English · Colouring and writing worksheet
The 'sh' Sound: Free KS1 Phonics Worksheet
The consonant digraph 'sh' is one of the first two-letter sounds children meet in Year 1 phonics. This free printable gives them a gentle, hands-on way to practise it: four friendly pictures to colour, each with a name that contains the 'sh' sound, followed by space to write the matching words.
Designed for children aged 5 to 7, the worksheet prints neatly onto one sheet of A4. It works equally well at the kitchen table or as a quick, independent activity in a Year 1 or Year 2 classroom.
The 'sh' Sound
Free English worksheet · Ages 5 to 7
Activity 1
Say the name of each picture out loud. Listen for the 'sh' sound, then colour all four pictures.
- Colour the fish
- Colour the shell
- Colour the sheep
- Colour the ship
Activity 2
Each picture's name has the 'sh' sound in it. Sound out each word and write it on the line. Use the word bank to help you.
It swims in the sea and has fins.
You can find this on the beach and hold it to your ear.
This farm animal has woolly fleece and says 'baa'.
This sails across the sea and carries people.
The 'sh' Soundowee.worldAnswer key
- It swims in the sea and has fins. — fish
- You can find this on the beach and hold it to your ear. — shell
- This farm animal has woolly fleece and says 'baa'. — sheep
- This sails across the sea and carries people. — ship
What is the 'sh' digraph?
A digraph is two letters that work together to make a single sound. In 'sh', the letters 's' and 'h' join to make one sound — /ʃ/ — which is the sound you hear at the start of ship and at the end of fish. It is important that children learn to read the two letters as one sound rather than blending /s/ and /h/ separately, because saying them apart does not produce the correct word. The 'sh' sound appears at the start of words (shop, shell, sheep), in the middle (washing, fishing) and at the end (fish, wish, brush), so it is a high-frequency, high-value sound to secure early.
How to use this worksheet
Begin by saying the 'sh' sound together, encouraging your child to notice how the lips push forward and the air flows out in a long, quiet /ʃ/ — the same sound we make when we ask someone to be quiet. Look at each picture in turn and say its name slowly, listening for the 'sh': fish, shell, sheep, ship. Your child can then colour each one. Once the colouring is finished, support them to write the matching word on the lines provided, sounding out and counting the phonemes as they go (sh-i-p has three sounds, not four letters' worth of sounds). The optional word bank is there as a safety net for children who are still building confidence with spelling.
Where 'sh' fits in the phonics journey
Most schools following a systematic synthetic phonics programme introduce 'sh' in Phase 3, after children have learnt the single-letter sounds of Phase 2. It is usually taught alongside the other common consonant digraphs ch, th and ng. Securing 'sh' helps children decode a large number of everyday words and is a stepping stone towards reading simple captions and sentences independently. If your child confuses 'sh' with 'ch' (as in chip and ship), slow the sounds right down and exaggerate the difference — 'ch' is a short, sharp sound, while 'sh' is long and breathy.
Keeping practice positive
At this age, little and often beats long sessions. A few minutes of colouring and word-writing keeps the activity feeling like play rather than a test, which is exactly what helps the learning stick. Praise the effort of sounding out, not just correct answers, and treat any mistakes as useful information about which sounds still need a little more attention. You can extend the activity by going on a 'sh hunt' around the house or garden, spotting other 'sh' words such as shoe, shirt, brush and dish.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 'sh' digraph in phonics?
'sh' is a consonant digraph — two letters that together make one sound, /ʃ/. It is the sound at the start of 'shop' and the end of 'fish'. Children learn to read the two letters as a single sound rather than blending 's' and 'h' separately.
What age or year do children learn the 'sh' sound?
The 'sh' sound is usually taught in Year 1 (ages 5 to 6), in Phase 3 of a systematic synthetic phonics programme. It is often introduced alongside the other consonant digraphs 'ch', 'th' and 'ng'.
What are some words that contain the 'sh' sound?
Common 'sh' words for this age group include ship, shop, shell, sheep, shoe, fish, wish, dish, brush and washing. The sound can appear at the start, middle or end of a word.
How can I help my child who confuses 'sh' and 'ch'?
Slow both sounds right down and exaggerate the difference. 'ch' (as in chip) is a short, sharp sound, while 'sh' (as in ship) is a long, breathy sound — the same one we use to ask for quiet. Practising minimal pairs such as chip and ship side by side helps.
Is this 'sh' worksheet free to print?
Yes. This worksheet is completely free to download and print. It fits on one sheet of A4 and is suitable for home or classroom use with children aged 5 to 7.
Curriculum links
- English Year 1 Word Reading: apply phonic knowledge and skills as the route to decode words.
- English Year 1 Word Reading: respond speedily with the correct sound to graphemes (letters or groups of letters) for all 40+ phonemes, including, where applicable, alternative sounds for graphemes.
- English Year 1 Word Reading: read words containing taught GPCs (grapheme-phoneme correspondences), including the consonant digraph 'sh'.
- English Year 1 Spelling: spell words containing each of the 40+ phonemes already taught.
- English Year 1 Reading Comprehension: develop pleasure in reading by linking what they read to their own experiences.
Made by The Owee education team. Updated 02/06/2026. Free to print and share.
More learning, made playful
Owee turns topics like this into age-right quizzes for children aged 5 to 10, with a treehouse that grows as they learn. Three subjects are free, forever.
Get Owee free