250+ Sight Words for First Graders

In Grade 1, children’s language abilities surge, expanding their vocabularies and enabling them to form simple sentences. This growth introduces them to sight words for first graders—common, high-frequency words like “the,” “and,” “you,” that they should recognize instantly.

Mastering these words, around 200 by year’s end, boosts reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary development. Engaging with these grade 1 sight words through various activities helps children become proficient readers and writers.

In this blog, we will share over 250 sight words for first graders, aiming to enhance their reading skills and vocabulary development further.

Discover some online reading games to educate and engage your kids!

What are Sight Words?

Sight Words for first graders are the most common words that children come across. They are usually short words, such as the, and, of, to, you, and I. These are high-frequency words that appear in any English text very often. Knowing these words helps children to improve their reading fluency and comprehension skills. It also hones their vocabulary development.

Related Reading: How to Teach Sight Words 

250+ Most Common Sight Words for First Graders

40 Dolch Sight Words

Dr. Edward William Dolch, an educator, studied children’s books of his time and came up with 220 ‘service words’ that occurred most frequently in those books. He developed the list of basic sight words for grade 1 in the 1930s-40s and suggested the following sight words for 1st graders:

Fry Sight Words

Dr. Edward Fry prepared his list of 1,000 most common words in the 1950s. The list of 100 sight words for first-grade students by Fry covers almost 90% of the words 6-7 year-olds will come across in stories, poems, and informational texts:

SplashLearn Recommended Sight Words List

Here is a SplashLearn experts recommended list of 130 more commonly used sight words  that your first grader should know:

Here is a list of sight words for first graders to help with their math vocabulary:

4 Ways to Use the First-Grade Sight Words List

Using sight word lists can be a fun and effective way to help your first grader learn to read. Here are some creative ideas on how parents can use these printable first-grade sight words lists:

1. Fridge Magnets: Print the list of sight words for first graders and cut them out. Stick them to your fridge using magnets. This way, your child will see the words every day. As they grab a snack or help in the kitchen, they can practice reading the words. The constant exposure helps reinforce their learning.
2. Reading Corner: Set up a reading corner with the printed sight word list displayed prominently. Encourage your child to refer to the list while reading books, helping them recognize and recall words.
3. Daily Word: Choose a “word of the day” from the list. Write it on a whiteboard or piece of paper and use it in sentences throughout the day. Ask your child to do the same.
4. Homework Helper: Keep the sight word list handy during homework time. When your child encounters a word from the list in their assignments, they can check it off and practice it further.

11 Ways to Teach Sight Words to First Graders

Whether you are a parent or a teacher, you can use plenty of fun and effective ways to help first graders learn sight words. Below are some creative ideas:

1. Online Sight Word Games

Sight word games are a fantastic way to make learning fun and engaging for children. These games help kids quickly recognize and remember sight words, essential for building reading fluency.

One excellent resource for sight word games is SplashLearn. SplashLearn offers over 1000 games designed for the Dolch and Fry word lists. These games help children move from recognizing individual letters to reading full sentences, all within a playful and interactive environment. The platform’s engaging games make it easy for kids to learn new words quickly and accurately, while the accompanying worksheets provide targeted practice to reinforce their understanding.

2. Memory Games

You will need:

• Slips of paper
• Pen or marker

Instructions:

• Write the sight words on slips of paper, creating two slips for each word.
• Mix up the slips and place them face down on a flat surface.
• Have your child take turns flipping over two pieces of paper at a time to try to find a matching pair.
• If they find a match, they can keep the pair. If not, they should flip the papers back over and try again.
• Continue until all pairs have been found.
• The player with the most pairs at the end wins!

Related Reading: Best Memory Games for Kids to Enhance Cognitive Skills

3. Make a Sight Word Book

You will need:

• A first-grade sights word list
• Construction paper or cardstock
• Scissors
• Glue
• Pencils or crayons

Instructions:

1. Choose a sight word from the list of sight words for first grade kids.
2. Write it on a piece of construction paper or cardstock.
3. Ask the kids to come up with a sentence that uses the word.
4. Write it down under the sight word.
5. Ask the kids to illustrate their sentences.
6. Repeat with another sight word.
7. Once all the sight words have been used, cut out each page and staple them together to make a book.
8. Encourage the kids to read their books aloud in the class to you or somebody else.

