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1st Grade Spelling Words and Activities

1st grade boy walking into school with backpack and lunch bag

If you're a teacher or parent looking for 1st grade spelling words and activities, you've come to the right place! I've compiled several first grade word lists, based on my research of first grade texts, online resources, and Dolch and Fry's sight word lists.

With all these words now at your fingertips, it will be easy to know what words to practice. But how should you practice these words? My activity pages and spelling word games will supply you with many fresh ideas.

Lists of 1st Grade Spelling Words

desk with 1st grade spelling words written on it

1st grade spelling word list - 200 spelling words of all types for your first grader to learn: short vowels, long vowels, sight words and more. These are words your students should learn throughout first grade. The sooner they learn them, the easier it will be for them to succeed, not only in spelling but also in reading and writing! Here's a snippet from the bigger list:

1st grade spelling words

1st grade sight words - These 40 Dolch words are the most important words for first graders to read instantly and spell easily. We also have the complete Dolch Word list for preprimer through 3rd grade levels. Find two sets of flash cards for first grade sight words here.

the number fourfour

1st grade spelling lists: Nouns, verbs, colors and numbers  - The "extra" words 1st graders need to begin to write.

First grade spelling words: Short vowels - Here's a basic list of 100 first grade spelling words to use throughout the year.  This list contains only short vowel sounds, with some consonant blends. We've arranged the words in word families.

Grade 1 Spelling words: Long vowels - This list contains 60 simple words with long vowel sounds, arranged in word families.

175 first grade vocabulary words - page 1

First Grade Vocabulary Words  1st graders will enjoy this great list of 175 words! Find them first in alphabetical order, then secondly, see 100 of the words in 9 popular categories including sports, people, animals, the outdoors, compound words and more! Use these words to build vocabulary skills in ESL students and every other student, too!   

Spelling Worksheets, Games & Activities

1st grade writing prompts

1st grade writing prompts - Set 1 - What would you like to ask a frog? What if one of your toys came to life? What would you say to someone who is sad to make them feel better? A total of 12 age-appropriate 1st grade writing prompts.

first grade writing prompts

First Grade Writing Prompts  Set #2 - What would the cow see if he jumped over the moon? Where will the treasure map lead you? What part of the day do you like best? Find nine more similar writing prompts. 

What’s Yours? What’s Mine? – Convey the meaning and the spelling of possessive nouns in this simple lesson. Fits CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.1.1b.

 A Fun Day: 1st grade reading and spelling activity - Give your students reading, writing and spelling practice with this individualized story.

Q and Z

The Tile Game - Players compete to be the first to complete their crossword of first grade spelling words. This game gives kids a fun way to practice those all-important first grade sight words. Kids will need to pay attention to the correct spellings of these words, and be able to read these words correctly to succeed in this game. 

Worksheets for 1st Grade: 2 fun spelling practice pages! Students will practice initial consonants and visual discrimination. 

First grade worksheets - Practice all those words with our fun spelling worksheets! Try ours and get ideas for making more reproducibles of your own.

First grade phonics worksheets - Five fun pages for short vowel words. Students match pictures to words, finish spelling words, and more.

short o worksheet thumbnail


1st grade spelling - Small group activities - Simple ideas to practice those weekly spelling words: Roll 'N Write, Memory Check, and Pass It Around. Keep practice time interesting!

Phonics Activities - See this wide assortment of fun phonics practice. You'll find games, worksheets, flashcards, and other worthwhile classroom activities.

alligator looking at an apple core

First grade spelling puzzles - Students will love solving these puzzles using 1st grade spelling words!

Fun Spelling Worksheets eBook

Be sure to check out my collection of Fun Spelling Worksheets for grades 1 and 2. 


You'll find lots of all-new pages, not on the website, to help boost your first and second graders' spelling and phonics skills!


New Job: Another reading and spelling worksheet for your students to individualize. What a fun way to gain language skills!

Sight Word Printables - Two super-fun worksheets provide practice with color and number words. "Clowning Around" is an engaging color by number page. On "Nifty Numbers," kids will write and rewrite number words. 

First grade learning activities - Learning to spell was never so much fun! No paper and pencil required for these simple ways to sound out words and practice spelling around the house or at school.

You May Also Like...

Phonics Sounds worksheet, "Lots of Leaves"

Free Preschool Games & Activities- Many of these fun activities are adaptable for first graders. Try some!

Phonics Worksheets - View our entire collection. You're sure to find something for the skills you need now!

Spelling Word Games  - Check out more games for early learners! We have lots of spelling games for all ages.  One one page, you'll find Hands Up and Hop to It! These reusable, fun spelling activities will get your kids' attention, and keep it. Play these games in small groups or with the whole class. "Hop to It!" is a great one to take outdoors! I've written lots more spelling games, too!

Author Ann Richmond Fisher

Ann Richmond Fisher is a longtime published educational writer, a former classroom teacher and a former homeschool teacher. Ann's spelling bee resources, graded spelling word lists, spelling games, worksheets, and other language arts resources have become respected around the globe since she launched Spelling-Words-Well in 2010.

Ann is also the creator of www.word-game-world.com.

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Young Spellers cover

Young Spellers Spelling Bee Word List for Grades 1 & 2 only 


AnyWord Spelling Practice eBooks

AnyWord Spelling Practice Series Worksheets, Games and Prompts that work with almost ANY spelling words!


Fun Spelling Worksheets cover

Fun Spelling Worksheets for Grades 1 and 2    50 All-new reproducible pages for early learners!