Free printable · Kindergarten phonics

Short words, one sound in each box

Your child stretches six short words out loud and writes one sound in each box, then changes a letter to make a new word.

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How to use this in 5 minutes

  1. Name the picture. Say, “This is a cat. Let’s say it slowly, like a stretchy rubber band: /c/ /a/ /t/.”
  2. Tap and write. Say, “Tap one box for each sound you hear. Now write the letter for each sound.” Go back and read the word.
  3. Change one letter. Say, “Cat. If we change the c to h, what word do we get? Hat! Write it.”

Tip. Name every picture together first, so the dog isn’t called a puppy. The boxes only work when it’s the word on the answer key.

The sheet and its answer key

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Kindergarten · Phonics

Short words, one sound in each box

For youHow to use this in 5 minutes

  1. Name the picture. Say: “This is a cat. Let’s say it slowly, like a stretchy rubber band: /c/ /a/ /t/.”
  2. Tap and write. Say: “Tap one box for each sound you hear. Now write the letter for each sound.” Go back and read the word.
  3. Change one letter. Say: “Cat. If we change the c to h, what word do we get? Hat! Write it.”

Tip. Name every picture together first, so the dog isn’t called a puppy. The boxes only work when it’s the word on the answer key.

Say it slowly. Write one sound in each box.

Change one letter. Write the new word.

catchange c to h
pigchange p to d
sunchange s to r
Made by Arbor, which plans your child’s whole homeschool year and lays out every lesson for you to teach.Page 1 · arborhomeschool.com
Free printableFor the grown-up

Kindergarten · Phonics

Answer key

Short words, one sound in each box

Say it slowly. Write one sound in each box.

  • c · a · t (cat)
  • b · e · d (bed)
  • p · i · g (pig)
  • d · o · g (dog)
  • s · u · n (sun)
  • m · a · p (map)

Change one letter. Write the new word.

  • cat, change c to h: hat
  • pig, change p to d: dig
  • sun, change s to r: run

If it’s hard

  • If the middle sound is the trouble (it usually is), say the word slowly and ask, “What do you hear in the middle?” Short vowels are the hardest sounds to hear.
  • Let your child push a bean into each box as they say each sound, then write the letters.
Made by Arbor, which plans your child’s whole homeschool year and lays out every lesson for you to teach.Page 2 · arborhomeschool.com

Have Arbor plan your child’s whole year

Reading, math and every subject you choose, planned for the year and written out lesson by lesson for you to teach, at your child’s level, with the records kept as you go. Free for 14 days.

Plan my child’s year