Word kindergarten should know

FREE Printable List of Kindergarten Sight Words & How to Teach Them

If you’ve got a child in kindergarten, you’ll want to get familiar with kindergarten sight words and learn how to teach your child to read & learn sight words.

As a child play therapist and teacher, I understand how important it is to understand what sight words are, as well as understanding which activities, games, and apps are best to use to teach them.

This post has been updated to include more Kindergarten Sight Word Resources for parents and teachers (like this Kindergarten Sight Word Bundle Packet). 

Sight words are words that kindergarteners will see the most. Sight words are a commonly used term that usually refers to a set of words that reappears on almost any page of text.  

These high-frequency words are seen often.  In fact, between 50-75% of your child’s text will include sight words from pre-primer & primer Dolch word lists.

What are sight words?

To become a great reader, children must master their sight words. It is essential to learn their sight words and to continue to practice them. Once your child has mastered them, it is time to move onto the next list.

When your child is looking at these words on a daily basis, they will learn them quickly.  Repetition is the key to fluency (reading smoothly, without a lot of pauses), so practicing these words over and over will help to achieve that goal. Here is a FREE printable list of Kindergarten Sight Words (click here, and I will send you the list)

Or if you really want the complete package, get this Kindergarten Sight Word Bundle Packet. As a child play therapist, I put this packet together so you can help your child learn sight words. You can print it over and over again to help your child learn his or her sight words.

There are 52 sight words that are typically taught in kindergarten.

The Kindergarten Sight Words are:

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.

These are the 52 most commonly seen words in kindergarten level books. When a child is able to master those words, it not only makes it easier for them to read the words, it also improves their fluency or how quickly and smoothly they can read a passage.

To begin, simply introduce your child to the list (show your child, hang it up, read them).

Read all of the words to your child (every day) and explain that he will be learning a new word every day (or every other day). Be excited about it.

On day one, see if your child knows any of the words. If they do, put a sticker, a checkmark, or a smiley face to the left of the word (there is space for that). If not, that’s OK! He will.

Every single day, go over the new word, as well as the OLD words that they know. I start by going over the old words with the sticker and then picking a new word. I say it, spell it, say it again, and ask my child to repeat it.

During the day, we will talk about that word and go back to the wall where it is hanging to look at it. I do this at least three times. I keep my chart in the pantry, so anytime our kids eat a snack or want to grab something, they see the words.

Continue to add a sticker, checkmark, or a smiley face to their new words, until the whole list has been completed. From then on, you can just review them every day or every few days.

As the days go on, find these words in other areas (words in books, service words on signs, flash cards before bed…)

Related: YOU ARE WELCOME TO DOWNLOAD THIS SIGHT WORD CHECKLIST ↓ (free) by clicking here.  

SIGHT WORDS TO TRACE

Tracing kindergarten sight words gives children a chance to engage with the words in a new and different way. By combining multiple learning styles in one lesson, kids are more likely to learn and recall their sight words. Here are a couple of methods for creating kindergarten sight words to trace.

• Rainbow Writing: At the beginning of the school year, have students trace the sight words in three different colors. This repetition helps them develop motor memory while also solidifying the spelling of the word. As the school year progresses, have students write the words independently in three colors. They can overlap the colors or write them three separate times.
• Dry Erase Words: Kids love writing with different writing tools, so dry erase markers always make things more fun!
   – Print out the kindergarten sight words you’d like students to practice on a sheet of heavy cardstock.
   – Slip the cardstock into a transparent page protector and clip it to a clipboard.
   – Then, with a dry erase marker, students can trace the sight words on the page protector.
  If they make a mistake, it can be erased with a tissue or an old sock!

Technology has made even the youngest students digitally savvy. If you have access to a computer or tablet and a printer, have your students type their kindergarten sight words and print them out.

Kids love working in word processing programs and learning how to type. They can print the words in different colors, fonts, and sizes. Use the sight words they printed to decorate the room or as part of their reading folder.

If you minimize the page size, you could even use their printed words as Kindergarten sight word flashcards!

