Blending slide mat maker

Touch the dots, say the sounds, slide and read

Make blending slide mats. The sounds of each word are spaced out along a slanted line, the slide, with a dot under each one. Your child touches each dot and says the sound, then slides a finger down the line and says the sounds together as a word.

Pick a design

Now: . Hundreds of designs to choose from.

Choose each part yourself

To keep a copy, choose “Save as PDF” as the printer. What you type stays on your device: it is not sent to us and not saved.

Your worksheet:

How to make your worksheet

  1. Pick a word set, or choose “Type your own words” and type them.
  2. Choose how many words go on a page.
  3. Choose if the whole word is printed at the end of the slide.
  4. Print. Touch, say, slide, read.

The reading skill

Blending is pushing separate sounds together into a word. The slide gives the finger a path to follow while the voice does the same thing.

Letter teams stay together

Letters that make one sound, such as sh, ch, th and ck, are printed as one step on the slide with one dot.

Words a beginner can read

The ready sets are short words checked by hand, grouped by vowel, word family and letter team.

Good questions

Can I use my own words?

Yes. Choose “Type your own words” at the top of the word list and type them. What you type stays on your device.

Should the whole word be printed at the end?

For a first try, turn it off so there is nothing to copy. Turn it on to let a child check alone.

How many words fit on a page?

Three, four or five.

How do I make it last?

Laminate the page or slip it into a page protector. Then it can be wiped clean and used again.

Is it free?

Yes, with no sign-up and no limit.

Make another kind of sheet

More than worksheets

Does this sound like your child?

“Knows the sounds, but cannot put them together into a word”

From Sounds to Words is a full 10-day plan, with a short video that shows you every step. The goal: on day 10 your child reads words they have never seen before. It is the goal, not a promise.

  • 21 printable pages, one short day at a time
  • 11 short videos that show you each day before you do it
  • 6 sound tracks your child works with, while you stay nearby
  • A check on day 1 and day 10, and a report
  • About five minutes a day from you
  • $19, one payment. 30-day money back.

See the 10-day plan →Or do the free 3-minute check first