Dolch Pre-Primer Sight Words Worksheets
The 40 Dolch pre-primer words are the first sight words most children learn, usually in preschool or early kindergarten. They are split into 8 sets of 5 words — about one set a week.
Dolch Pre-Primer Sight Words Set 1a, and, away, big, blue
Dolch Pre-Primer Sight Words Set 2can, come, down, find, for
Dolch Pre-Primer Sight Words Set 3funny, go, help, here, I
Dolch Pre-Primer Sight Words Set 4in, is, it, jump, little
Dolch Pre-Primer Sight Words Set 5look, make, me, my, not
Dolch Pre-Primer Sight Words Set 6one, play, red, run, said
Dolch Pre-Primer Sight Words Set 7see, the, three, to, two
Dolch Pre-Primer Sight Words Set 8up, we, where, yellow, youThe Dolch Pre-Primer word list
All 40 words, set by set. Click a set to print its worksheet.
| Set | Words |
|---|---|
| Set 1 | a, and, away, big, blue |
| Set 2 | can, come, down, find, for |
| Set 3 | funny, go, help, here, I |
| Set 4 | in, is, it, jump, little |
| Set 5 | look, make, me, my, not |
| Set 6 | one, play, red, run, said |
| Set 7 | see, the, three, to, two |
| Set 8 | up, we, where, yellow, you |
Where to start
Best for: Ages 4–5 (preschool to kindergarten) · Time: 10 minutes a day
Start with set 1 (a, and, away, big, blue) and add one new set each week. The sets are small on purpose: a few new words a week, with plenty of review, works better than a long list all at once.
- Day 1: read the new words together. Say each word, tap its sounds and point to the letters that spell them.
- Day 2: the tracing page — say each letter as you trace, then read the whole word.
- Day 3: the read & write page — cover the example and write each word from memory.
- Day 4: rainbow writing, then hunt for this week’s words in a favorite picture book.
- Day 5: quick check — read the words on cards and use each one in a sentence.
Tips for dolch pre-primer
- Say each word, tap its sounds, then point to the letters that spell each sound.
- Find the tricky part that doesn’t sound the way it looks — like the “ai” in said — and learn just that part by heart.
- Review earlier sets every week. Words stick after many short practices spread over time.
Want different words, a bigger size or a class set? Open any worksheet and choose Customize, or make your own with the word worksheet maker.
Common questions
What are sight words?
Sight words are the words children see most often in books, such as the, and, said and was. The goal is for children to read them instantly, “by sight.” Many of them can be sounded out, so most teachers now teach them with phonics: sound out the regular parts and learn only the tricky part by heart.
What are heart words?
Heart words are high-frequency words with a part that doesn’t follow the spelling patterns a child knows yet, like the “ai” in said or the “o” in to. Teachers often draw a heart over the tricky letters to show which part to learn by heart, while the rest of the word is sounded out as usual.
What is the Dolch sight word list?
Edward Dolch put together his list of 220 common “service words” in the 1930s and 1940s from the words that appeared most often in children’s books. It is grouped by level — pre-primer, primer, first, second and third grade — and is still one of the most widely used sight word lists in US schools.
Can I use my school’s own sight word list?
Yes. Many schools use the list that comes with their reading program instead of Dolch or Fry. Choose “Use your own words” on any set, replace the words with this week’s list, and print a worksheet — or a named packet for every student in your class.