Learning sight words are important, but kids need to learn how to identify those words in sentences.

For early readers, being able to pick out kindergarten sight words in sentences means they have a complete understanding of the word.

Not only can they trace and write the word, but they can pick it out amidst other words. This is an important skill as they continue to develop their reading abilities.

One way to help kids identify their sight words in sentences is to play a modified version of I Spy. Instead of looking for objects, they are tasked with finding sight words. Give them a highlighter or highlighter tape to cover the word once they have found it.

Since kindergarteners have a limited reading vocabulary, make the sentences as uncomplicated as possible. Even three-word sentences allow students to practice finding and identifying sight words. If you want to make it more challenging, add a couple of sight words in each sentence!

Kindergarten sight words are basic words that are seen the most frequently in grade-level books. Many of the words are hard to illustrate because of their simplicity. One way to create flashcards of kindergarten sight words with pictures is to have students decorate them or create an illustration that helps them remember the word.

For example, they may draw someone crawling under a table, or they might draw a picture of a toy that has fallen under a bed to illustrate the word “UNDER.”  

Whatever image helps them remember the word is fine to use. The goal is to help them learn the words so there is no right or wrong.

Kindergarten sight word flashcards are especially helpful for quick practice. They can be useful for reviewing words at home or on the go.

Some people even uploaded them as virtual flashcards to a tablet or smartphone to be practiced while in the car, visiting relatives, or on vacation.

It doesn’t matter if you print them out to review alone, study them from a device, or turn them into a game; sight word flashcards are a great way to reinforce kindergarten vocabulary.

When using Kindergarten Sight Word Flashcards, start with three sight words. When your child knows these three words, add one additional word at a time to the existing words the child already knows.

If you add more, your child will likely become frustrated – and we want this to be fun! Continue adding one word at a time until your child can recognize all Kindergarten sight words.

Learning is always more effective when it’s turned into a game! Here are some of our favorite sight word games and apps.

• Go on a Word Hunt: Look for sight words in your Kindergartener’s favorite book! Count how many you can find. You could also print out a list of kindergarten sight words and put a checkmark next to each one you find.
• Sight Word Hopscotch: Draw a hopscotch board on the sidewalk with chalk and write different sight words in each square. As your child hops from square to square, have him call out the sight word he’s jumping to.
• Sight Word Water Balloon Smash: Fill water balloons and write sight words on each balloon in a permanent marker. On the sidewalk, write the sight words in chalk. Have your child choose a balloon, match it to the word on the sidewalk, and smash it on the chalked word. Not only is it a lot of fun, but it’s also a great way to stay cool.
• There are more Games in this Kindergarten Sight Word Bundle Packet, like these puzzles, etc.

• Sight Words by Photo Touch – Free.  This no-frills sight word app lets kids match the sight words and progress through the different levels.
• Sight Words List by Innovative Mobile Apps – $1.39. Bright and simple, this app lets you use pre-built lists of sight words or create your own. There are also challenges where kids can pick the sight word out of a group of words. The clear font makes the words easy to read.
• Sight Words: Kids Learn by Teacher Created Materials – Free. This sight words app features more frills than the two above. The pictures are colorful, the font is clear, and there are multiple games to help students practice their sight words.
• Print this FREE Kindergarten sight word list – Hang it by your door or on your refrigerator.  Review the list daily until your child can read them fluently and confidently.

You’ll also want to think about helping them even more by using this Kindergarten Sight Word Bundle Packet.

This printable packet is easy to use; you can download it and print it over & over to help your child.  The kids love it & they learn so much from the repetition of seeing the same words again & again.   It’s a great way to help your child learn their sight words, which helps them to learn to read well.

See these other posts to get your child ready for school

• Teach kids their name and number with ONE tip
• How to read to your preschooler
• 5 practical, time-saving tips for school mornings

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Kindergarten Sight Words List | Education.com

Sight words are words that appear frequently in most of the text people read, but can't easily be sounded out. Learning them helps children become more confident readers. This list of kindergarten sight words includes the most commonly used words every kid should know, also called high frequency words. Although kids won't need to be able to read these sight words until the end of kindergarten, if you've got a pre-K child itching to get started with sight words, this is a great place to start ... before kindergarten rolls around!

