Hand, Bird & Bernthal), the same norms the app uses to suggest sounds by age.
- Why does my child say CH wrong?
- The most common pattern is substituting sh. Substituting T — "chair" becomes "tair". Dropping it at the end of words — "watch" becoming "wah". These are patterns, not laziness — the mouth is doing something consistent, just not the thing English needs. Once you know which pattern it is, the practice becomes much more targeted.
- How do I teach the CH sound at home?
- Touch your tongue to the roof of your mouth. Pop it down as you push air out. Start with the sound on its own, then short words, then phrases, then sentences — in that order. CH is really two sounds glued together: a T pop and then an SH. Say them slowly, then speed them up until they merge.
- How many words should we practise in one go?
- Ten to fifteen words is plenty. Five to ten minutes a day beats a long session once a week, and stopping while your child is still enjoying it is what makes them willing to do it again tomorrow. This page has 122 CH words, so you can use a different handful every day for weeks.
- When should I see a speech therapist about the CH sound?
- If your child is older than six and the CH sound is still not there, if strangers regularly cannot understand them, or if your child is getting frustrated or avoiding talking — those are the moments to ask. A speech-language pathologist can tell you in one appointment whether it needs treatment or just time. This app is practice, not a diagnosis.