Last updated October 6, 2026

How It Works

1. Pick your words. Choose a Dolch or Fry list, tap the words you want to practice, or type your own list. Five to ten words at a time works well for kindergarten.
2. Choose your worksheets. Tick any of the ten worksheet types. The preview updates as you click, so you can check the layout before you print. Use Shuffle puzzles for a fresh word search or bingo set.
3. Download your PDF. Save one worksheet or everything in a single file, then print on US Letter paper. There is no signup, and the pages are yours to use at home or in your classroom.

What's Included

The generator makes ten kinds of sight word printables, plus a download-all bundle.

• Tracing worksheets: each word as a model, then dotted copies and a blank handwriting line.
• Flashcards: large words, eight to a page, with dashed cut lines.
• Word search puzzles: easy, medium and hard grids, with an answer key.
• Fill in the missing letter: one letter is left out of each word, with an answer key.
• Read and write sentences: a short sentence for each word, with the sight word in color.
• Word matching: match words to pictures, or match little words to big capital-letter words, with an answer key.
• Bingo class sets: up to 30 unique boards, plus caller cards to cut out.
• Memory match cards: pairs to cut out, shuffle and flip.
• Roll and read: roll a die, find the number, read the word and color the box.
• Checklist and class tracker: a one-child checklist and a class grid to record who knows each word.
• Download all: every selected worksheet in one PDF, on US Letter or A4 paper.

Why Sight Words Matter

Many of the most common words in English, like the, of and you, are hard to sound out and turn up on almost every page. A child who knows them by sight can read sentences more smoothly and put more attention on what the story means. Sightwords.com reports that the full Dolch list covers about 80% of the words in a typical children's book.

Sight word practice works best alongside letter sounds, not instead of them. Use these worksheets for short, regular practice while your child also learns to sound out new words.

Full Sight Word List for Kindergarten

Sight words are common words children learn to recognize at a glance. Edward Dolch published his list in 1936 and split it by level. His kindergarten-level list is the 52-word Primer list, and the 40-word pre-primer list is a gentler place to start. Some sites call the 40-word list “pre-kindergarten”. Choose either one in the generator above to turn its words into worksheets.

Dolch pre-primer list (40 words)

• a
• and
• away
• big
• blue
• can
• come
• down
• find
• for
• funny
• go
• help
• here
• I
• in
• is
• it
• jump
• little
• look
• make
• me
• my
• not
• one
• play
• red
• run
• said
• see
• the
• three
• to
• two
• up
• we
• where
• yellow
• you

Dolch primer list (52 words)

• all
• am
• are
• at
• ate
• be
• black
• brown
• but
• came
• did
• do
• eat
• four
• get
• good
• have
• he
• into
• like
• must
• new
• no
• now
• on
• our
• out
• please
• pretty
• ran
• ride
• saw
• say
• she
• so
• soon
• that
• there
• they
• this
• too
• under
• want
• was
• well
• went
• what
• white
• who
• will
• with
• yes

Looking for a printable checklist or practice pages? Tick Checklist and tracker in the generator, or see our kindergarten sight words practice sheets and our letter tracing worksheets.

Sight Word Sentences to Practice

Once your child knows a few words, read them in short sentences. These ten use only words from the pre-primer list.

1. I can jump.
2. We go to school.
3. The sky is blue.
4. I see a big dog.
5. Look at the bird.
6. Mom and Dad play.
7. I like to read.
8. This is my dog.
9. Come and play with me.
10. The cat is in the box.

How to Teach Sight Words

Start with two or three words at a time

Young learners remember a few words well better than a long list badly. Introduce two or three new words, review them for a few days, then add more. Mix new words in with ones the child already knows so every session ends with a win.

Use more than one sense

Have your child say the word, trace it with a finger, then write it in sand, shaving foam or with magnetic letters. The tracing sheets and missing-letter pages above give a pencil version of the same idea.

Turn practice into a game

Bingo, flashcard hunts and word searches make repetition feel like play. Hide flashcards around the room and let children find and read each one, or call out bingo words and cover them with buttons.

Read the words in context

Words stick when children meet them in real reading. Use the sentence pages, then point out the same words in picture books, signs and labels around the house or classroom.

Teach them alongside phonics

Reading researcher Timothy Shanahan points out that when children are taught to decode well, they eventually recognize almost all words by sight. Keep teaching letter sounds while you practice sight words, and let children read the words in stories more than in drills.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the sight word worksheets free?

Yes. The generator is free to use, needs no signup and adds no watermark. You can print the worksheets for your own children or classroom. A small bookandpencil.com line at the bottom of each page can be switched off in the options.

How many sight words should a kindergartener know?

There is no required number. The Common Core standards ask kindergartners to read common high-frequency words by sight, such as the, of, you and my, without naming a total. Literacy researcher Timothy Shanahan suggests about 20 words by the end of kindergarten and calls 60 high. Edward Dolch's kindergarten-level list, the Primer list, has 52 words (ReadingVine uses that figure). Many schools set their own goal, so check the list your school or district uses.

What age should children start learning sight words?

Many children are ready around age 4 or 5, once they recognize most letters and know some letter sounds. There is no need to rush. Short, playful sessions of a few minutes work better than long drills.

What is the difference between Dolch and Fry sight words?

Edward Dolch published his list in the 1930s and grouped it by grade level, from pre-primer to grade 3. Edward Fry's Instant Words list ranks words by how often they appear in print, so the first 100 are the most common words. The two lists overlap heavily, so either works for kindergarten.

Can I use my own words?

Yes. Type or paste up to 20 words, one per line or separated by commas. This works well for names, spelling words or words from your reading program.

Sources and Further Reading

• Shanahan on Literacy: Sight Words for Kindergarten? Yes, But Not Too Many
• ReadingVine: How Many Sight Words Should a Kindergartener Know?
• Sightwords.com: Dolch sight word lists and Fry sight word lists, the source of the word lists in this generator