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Look for even more resources below.

For more literacy and word practice for kindergarteners, see online games, lesson plans, and more from our kindergarten resources page.

Flash cards help kids learn sight words...without it feeling like work! Check out over 100 brightly-colored sight words in our set of sight words flashcards.

To make memorization even more fun, check out our free online sight words games. Kids can practice identifying these essential words by popping balloons, hopping in mud, and soaring through the sky!

Next Article: The Great Debate: Code-Emphasis vs. Meaning-Emphasis Programs

What is important for a child to know and be able to do before kindergarten

As a rule, the decision that a child will go to kindergarten is not taken spontaneously by parents. This has been known for at least a few months. Therefore, responsible parents have 2-3 months left to slowly prepare the baby for kindergarten.

Of course, a kindergarten is not a school, and the child does not need any special knowledge. But parents should take care to facilitate his first experience of communication in a team. To make it easier for the baby to adapt, in advance: accustom the child to the daily routine that is set in the kindergarten of your choice; instill in him elementary self-service skills; learn how to communicate with other children and caregivers.

Why the routine is so important

Even if your family doesn't accept or can't follow a certain routine, it should be one of the steps in preparing your child for kindergarten.

It is important that the baby knows how to fall asleep without a mother, especially during the day. In kindergarten, no one will lull him to sleep. If the child begins to wake up, fall asleep, walk, play and study at a certain time, this will greatly facilitate his period of getting used to new conditions. Compliance with the regime will help to adjust the baby's biological clock, he will be less tired, it will be much easier for him to learn and acquire new knowledge and skills.

Of course, it is better if the parents immediately accustom the child to the daily routine that is set in the kindergarten where he is going to go. Therefore, find out the daily routine in the group and adapt the crumbs to it in advance. So he will get the first idea about the discipline, the observance of which is necessary already starting from kindergarten.

It would be useful if your baby knows the words "can't", "should" and "possible". This will make it easier for him to interact with caregivers and help avoid conflicts with other children. The ability to comply with generally established requirements will ultimately reduce the period of adaptation, make attending a kindergarten a pleasure for a child, and not a heavy duty or punishment.

What self-care skills will be required for kindergarten

By the age of three, when the majority of children are ready to attend kindergarten, parents themselves try to ensure that the baby has the necessary skills: to put on and take off clothes without adult help; use cutlery; wash your face, comb your hair, brush your teeth.

From an early age, children already enjoy being independent. Starting to walk, they are already trying to do without the help of adults, including taking off or putting on their clothes, socks and shoes. Encourage this effort by making it easy for your child to wear comfortable clothing and shoes with a minimum of buttons, zippers, Velcro and elastic bands that can be easily removed and put on.

Teach him to recognize your belongings and make sure they look neat and clean. Explain that outer clothing should be hung in a special closet or on a hanger, and lower clothes should be neatly folded on a chair or hung on its back. Even a three-year-old kid can be taught how to clean shoes, wipe them with a special cloth from dust and dirt. Of course, in most cases, his shoes will have to be washed, but the sooner you start teaching your child about neatness, the easier it will be for him in kindergarten.

Children begin to use cutlery, a spoon and a fork, drink from a cup on their own after a year. During this period, you need to gradually abandon the use of bottles with nipples, special mugs with lids for babies. By the time your child enters kindergarten, these skills to use "adult" cutlery, although smaller, should already be well developed if you do not want your baby to remain hungry. Buy him a special children's service, a spoon and a fork, teach him to immediately hold them correctly while eating.

When teaching him to eat on his own, stop trying to turn the process into a game. You should not entertain him by trying to feed him “to satiety”, kindergarten teachers will not encourage this approach. Teach your baby to eat carefully, trying not to spill anything either on clothes or on the table. Teach him how to use napkins.

