Browse

Preschool Sight Words

46 free PDFsUS Letter or A4Answer key includedNo login

Twenty first sight words, from I and a to big and no: find and dot each word, color it in big outline letters, trace it big, and read six little books.

Download the sight words worksheets

Color the sight words

Find and dot the sight word

One page for each of the 20 words, with an answer key on page 2.

Trace the sight words

First sight word mini books

Fold the sheet in half the long way, then into eighths. Open it, cut the solid middle line, refold the long way and push the ends together so the pages fold into a book.

Print at 100% (actual size) for the cleanest tracing lines.

About these sight words worksheets

These preschool sight words worksheets cover 20 first words: I, a, the, to, and, is, it, in, you, we, can, see, my, like, go, me, look, up, big and no. They are short, common words that a preschooler can learn to know at a glance, often starting with I, a and the.

Each word has a find and dot page, where children dot every circle with the word among look-alike words. The color pages show two words in big outline letters to color in, and the tracing pages have two words on big writing lines with a start dot on every letter and a box to try the word alone.

Six foldable mini books put the words to work in a short, repeating sentence with a picture on every page, like "I see a cat." and "I can run." Each book folds from one sheet with a single cut.

Standards

  • ELOF P-LIT 2Child demonstrates an understanding of how print is used (functions of print) and the rules that govern how print works (conventions of print).
  • ELOF P-LIT 6Child writes for a variety of purposes using increasingly sophisticated marks.
  • ELOF P-PMP 3Child demonstrates increasing control, strength, and coordination of small muscles.

How to use them

  1. Teach one or two words a week, in the order of this page.
  2. Start with the color page: read the word, spell it out loud, then color it.
  3. Use the find and dot page next, then the tracing page once the word looks familiar.
  4. Read the matching mini book together, pointing to each word as you read.

Teaching tips

  • Preschoolers do not need to read sight words on their own yet. Seeing, saying and finding them is plenty.
  • Point to words in real books. Finding "the" on a page is a big moment.
  • Keep finished color pages on the wall as a word wall at your child's eye level.
  • Fold the mini book together the first time; the folding steps are on this page.

Questions teachers and parents ask

Which sight words should preschoolers learn first?

Short, common words such as I, a, the, see, can and like are a good start. This page covers 20 first words in a gentle teaching order.

How many sight words should a preschooler know?

There is no set number. Knowing a handful of words by sight before kindergarten is a nice head start, but it is not expected of every child.

How do I fold the mini books?

Fold the sheet in half the long way, then into eighths, and open it. Cut along the solid middle line, refold the long way, and push the ends together so the cut opens. Fold the pages around so the cover is on the front.