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Sight Word Flash Cards

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Cut-apart flash cards for all 50 kindergarten sight words, with sentence backs, a pre-K starter set, 1st grade next steps and blank cards.

Download the sight word flash cards worksheets

Kindergarten sight word flash cards

Five sets of ten cards, in teaching order, each with an optional page of sentence backs. Or download all 50 fronts in one file.

Pre-K starter set

1st grade sight word flash cards

Forty next-step words for children who know the kindergarten list.

Blank flash cards

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

About these sight word flash cards worksheets

These printable sight word flash cards cover all 50 kindergarten sight words in five sets of ten, in the order most classrooms teach them. Each card has one word in big, clean letters, and dashed lines show where to cut. They print well on card stock, which makes them sturdy enough for daily practice.

Every set has an optional second page of card backs. Print it on the back of the cards (flip on the long edge) and each card gets a short sentence that uses its word, so a child can read the word alone and then read it in a sentence. There is also a pre-K starter set of eight big cards with picture sentences, four sets of 1st grade words for children who are ready for more, and blank cards to write your own words.

Standards

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.CRead common high-frequency words by sight (e.g., the, of, to, you, she, my, is, are, do, does).
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.4Read emergent-reader texts with purpose and understanding.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1.APrint many upper- and lowercase letters.

How to use them

  1. Print one set at a time, on card stock if you have it, and cut on the dashed lines. The small set label in the corner of each card helps you sort them back into sets.
  2. Start with two or three new words mixed in with words your child already knows. Show a card, let your child read it, and move on quickly. A few minutes a day works better than one long session.
  3. Sort the cards into two piles: words your child reads right away and words that still need a moment. Practice the second pile, and add a new card when it shrinks.
  4. Turn a card over to read its sentence once the word is easy. Reading the word inside a sentence is the step that makes it stick.
  5. Use the blank cards for names, family words or any extra words from your child's books.

Teaching tips

  • Say the word together, then spell it out letter by letter, then say it again. Looking at every letter helps children tell apart look-alikes like was and saw.
  • Keep it light. If a word is missed, say it, have your child repeat it and go on; it will come around again.
  • Children who know all 50 words can move on to the 1st grade sets. Younger children can start with the pre-K starter set of eight words.
  • Use the same cards for games: hide them around the room, play memory with two copies, or lay out three and ask your child to find the one you say.

Questions teachers and parents ask

Which sight words are on the flash cards?

The 50 kindergarten sight words, from I, a, the, to and and through what, where, be and that. They are split into five sets of ten in the order they are usually taught, so you can start with set 1 and work forward.

What paper should I print flash cards on?

Card stock is best because the cards last longer and you can't see through them. Plain paper works too; you can glue the cards onto index cards or laminate them.

How do I print the sentence backs?

Print page 1, put the sheet back in the printer, and print page 2 on the other side, or choose two-sided printing and flip on the long edge. The backs are mirrored so each sentence lands behind its word.

How many sight words should a kindergartner learn?

Many kindergarten classrooms aim for about 25 to 50 sight words by the end of the year. Go at your child's pace: a few new words a week, with lots of review, is plenty.

Are there flash cards for younger or older children?

Yes. The pre-K starter set has eight big cards for first words like I, see, my and can, with picture sentences on the back. The 1st grade sets add 40 next-step words such as after, could, every and when.