Parents should also take care of their baby's diet. He will not have the opportunity to choose dishes in the garden. Therefore, teach him to eat what is offered. Explain that for games and activities he will need a lot of strength, and for this he needs to eat well.

Hygiene skills are also taught to the child before kindergarten. One particularly important habit is hand washing. This should be done not only before each meal, but also after walking and playing. Teach him to roll up his sleeves so that in kindergarten he does not walk around with wet sleeves after every wash. Brushing your teeth will be more difficult - not all young children enjoy this process. Therefore, provide your child with a soft toothbrush and toothpaste that tastes good.

One of the most essential skills is the ability to go to the toilet on your own. Diapers, of course, are a convenient thing, but after two years the child should be accustomed to a potty or a toilet with a special seat. In kindergarten, he will be able to use the potty that he is used to at home, the teachers will not mind. Teach him to use toilet paper carefully, to remove and put on panties and tights on his own.

The child must be able to communicate

The first communication skills the baby receives in the family. The more relatives and friends you have, the easier it will be for him to socialize in kindergarten. But a child can also learn to communicate during joint walks with his mother, meetings with other children on the playground. The more open the parents are to contact, the easier it will be for the baby.

Set an example for your child, communicate actively with strangers in front of him, get to know other parents and children. Encourage the initiative of your child, if he shows interest in the people around him and other children, he should not be shy himself and close up when strangers turn to him. Go with him to visit, spend children's holidays in your family. Leave him for some time alone at a party, with friends or relatives who do not live with you. The child should not be afraid that parents, mother are not always there.

Instill in your child a sense of empathy, empathy, the ability to put yourself in the place of another person. Even a three-year-old person is able to realize that not all of his whims and desires should be fulfilled, especially to the detriment of other children. Set him up to be friends with other boys and girls and not offend them, share treats and toys with them.

Accustom the child in the family to group forms of interaction: joint games, cleaning the apartment, evening gatherings, reading books, watching movies. The kid should enjoy communicating with both relatives and strangers, whether they are adults or children.

At the same time, your child should be able to play and study independently by the age of three. Leave him alone with toys more often, because even at home, mom does not always have the opportunity to spend with the child all the time. Find him things that he can do for some time on his own: for example, drawing, coloring, modeling, assembling a designer, folding and moving objects, toys.

Prepare your child for the fact that the teacher is responsible for all children and cannot pay attention only to your child. Maintain the authority of educators in the family, do not allow them to speak badly about them in the presence of the child. And, importantly, teach him to formulate and express his desires. This is necessary so that the baby can ask for the toilet in time, inform the teacher about his other needs.

Intellectual development of the child before kindergarten

The level of development of your child must also meet certain requirements. Of course, all children are different, but by the age of three, the child should already take part in thematic games, memorize the proposed plot and follow it during the game. He must know and be able to show parts of the body, distinguish between gender and age of people, distinguish and draw various geometric shapes - vertical and horizontal lines, circles.

Babies at this age are open to everything new. Tell your child stories, read books, he should be able to listen carefully to what he is told. Pick up for him to listen to audio performances and productions intended for the smallest. Develop his memory, learn poems and songs with him. Expand his vocabulary by repeating new words, explaining concepts new to him. By the time you send your little one to kindergarten, he should already be able to form sentences of at least three or four words.

Conclusions

Preparing a child for kindergarten does not require much time or special knowledge from parents. But the knowledge and ideas about discipline instilled ahead of time will greatly facilitate and shorten the process of adaptation to new conditions for the baby.

Rules for Parents

RULES FOR OUR PARENTS

Dear parents!

In our kindergarten, we care about your children, their safety and development.

Therefore, we ask you to follow some rules that will help make attending kindergarten a pleasant experience for your child.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

*** Don't forget that there is a monthly payment for keeping a child in kindergarten in a preschool institution. We ask you to pay the receipt on time, , by the 20th day of of each month, according to the contract.

Read about payment here

*** In our preschool institution, it is customary to treat each other politely , therefore, regardless of their age, it is necessary to address the teachers of the group with you, by name and patronymic, and teach this to your children.

