Sight word checklist: the Dolch words to print and tick
All 220 Dolch sight words, pre-primer to third grade, plus 95 nouns, with a box beside each. Tick a word when your child reads it at a glance, without sounding it out. Free to print, with no sign-up.
Pre-primer (40 words)
For preschool and early kindergarten. Flash cards for this list, full screen or printed eight to a page.
- the
- and
- a
- to
- I
- is
- you
- it
- in
- said
- for
- up
- look
- go
- we
- my
- me
- see
- can
- here
- away
- big
- blue
- come
- down
- find
- funny
- help
- jump
- little
- make
- not
- one
- play
- red
- run
- three
- two
- where
- yellow
Primer (52 words)
For kindergarten. Flash cards for this list, full screen or printed eight to a page.
- 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
First grade (41 words)
For first grade. Flash cards for this list, full screen or printed eight to a page.
- after
- again
- an
- any
- as
- ask
- by
- could
- every
- fly
- from
- give
- going
- had
- has
- her
- him
- his
- how
- just
- know
- let
- live
- may
- of
- old
- once
- open
- over
- put
- round
- some
- stop
- take
- thank
- them
- then
- think
- walk
- were
- when
Second grade (46 words)
For second grade. Flash cards for this list, full screen or printed eight to a page.
- always
- around
- because
- been
- before
- best
- both
- buy
- call
- cold
- does
- don't
- fast
- first
- five
- found
- gave
- goes
- green
- its
- made
- many
- off
- or
- pull
- read
- right
- sing
- sit
- sleep
- tell
- their
- these
- those
- upon
- us
- use
- very
- wash
- which
- why
- wish
- work
- would
- write
- your
Third grade (41 words)
For third grade. Flash cards for this list, full screen or printed eight to a page.
- about
- better
- bring
- carry
- clean
- cut
- done
- draw
- drink
- eight
- fall
- far
- full
- got
- grow
- hold
- hot
- hurt
- if
- keep
- kind
- laugh
- light
- long
- much
- myself
- never
- only
- own
- pick
- seven
- shall
- show
- six
- small
- start
- ten
- today
- together
- try
- warm
Nouns (95 words)
For any age, beside the lists. Flash cards for this list, full screen or printed eight to a page.
- apple
- baby
- back
- ball
- bear
- bed
- bell
- bird
- birthday
- boat
- box
- boy
- bread
- brother
- cake
- car
- cat
- chair
- chicken
- children
- Christmas
- coat
- corn
- cow
- day
- dog
- doll
- door
- duck
- egg
- eye
- farm
- farmer
- father
- feet
- fire
- fish
- floor
- flower
- game
- garden
- girl
- goodbye
- grass
- ground
- hand
- head
- hill
- home
- horse
- house
- kitty
- leg
- letter
- man
- men
- milk
- money
- morning
- mother
- name
- nest
- night
- paper
- party
- picture
- pig
- rabbit
- rain
- ring
- robin
- Santa Claus
- school
- seed
- sheep
- shoe
- sister
- snow
- song
- squirrel
- stick
- street
- sun
- table
- thing
- time
- top
- toy
- tree
- watch
- water
- way
- wind
- window
- wood
Read them in real stories
A sight word sticks when a child meets it again and again in something worth reading. Peabody's sight word stories are built from these words, the sight word games ask them as three big boxes to tap, and the reading levels page shows where each list comes in.
Questions parents ask
What are the Dolch sight words?
220 common words, such as the, said and was, collected by Edward Dolch in the 1930s and 1940s from children's books, in five lists from pre-primer to third grade, plus 95 common nouns. Many of them do not sound out the usual way, so children learn to read them at a glance.
How do I use the checklist?
Show your child one word at a time, from a card or the printed list. Tick it when they read it at once, without sounding it out. Come back to the words left unticked another day; a few new words a week is plenty.
Which list should we start with?
Start with pre-primer, whatever the child's grade, and move on when nearly every word in a list is ticked. The grades are Dolch's traditional ones and only a guide.
Is it free?
Yes. The checklist is free to print, with no sign-up, and Peabody is free through the end of 2026.