Change one letter, read the new word
Print a word chain for a quick lesson with letter tiles. The page lists a chain of short words in which one letter changes at each step: sat, sit, pit, pin. Beside each word is what to say, and at the bottom are the letter tiles you need. This page is for the grown-up to read from.
Your worksheet:
Changing one letter and reading the new word makes a child attend to every sound in its place: first, middle and last. It is one of the most useful five-minute lessons there is.
In the 16 ready chains every word is from our checked short-vowel lists and exactly one letter changes at each step.
The word ladder generator makes the same chains as a page for the child to write on.
It is printed as typed. Where more than one letter changes, the step says “A new word”.
The page prints the letters you need. Magnetic letters work too.
Yes, with no sign-up and no limit.
Name tracing worksheet generatorType a name. Print it in dotted letters with start dots and arrows.
Handwriting worksheet makerType a sentence. Trace each line, then copy it on the line below.
Tracing worksheet generatorPick letters or the whole alphabet. Dotted letters on lines.
Word tracing worksheet generatorType sight words or spelling words. Trace each one, then write it.
Number tracing generatorNumbers 1 to 10, 1 to 20 or your own, with start dots.
Lined paper generatorPrimary writing paper with a dashed middle line and a picture box.
Worksheet generator: build your ownBuild any page: stack tracing, words, pictures, sentences and math blocks in any order.
CVC word generatorShort a, e, i, o, u, word families, or type your own words: match, missing letter, build, trace.
Sight word worksheet generatorReady lists or type your own words. One page a word: read, trace, write, find, build.
Beginning sounds worksheet generatorCircle the pictures that start with a sound, or cut and sort them.
Decodable sentence generatorSentences by phonics skill, or type your own: read them, cut them into strips, draw them.
Sentence scramble generatorType sentences. Print them mixed up to cut and glue, or to write in order.
Matching worksheet makerDraw-a-line pages: word to picture, capital to small letter, number to count. Or type your own words.
Spelling worksheet generatorType this week’s words: look-cover-write-check, missing letters, scramble, test paper.
Word search maker for kidsType your own words or pick a set. Small grids, big print, picture clues and answer key.
Flashcard makerType your own words or pick a set. Letter, word and picture cards: 4, 6 or 8 on a page.
Bingo card generatorSight word, letter and number bingo, or type your own words: different cards plus calling cards.
Number line generator0 to 10, 0 to 20 or any range: filled in, blank, or with numbers missing.
Ten frame generatorTen frames to count, to fill in, or blank, for numbers to 10 or 20.
Addition and subtraction worksheet generatorAdding and taking away within 5, 10 or 20, with pictures to count.
Reward chart makerSticker charts, weekly charts, reading charts and reading certificates.
Roll and read worksheet generatorA dice reading game: six columns of words from any list, or type your own words.
Word sort generatorCut and paste sorts by word family, vowel or spelling pattern, from our checked word sets.
Number bonds worksheet generatorNumber bonds within 5, 10 or 20, with a part or the whole missing.
Decodable text generator: story sheetsHand-checked stories by level and topic, with picture words and questions. Or type your own.
Reading passage generator with questionsA passage to read with questions and answer lines. Type your own or pick a checked story.
Fluency passage generatorAny passage with a running word count on every line and a box for timed reads.
Mini book maker: fold-up booksOne sheet folds into a little book of 8 pages. A checked story, your own lines, or blank.
Word ladder generatorWord chains where one letter changes each time, ready or typed by you: to write or to read.
Heart word worksheet generatorTricky words with a heart over the part to learn by heart. Ready sets, or type your own words.
Color by sight word generatorColor by code with ready words or words you type, letters, numbers or sums. A hidden shape too.
Dot marker letter and word makerLetters, numbers and words you type, drawn as circles for dot markers, stickers or crayons.
Sight word board game makerA game board with your words on the path. Type your own words, or pick sight words, CVC words or letters.
