Sight Words for Kindy: The First 10 to Teach

Sight words are common words that children see again and again in books, such as the, my and go. Learning to recognise them quickly makes early reading much smoother.

The first 10 sight words

I · a · the · is · see · can · my · like · go · to

Why these ten?

They turn up in almost every simple book, and together they let children read short sentences such as "I see a koala" and "I can go to the zoo". Some of them, like can and is, can be sounded out. Others, like the, to and I, are best learned by sight.

How to teach them

1. Pick one or two words at a time.
2. Say the word, then use it in a sentence.
3. Trace it with a finger, then write it.
4. Find it in a book, on a sign or in a sentence.
5. Review the old words before you add a new one.

Sight word games

• Snap: make two sets of cards and play snap.
• Word hunt: find a word in a favourite picture book.
• Magnet words: build a word with magnetic letters.
• Read the room: stick cards on things around the house.
• Jump and say: lay cards on the floor and jump to the word you call out.

Keep it light

Five minutes is enough. Do not worry if your child needs weeks to learn a word. Mix sight words with phonics so they have more than one way into reading. Phonics Fun with Joey has ten sight word pages (I, a, the, is, see, can, my, like, go and to) where children trace each word and then find it in a short sentence such as "I see a koala."