Kindergarten sight words: the Dolch lists and how to practice at home

Early reading · 9 minute read · For children aged 2 to 6 · Updated Oct 9, 2026

Somewhere in the first months of kindergarten, a list of words comes home: the, and, a, to, see, I, is... These are sight words, and your child's teacher will hope they can read them quickly, without sounding them out, by the end of the year.

Sight words make up a large share of the words in any beginner book, so knowing them unlocks reading surprisingly fast. This guide explains what sight words are, which lists schools use, the full Dolch pre-primer and primer lists most kindergartens start with, and fun ways to practice at home — including an interactive flashcard drill you can use with your child right now.

1. What are sight words?

"Sight words" usually means the most common words in English that children are taught to recognize instantly, on sight. Some of them follow regular phonics patterns (and, can, up), while others are irregular and hard to sound out (the, said, was, you). The irregular ones are often called "tricky words" or "heart words," because part of them has to be learned by heart.

Why do they matter? Because a small set of words appears again and again. Words like the, a, and, to, is and I appear in almost every sentence a beginner reads. A child who knows them automatically can put their energy into sounding out the new words instead.

2. Dolch vs Fry: which list does your school use?

US schools mostly use one of two lists:

• Dolch sight words: 220 "service words" plus 95 nouns, grouped by level: pre-primer, primer, first grade, second grade and third grade. Pre-primer and primer are the usual kindergarten lists.
• Fry sight words: 1,000 words ordered by how often they appear in reading material, grouped in sets of 100. Kindergarten usually covers part of the first 100.

The two lists overlap heavily at the beginner level. Many districts also have their own kindergarten list of 25 to 100 words. If your child's teacher sends home a list, use that one first.

3. Dolch pre-primer sight words (40 words)

Usually the first list in kindergarten, sometimes in pre-K:

4. Dolch primer sight words (52 words)

The second list, usually in the second half of kindergarten:

5. How to teach sight words: 5 steps

Step 1: Start small

Introduce three to five words a week, not the whole list. Mix one or two new words with words your child already knows, so every session feels successful.

Step 2: See it, say it, spell it, write it

Show the word, say it, point to each letter as you say the letters, then trace or write it. Using eyes, voice and hand together helps memory.

Step 3: Notice the tricky part

For irregular words, point out the part that does not sound as expected. In said, the "ai" says "e." Children remember the word better once they know which part is tricky.

Step 4: Find it in real books

Go on a word hunt in a picture book: "How many times can you find the on this page?" Seeing words in real sentences is what makes them stick.

Step 5: Review every day, briefly

Two to five minutes of flashcards a day beats a long session once a week. Keep known words in the deck occasionally so they stay fresh.

6. 10 sight word games for home

1. Sight word hopscotch: chalk words in squares; your child reads each word as they land.
2. Flashlight hunt: tape words around a dark room and find them with a flashlight.
3. Go Fish: make pairs of word cards and play the classic card game.
4. Swat it: spread cards on the table; call a word and your child swats it with a fly swatter.
5. Memory match: two copies of each word, face down; flip and match.
6. Word of the day: one word on the fridge; count how many times you spot it that day.
7. Rainbow writing: trace a word several times with different colored crayons.
8. Build it: make the word with magnetic letters, play dough or blocks.
9. Sight word bingo: great for siblings or playdates.
10. Silly sentences: combine known words into sentences: "I can see a big red dog."

7. Sight words and phonics: both matter

You may hear that sight words are out of fashion, because reading research strongly supports systematic phonics. Both are true: children should learn to decode most words by their sounds, and a small number of very common, irregular words are learned more directly. Many teachers now teach high-frequency words by connecting them to phonics — showing which letters behave normally and which part is "tricky."

At home, the best balance is simple: practice letter sounds and blending regularly (our phonics guide has a word builder for this), and add a few sight words each week from your school's list.

8. Common sight word mistakes to avoid

• Too many words at once. Sending home a list of 40 words and drilling them all every night overwhelms most five year olds. Three to five new words a week is plenty.
• Only flashcards. Flashcards are great for review, but children need to meet the words in real sentences and books to truly learn them.
• Guessing from the first letter. If your child reads "want" as "went," gently point to the middle of the word. Encourage looking at every letter.
• Long sessions. Five focused minutes beat twenty tired ones. Stop while it is still fun.
• Forgetting to revisit known words. Words fade without review. Mix a few "easy" words into every session; it also builds confidence.
• Making it a test. If sight word time feels like an exam, children start to avoid it. Games, praise and silliness keep them coming back.

9. Questions parents ask

How many sight words should a kindergartener know?

It varies by school. Many kindergarten programs aim for roughly 25 to 100 high-frequency words by the end of the year. Ask your child's teacher for their list and goal.

What are the Dolch pre-primer sight words?

The 40 Dolch pre-primer words are: 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 and you.

What is the difference between Dolch and Fry sight words?

Dolch has 220 service words plus 95 nouns grouped by grade level. Fry has 1,000 words ordered by how often they appear in reading. The beginner levels of both lists overlap a lot.

How do I teach sight words at home?

Introduce three to five words a week, say and trace each one, point out any tricky part, find the words in real books, and review with flashcards for a few minutes every day.

Should my child learn sight words or phonics?

Both. Phonics teaches children to decode most words. A small set of very common, irregular words is easier to learn directly, ideally while pointing out which letters follow normal sound rules.