Name and word mat makerType a name or your own words. A mat to say it, build it with tiles or playdough, trace it and write it.
Playdough letter mat makerBig hollow letters to fill with playdough, with the picture for the sound. Type your own letters or words.
Clip card makerPicture cards with three letters or words to clip with a clothespin. Beginning sounds, CVC words, or type your own words.
Letter sound puzzle makerTwo-piece and three-piece puzzles: letter, picture and word. Only the right pieces fit. Type your own words too.
Word building mat makerPictures or words, empty boxes, and letter tiles to cut out. Ready word sets, or type your own words.
Find the letter worksheet generatorA big shape made of circles. Find every s, or every “the”, and dab it. Type your own letters or words.
Journal page makerDraw and write paper with a picture box and primary lines. Pick a writing prompt or type your own.
Sentence writing paper generatorWriting paper with a checklist for a good sentence: capital letter, finger spaces, end mark.
Scissor skills worksheet generatorCutting practice: straight, zigzag, wavy and bumpy dashed lines, each ending at a picture.
Pre-writing worksheet generatorPre-writing strokes to trace: straight, slanted, zigzag, bumps and waves, between two pictures.
Morning work generatorOne page a day: the date, a letter to trace and find, and a word of the day. Type your own word or pick a set.
Letter sound checklist makerA letter and sound checklist: big letters for the child, a record sheet for the grown-up.
Sight word checklist makerA sight word tracker with three check boxes for each word. Ready lists, or type your own words.
Reading log makerA reading log with the date, the book, the minutes and a star to color each day.
Bookmark makerFour bookmarks a page: stars to color, what to do when stuck, or words you type or pick.
Phonics flashcard makerCards for sh, ch, th, quiet e and vowel teams, each with a key word. Or type your own patterns.
Alphabet chart makerAn ABC chart with a hand-drawn picture for every letter sound. One page, or two bigger ones.
Task card makerWrite the room: numbered word or picture cards and a recording sheet. Type your own words or pick a set.
I Spy worksheet generatorI Spy pages with pictures, letters or words to find and count. Type your own letters or words.
Word family flip book makerA flip book for one word family: the ending stays and the first letter flips. Pick a family or type your own words.
Write the room makerNumbered picture and word cards to post around the room, with a recording sheet at four levels. Type your own words.
Read the room makerNumbered word cards for the walls and a sheet with a star to color for each word read. Type your own words.
Sentence building cards makerWho, did what and where cards that build silly sentences a beginner can read. Type your own words too.
Phonics poster makerAn anchor chart for one sound pattern: the letters, a key picture, a short rule and words. Or type your own.
Letter crown makerA paper crown with a big letter or sight word to color, and bands to tape so it fits. Type your own letters or words.
Interactive notebook page makerStrips of flaps to cut, glue into a notebook and lift: a picture or a word on top, the answer written under it.
Phonemic awareness card makerPicture cards for sound games: first sounds, rhyming pairs, syllables to clap. With a script for the grown-up.
Letter scavenger hunt makerA hunt list of letters or words to find at home or in a book, with a box to check. Type your own letters or words.
Make the letter task card makerMorning tub cards: a letter and one way to make it, with playdough, blocks, sticks or yarn. Type your own letters.
Zap! word game makerA draw-a-card game: word cards, a few Zap! cards, the rules and a label for the cup. Type your own words.
Story map makerGraphic organizers for after a story: a story map, beginning, middle and end, problem and fix, or a bubble map.
Beginning sound mat makerA mat for each letter and picture cards to cut out and sort by first sound. Pick the letters or type your own.
Bubble letter template makerBig hollow letters to color, decorate or cut out. Type your own letters or a name, or print the alphabet.
Alphabet matching worksheet makerCut and stick alphabet matching: small letters to glue under their capitals. Pick the letters or type your own.
Picture sort makerCut and paste picture sorts by rhyme, syllables or first sound, with an answer key. Or type your own words.
