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Sight Word Sentence Books for Kindergarten (Try a FREE one!)
As a kindergarten teacher, do you recognize the huge connection that learning new sight words has to a child’s reading skills? It is our job to provide young readers with as much sight word practice as possible through fun activities.
One of the ways I loved to practice sight words in my kindergarten classroom was through sight word sentences. This way my students were actually using the high frequency words in context instead of just in isolation.
You can grab a FREE Sight Word Sentence Book at the bottom of this post to try in your kindergarten classroom for the sight word- what!
Sight Word Sentences in Kindergarten
Using sight words in sentences are important to incorporate into your lesson plans, as well as having kindergartners try to create their own sentence about the focus sight word of the week. This way, they understand the word by using it in context-not just in isolation! It also helps them practice reading with more fluency and inflection.
When you pair well-known sight words with simple decodable words into short sentences, you have the perfect blend! When students can use their reading skills and knowledge to read a 4-5 word sentence, do you even understand what that does for a kindergarten student’s confidence?!
This is exactly how sight word sentence mini books were born! I actually created these for my daughter! She absolutely loved having little books that she could pick up and read anytime, color and trace, and take with her wherever we went, even the grocery store.
I watched her develop a love and confidence for reading at a young age and knew I had to do the same for my students!
What are Some Simple Kindergarten Sight Words?
Before we chat more about the sight word sentence mini books, let’s talk about what high-frequency words a 5 year old should know by the time they finish with kindergarten. For most states, the curriculum has young readers in kindergarten memorizing about 52 high frequency words during their first year of elementary school. (Not to mention the 40 words from preschool).
You can also use the Dolch Sight Word List as a guide for what sight words to teach. The entire list is broken down by which words to teach by grade level. Even preschoolers need to learn sight words! You can check out the high frequency Dolch lists by grade level below.
Dolch Sight Word List for High Frequency Words
Let’s look at the different high-frequency words by list. (These are all linked to a printable list from Sightwords.com that you can easily use in your classroom! Plus fun activities to try!)
Kindergarten Dolch Sight Word List
First Grade Dolch Sight Word List
Second Grade Dolch Sight Word List
Third Grade Dolch Sight Word List
How are Sight Words Taught in Kindergarten?
New sight words are typically taught in a specific order throughout the grade level curriculum. However, as I said above-you can also use the Dolch Lists to help guide you. My biggest tip for teaching high-frequency words to five and six year olds would be to make it fun.
If learning sight words is boring…are they really going to take an interest in learning them?
Practice Sight Words During Centers in Kindergarten
A perfect way to practice is using sight word centers in your daily rotations and schedule. I have tons of fun ideas for practicing sight words in the post 8 Ways to Make Sight Words Stick!
There are a variety of sight word activities for you to use in that post, which include no-prep printables, activities that help with fine-motor skills and multi-sensory approaches.
Sight Word Sentence Mini Books for Kindergarten
Sight Word Sentence Mini Books are one of my favorite ways to practice sight words with students during center time. There is one book per word that has a very simple sentence structure, picture clues and simple sentences with short vowel words. Each book only has 5 pages so they are short and sweet. When you use decodable words paired with sight words, you are helping students become super fluent readers!
Kindergarten Sight Word Sentence Worksheets
These Sight Word Sentence Worksheets are another great way to easily practice sight words during centers in kindergarten. On each page, students will write the sight word on the blank space in each sentence. Then they can read the sentences plus there are picture clues to help them if they get stuck! This set of worksheets is perfect for centers, during small group time or even for homework.
Pssst….there are even two different versions for each sight word: one with blank spaces for the sight words and one with traceable sight words. You can pick which version best fits your students’ needs!
Tactile Kindergarten Sight Word Practice
A creative way to practice sight words is to let students be very hands-on with materials to build the words. Try these ideas:
- Build sight words during bath time with foam letters
- Shaving cream fun! Spread some shaving cream on the table and practice writing the words with your finger!
- Side walk chalk sight words in warm weather outside
- Write the words in a salt try
- Wikki stix were always a center favorite for my students! (Bend these fun little sticks made out of wax to create each letter!
- Rainbow write them
- Create sight word puzzles
- letter stamps
- string letter beads on pipe cleaner to spell the words
Why Do Kids Struggle with Sight Words?
Sight words don’t come easily to all kids. They are rule breaker words and some of them are just really tricky. Definitely just start with a single sight word to practice and then move on from there once the child has mastered that.
PRO TEACHER TIP: Try to incorporate sight words into your day in as many ways as you can, whether you are a teacher or parent.
Here are some simple ideas for extra sight word practice:
- Tape the sight word on an index card to the outside of the door. They must slap the word and say it every time they enter the classroom (or house for parents!).
- Sight Word Sticky Note Match: Just write the words on sticky notes AND the dry erase board (the same words of course) and have your child use the sticky notes to cover the words on the dry erase board!
- Sight Word Chants from Cara Carroll
- Practice writing sight words using a dry erase marker on a dry erase board.
- Play Where’s the bear? Write the words on paper cups and hide a small bear or other tiny object under one. The child guesses where the bear is hiding by naming the word on the cup and lifting it up to find the bear.
- Sight Word Hopscotch outside on the black top (yes it’s just how it sounds!)
- Sight Word Popcorn: Print out sight word flashcards on yellow paper, and scrunch it up just like popcorn. Have students pick a piece of popcorn and read the sight word. If they get it correct, they get to keep that piece of popcorn.
- Use a magna doodle to practice the words
- Simply trace the sight words with glitter or scented markers
- sight word scavenger hunt
- write the word in the air with your pretend air pen (kids really love this!)
Check out 15 New and Fun Ways to Practice Sight Words over at Lucky Little Learners!
FREE Sight Word Sentence Book to Try in Kindergarten!
Try the sight word sentence book for the word ‘what’ totally FREE first to see how you and your class like like these! Just enter your email below and it will be sent directly to your inbox within a matter of minutes!
What is your favorite activity to practice sight words with your kindergarten class?