Their "aunts" do not work in our kindergarten!

*** Reception of children is carried out from 7.30 to 8.45 daily, except weekends and holidays.

Timely arrival in kindergarten is a necessary condition for the correct organization of the educational process.

*** If you bring your child after the start of any regimen or activity, please undress him and wait with him in the locker room until the next break.

*** In the morning, parents must hand over the child personally to the caregiver , and in the evening, be sure to go to the caregiver and say that you are picking up the child from the kindergarten.

*** If you need to bring or pick up a child outside school hours , please notify the teacher in advance. If your child is taken from the kindergarten by relatives or acquaintances, then you must write an application and sign it with the head.

*** If a child is unable to come to kindergarten due to illness or other good reason, please inform the teacher before 9 am by contact phone, and in case of coming to kindergarten after illness or vacation - the day before 12 noon .

*** A child not attending kindergarten for more than 3 days must have a doctor's certificate.

Parents, remember! You must bring a healthy child!

An untreated child will not only get sick himself, but will also infect healthy children!

And if "snot" and coughing do not frighten you as a mother, then another mother may have her own opinion, different from yours.

*** Before you take your child to kindergarten, check whether he is dressed correctly whether his suit is appropriate for the season and air temperature. In properly selected clothes, the child moves freely, gets tired less. Make sure that the child's clothing is not too large and at the same time does not hinder the child's movements. Pay special attention to shoes . It should be light, warm and fit exactly to the size of the foot. Check buckles and laces. They must be such that the child can use them independently. In group room not allowed wearing shoes without backs (flip-flops).

Dear parents! Slippers leave for the house. Children, of course, feel at home here, but let shoes be “not slippers” .

Requirements for the appearance of children

• Neat appearance, fully buttoned clothing and shoes;
• Washed face;
• Clean nose, hands, trimmed nails;
• Hair trimmed and carefully combed; for girls, the hairstyle is fixed with elastic bands, bows, etc.
• Clean underwear;
• Availability of sufficient handkerchiefs. The handkerchief is necessary for the child both indoors and on a walk. Make convenient pockets on your clothes for storing it.

To create comfortable conditions for a child to stay in kindergarten, you need:

• In closet there should be T-shirts, panties, spare tights, socks, a change of clothes in case of an "accident" while eating. Children ... are an independent people. Be sure to check the neatness of things, do not forget to take your pajamas and sportswear to the laundry, well, we don’t even mention the daily change of clothes. Clothing for staying in a group. It is not allowed to wear the same pair of jeans, trousers both for a walk and in the premises of the kindergarten.
• Two bags for storing clean and used linen.
• Comb (regardless of hair length).
• Sportswear and shoes with rubber soles for physical education.
• Linen, clothes and other things can be marked.

• It is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN to bring sharp, piercing or cutting objects to the preschool institution (scissors, knives, knitting needles, pins, nails, wire, mirror, glass bottles, vials, metal toys, swords, sabers, lighters, etc.) .

The presence of such items is dangerous not only for your child, but also for other children attending the group. Therefore, be sure to check your child's pockets before leaving for kindergarten.

We strongly do not recommend that your child wear gold and silver jewelry.

We also ask not to give chewing gum, sweets, cookies and any food, vitamins, pills and other medicines, cosmetics and computer games and any valuable toy that you feel sorry for.

If you consider it necessary to give your child some treats with you, then please limit yourself to a few caramels in candy wrappers and warn the teacher about this.

• In a group, children are not allowed to beat and offend each other; take things from the teacher's table without permission, even your own, take personal things without permission, including toys of other children brought from home; spoil and break the results of the work of other children. Children are not allowed to "strike back", as well as to attack each other. This requirement is dictated by the safety of the child.
• Do not forget to pay attention to the child's man-made work (drawings, crafts), praise the child.

Parents can attend classes at any time by notifying the teacher conducting it a day in advance. Replacement shoes are not required, but remember about shoe covers!

General issues are discussed at parent meetings, not because there is nothing to say about everyone, but only because of ethical considerations.

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