Calendar page makerA month calendar with a letter of the day or a word of the day in every box. Type your own letters or words.
Spelling list makerA weekly spelling list: numbered words, a line to write each one, a check box for each day. Type your own words.
Picture crossword makerA small crossword with picture clues, a word bank and an answer key. Pick a word set or type your own words.
Name tag makerDesk name plates with an alphabet strip, or eight name tags on a page. Type one name or a whole class list.
Reading certificate makerReading awards for letter sounds, sounding out, sight words and a first book. Type one name or a class list.
Go Fish word card makerA Go Fish deck of word cards in pairs or sets of four, with the rules. Sight words, CVC words or your own.
Memory match game makerMemory match pairs: word and word, word and picture, or capital and small letter. Type your own words or letters.
Old Maid word card makerAn Old Maid style deck: word pairs and one odd card, with the rules. Sight words, CVC words or your own.
I have, who has game makerA loop of “I have, who has” cards for a group. Sight words, CVC words or your own words.
Word dominoes makerDomino tiles with a word and a picture, or a capital and a small letter. The whole set makes one loop.
Word family spoons card gameCards for the game of spoons: sets of four words from the same word family. Or type your own sets.
Tumbling tower word labelsSmall word labels sized for the blocks of a tumbling tower game, with the rules. Type your own words.
Cup stacking word labelsWord labels sized for paper or plastic cups, with the rules of stack and read. Type your own words.
Alphabet mini book makerA fold-up book of eight small pages for one letter: trace it, name its pictures, find it and write it. Type any letters.
Decodable book makerA checked decodable story as a half-page book: one sentence a page, with pictures. Cut and staple, or fold. Or type your own story.
Foldable word book makerOne sheet folded in half with three to six flaps. A word outside, a drawing inside. Or a picture outside and the word inside.
Word slider makerA card with a word ending and a strip of first letters to pull through it. Pick a word family or type your own words.
Word wheel makerTwo wheels and a paper fastener: the ending stays, the first letter turns. Pick a word family or type your own words.
Lift the flap page makerA page of pictures and word flaps to glue over them. Read the word, lift the flap and check. Type your own words.
Class book page makerA cover and a page for each child: a drawing box and one short sentence to finish. Type a class list and your own sentence.
Lapbook template makerLapbook pieces for a word list: a name label, a pocket with word cards, a flap book and a list book. Type your own words.
Color path game word cardsWord cards with color squares for any color path board game, and a plain path board to print. Type your own words.
Color match word card gameA deck in four colors and shapes: play a card with the same color or the same word and read it. Skip and other-way cards too.
Swat the word game makerA mat or big cards with words on plain shapes, and a list for the caller. Sight words, CVC words or your own.
Word fishing game makerPlain fish shapes with a word on each for a magnet fishing game, with the rules. Sight words, CVC words or your own.
Category sorting mat makerA sorting mat with two or three boxes and picture and word cards to read and sort: animals, food, things that go and more.
Roll and write worksheet makerSix words under the six faces of a die. Roll, then trace or write that word. Sight words, CVC words or your own.
Race to the top letter gameSix letters under the six faces of a die. Roll, say the sound and trace or write the letter. Type any letters.
Roll and cover game makerA die key of six words and a page of spots. Roll, read the word, cover it with a counter or color it in. Type your own words.
Bump game makerA two-player bump board for six words, with a die key and the rules on the page. Sight words, CVC words or your own.
Spin and read game makerA word spinner to use with a pencil and a paper clip, and a chart to color or write on. Sight words, CVC words or your own.
Four in a row word game makerA grid of words for two players and two colors of counters. Read it, cover it, four in a row wins. Type your own words.
Connect the path word gameA grid of words for two players with crayons. Read a word, color its box, and be first to join a path across the board.
Tic-tac-toe word game makerFour or six tic-tac-toe boards on a page, each with nine words. Read a word to mark its box. Type your own words.