4. Roll, Read, and Race Board Game:

You will need:

• A list of sight words for Grade 1 students
• A dice
• A game board (you can make your own or use a commercially available one)
• Pawns or markers

Instructions:

1. Design the board game using a list of sight words.
2. Players take turns rolling the dice and moving their pawns or markers around the board.
3. If they land on a space with a sight word, they have to read it aloud. If they get it right, they can stay in that space. If they get it wrong, they have to move back to the previous space.
4. The first player to reach the “Finish” space is the winner!

5. Simple and Easy Crossword Game

You will need:

• A list of sight words for 1st graders
• A whiteboard or blackboard
• A marker or chalk

Instructions:

1. Make a simple crossword puzzle using the list of sight words for first grade kids.
2. Call out a sight word and ask the kids to find it in the puzzle and read it aloud.

6. Bingo:

You will need:

• Bingo cards with sight words 
• Markers or chips

Instructions:

1. Call out a sight word and ask the kids to find it on their bingo card and mark it with a marker or chip.
2. Repeat with another sight word until someone gets five in a row and calls out “Bingo!”.

Here are some fun sight words bingo worksheets to get you started:

7. Read Stories

You will need:

• A list of sight words for first grade kids
• Stories that contain the sight words

Instructions:

1. Choose a story that contains several of the sight words on your list.
2. Read the story aloud to the kids.
3. Ask them to listen for the sight words and point them out as you read.

8. Act It Out:

You will need:

• A list of sight words 1st-grade students need to learn
• A marker or chalk

Instructions:

1. Choose an action-oriented sight word from the list.
2. Call it out, and kids have to act it out. For example, if you say “jump,” the kids must jump up and down.
3. This action-oriented game is fun and interactive and helps the kids learn sight words in a meaningful way.

9. I Spy

You will need:

• A list of sight words

Instructions:

• Choose a sight word from the list.
• Say, “I spy something that starts with the letter…” and provide the first letter of the chosen sight word.
• Have your child look around the room and find an object that starts with the given letter.
• Once they find the object, have them say what it is.
• Repeat with different sight words and letters.

10. Flashcards

You will need:

• Paper or index cards
• Pen or marker (or pre-made flashcards)

Instructions:

• Write the sight words on paper or index cards. Alternatively, use pre-made flashcards.
• Hold up each card and have your child read the word out loud.
• As your child becomes more familiar with the words, start timing them to see how quickly they can read each word.
• Repeat the exercise to help your child improve their speed and accuracy.

11. Hide and Seek (Find the Sight Words) Game:

You will need:

• A list of 1st-grade sight words
• A stopwatch

Instructions:

1. Print out the list of sight words on individual slips of paper.
2. Stick them up around the room at different heights, ensuring they are within reach of the kids.
3. When you say “go,” the kids have to find as many sight words as they can and bring them to you in the allotted time.
4. The kid with the most sight words at the end of the game wins!

12. Word Ladder:

You will need:

• A list of sight words for first graders
• A whiteboard or blackboard

Instructions:

• Choose a sight word from the list.
• Write it on the board.
• Ask the kids to come up with a sentence that uses the word.
• Write it down on the board.
• Repeat with another sight word.

Related Reading: Best Sight Word Activities for Kids 

Conclusion

Learning 1st grade sight words is a key step in helping children become fluent readers. These activities and games make learning fun and effective. Start incorporating these into your routine and watch your child’s reading skills soar!

Related Reading: Best Sight Word Apps for Kids

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why do we teach students sight words?

Sight words frequently occur in the text but are difficult to sound out using phonics rules. They must be learned by sight to become fluent readers.

What are some tips for teaching sight words at home?

There are many ways to incorporate sight words into your everyday routine at home. Read aloud to your child daily and point out sight words as you come across them. With time, you can ask them to read the sight word when you come across one.

You can also make a game out of it by hiding sight words around the house and having them search for them. Finally, you can create a sight word wall in your home where you post new words for your child to learn.

Can I skip sight words for my first graders if they are already good at reading?

Sight words should not be skipped, as they are important to a child’s reading development. If your child is already good at reading, you can challenge them by asking them to read longer texts incorporating more sight words. You can also ask them to use the words in their sentences.