Cover-up letter mat makerA mat of letters and matching draw cards. Take a card, say its sound, cover that letter. Type the letters you want.
Sound box mat makerSound boxes: a hand-drawn picture and an empty box for each sound, or blank mats with 2 to 5 boxes. Type your own words.
Word mapping mat makerA blank mat for mapping any word: say it, tap the dots, one sound in each box, write it. With a word list for the grown-up.
Blending slide mat makerThe sounds of a word spaced out on a slide with a dot under each. Touch, say, slide and read. Type your own words.
Drive and blend mat makerA plain road under the sounds of a word, for a toy car. Drive, say each sound, read the word. Type your own words.
Sight word playdough mat makerOne sight word a page in big hollow letters for playdough, with a line to trace and a line to write. Type your own words.
Alphabet poster makerAlphabet posters and wall cards: one letter on a page, or 2, 4 or 6 cards a page for an alphabet line. Type any letters.
Phonics sound chart makerA one-page chart of digraphs, blends or vowel teams, each with a key word and its picture.
Vowel chart makerA vowel chart: the five short vowels with a picture each, with long vowels and vowel teams if you want them.
Word family chart makerA chart of word families: each ending with a key word, its picture and more words that end the same way.
Word wall card makerBig word cards for a word wall, sorted under a header card for each first letter. Sight word lists, or type your own words.
Picture word bank makerA one-page word bank: small pictures with the word under each, for a writing folder. By topic, by word set, or type your own.
Color word card makerColor word cards and a poster: each color word with a circle in that color. In black and white the child colors the circles.
Sight word list poster makerA sight word list as a one-page poster in big print, with a star to color for each word. Ready lists, or type your own.
Personal word wall makerA personal word wall: a box for every letter with lines for new words. Start empty, or with a word list already in place.
Mini office makerTwo helper pages for a standing folder: the alphabet with pictures, vowels, letter teams, sight words and what to do when stuck.
Desk helper strip makerA strip for the top of a desk: the child’s name, the alphabet with a picture for each sound, letter teams and sight words.
Letter formation chart makerA letter formation chart: all 26 letters on writing lines with a start dot and an arrow, or a big poster for one letter.
Reading strategy poster makerA poster or cards for what to do at a hard word: look at the letters, say each sound, push the sounds together, read it again.
Weekly focus board makerA one-page focus board for the week: the letter, the sound, the words and the book. Type them in, or print it blank.
Learning placemat makerA learning placemat with the child’s name to trace, the alphabet to trace, first sounds to write and words to read.
Digraph worksheet generatorDigraph worksheets for sh, ch, th, wh and ck: circle the picture, write the digraph, read and match, or cut and sort.
Consonant blends worksheet generatorBlends worksheets for s, l and r blends: circle the picture, write the blend, read and match, or cut and sort.
Long vowel worksheet generatorLong vowel worksheets: silent e words, short or long vowel sorts, and the vowel teams ai, ay, ee, ea, oa, ow, igh and oo.
Vowel worksheet generatorVowel worksheets for beginners: find the vowels, write the short vowel in the middle of a pictured word, sort vowels and consonants.
Missing letter worksheet generatorMissing letter worksheets: a pictured word with its first, middle or last letter left out, or gaps in the alphabet to fill.
Alphabet maze makerLetter mazes on a plain grid: follow the alphabet from a to z, or follow one letter from start to end. A new maze each time.
Letter of the week worksheet makerType one letter and get a small pack: mini poster, tracing page, find the letter, sound pictures, crown strips and a coloring page.
Alphabet tracing card makerCut-apart alphabet tracing cards: one letter a card on writing lines, with a start dot, an arrow and its picture.
Number word tracing worksheet generatorNumber words to read, trace and write: one to ten or eleven to twenty, with the number and a row of dots beside each word.
Alphabet coloring page makerAlphabet coloring pages: a big hollow letter and the line drawing of its picture, both to color in. Type any letters.
Three-part card makerThree-part cards: a whole card, a picture card and a word card for each word. Ready sets, or type your own words.
Pocket chart card makerPocket chart cards: a header card, big word cards and picture cards to match. Ready sets, or type your own words.
Task box card makerTask box cards, 4 by 6 inches: read the word and clip the picture, build the word, or clip the first sound. With a box label.
Blending card makerBlending cards: a dot under each sound and an arrow to slide along, or the word growing one sound at a time.
What am I riddle card maker“What am I?” cards: three short clues a beginner can read, and the answer with its picture to fold to the back.
Magic e worksheet makerMagic e set: word cards with an empty box for the e, wands with an e to cut out, and a read, trace and write page.
Pink, blue and green reading card makerPink, blue and green reading cards: words, phrases and sentences in three color-coded steps, from short words to long vowels.
Sight word phrase card makerSight word phrase cards: short phrases made only of first sight words, as cards to cut out or a one-page list.
Write and wipe card makerWrite and wipe cards: a word in dotted letters on writing lines and room to write it again. Laminate and reuse.
Read and reveal card makerRead and reveal cards: the word on the front and its picture folded to the back, so a child can check alone.
Syllable division card makerSyllable cards: two-part words such as sunset and rabbit to split with a pencil, or to cut in two and build again.
Tongue twister card makerTongue twister cards: one short sentence full of one sound on each card. A grown-up reads it, the child says it.
Missing letter card makerMissing letter cards: a picture and its word with the first, middle or last letter left out, for a tile or a dry-erase pen.
Fluency grid makerFluency grid: the same few words or letters in mixed rows, with boxes for three timed reads. Ready sets, or type your own.
Partner play script makerPartner reading scripts: a decodable story shared between two readers, each with a color and a shape. Or type your own.
Poem of the week page makerPoem of the week: a short rhyme a beginner can sound out, three small jobs and a box to draw in. Or type your own poem.
Sentence pyramid makerSentence pyramids: a sentence printed line by line, one word longer each time. Ready decodable sentences, or type your own.
Read and draw worksheet makerRead and draw: a decodable sentence with an empty box beside it. Ready sentences by phonics skill, or type your own.
Blend ladder makerBlend ladders: a consonant with each short vowel, rung by rung (sa, se, si, so, su), or the vowel first (at, et, it).
Fill in the blank sentence makerFill in the blank: decodable sentences with one word missing, a word bank and an answer key. Or type your own.
Following directions worksheet makerFollowing directions: short directions a beginner can read. Find the right picture or shape and color it.
Secret code word makerSecret code words: each letter has a plain shape. Use the key, write the letters and read the word. With an answer key.
Find the sight word worksheet makerFind the word: circle one word every time it shows up in a grid of words, or in short sentences. Then count them.
Sight word sentence worksheet makerSight word sentences: one short sentence for one word to read, trace, write, and build from cut-out words.
ABC dot to dot makerABC dot to dot: join the lettered dots in alphabet order to draw a star, a heart or another plain shape.
Hidden sight word page makerHidden words: words printed very pale. Color over each box, read the word that shows, and write it.
B and d reversal worksheet makerb and d pages: find the two letters, trace them with start dots, or cut and sort. Also p and q, m and w, n and u.
Making words worksheet makerMaking words: letter tiles to cut out and move, lines for the words made, and a list of the possible words for the grown-up.
Stamp the word worksheet makerStamp the word: read the word, then stamp each letter in its own box with alphabet stamps, or write it.
Alphabet practice page makerAlphabet practice pages: one page a letter with the big letter and its picture, then trace, write, find and pick the sound.No maker matches that yet. Clear the box to see them all.
“Behind in reading” can mean ten different things, and each one needs different help. Check off what is true for your child. You will see the one thing to work on first, and what can wait.
