Digraphs Worksheet for First Grade | Free Downloadable PDF for Phonics and Word Recognition

Are you looking for a clear and engaging way to help your first grader master digraphs? Our Phonics and Word Recognition: Digraphs Worksheet for First Grade is a free downloadable PDF designed to support young learners as they begin decoding complex sounds in English. Perfect for U.S. homeschool parents, elementary school teachers, and early literacy tutors, this resource focuses on phonics mastery and word recognition through simple, fun, and effective digraph practice.

Digraphs are pairs of letters that come together to make one sound, such as sh, ch, th, wh, and ph. Recognizing and understanding digraphs is a key component of phonics instruction and helps students advance from sounding out individual letters to reading more fluidly and confidently.

In first grade, phonics instruction expands to include blends, digraphs, and vowel teams. Learning digraphs helps children:

• Decode and read new words

• Improve spelling accuracy

• Expand their vocabulary

• Build stronger reading fluency

• Increase word recognition speed

Our digraphs worksheet presents these sounds in a fun and age-appropriate way, using visuals and repetition to reinforce recognition and understanding. Whether you’re working on “sh” as in ship, or “th” as in thumb, this printable supports structured literacy instruction and builds phonemic awareness from the ground up.

What’s Included in the Free Digraphs Worksheet PDF?

✔ Introduction to key consonant digraphs: sh, ch, th, wh, ph
✔ Trace-and-write exercises for each digraph
✔ Fill-in-the-blank and word match activities
✔ Word-picture matching for reinforcement
✔ Engaging visuals that support reading comprehension
✔ Bonus: color-the-digraph sections for added fun
✔ Print-friendly layout in U.S. Letter Size (8.5″ x 11″)

This worksheet includes multiple practice formats so students can identify digraphs at the beginning, middle, or end of a word, recognize them in context, and begin to build automatic word recognition.

Why Teach Digraphs in First Grade?

By mastering digraphs, children take an important leap forward in reading and spelling. Unlike individual letter sounds, digraphs teach children to look for sound units—making reading faster and more intuitive.

Benefits of learning digraphs:

• ✔ Builds decoding fluency

• ✔ Supports syllable segmentation and blending

• ✔ Encourages independent reading

• ✔ Boosts early spelling skills

• ✔ Reinforces sound-symbol correspondence

Digraph instruction is a cornerstone of science-based reading instruction, ensuring that students have the tools to decode and encode words efficiently.

Educational Benefits:

✔ Aligns with First Grade Common Core English Language Arts Standards
✔ Improves phonics mastery and word recognition fluency
✔ Strengthens early spelling and writing development
✔ Boosts confidence in reading unfamiliar words
✔ Supports multisensory learning through reading, writing, and coloring
✔ Provides repetition-based practice to ensure retention

Whether you’re just introducing digraphs or using them for review and reinforcement, this worksheet is a practical, no-prep addition to your phonics toolkit.

Perfect For:

• ✅ Homeschooling parents working through a phonics-based reading program

• ✅ First-grade classroom teachers delivering direct instruction or literacy center activities

• ✅ Special education or interventionists targeting decoding difficulties

• ✅ ESL/ELL teachers developing English pronunciation and word structure

• ✅ Parents looking for screen-free, meaningful reading practice at home

It’s also great for small-group instruction, morning work, phonics centers, and after-school tutoring.

Tips for Using This Worksheet Effectively:

📖 Start with one digraph at a time and build gradually
🧠 Have students say the sound aloud while tracing or writing
🎨 Allow time to color the matching pictures to reinforce sound associations
🗣️ Use flashcards or games (e.g., digraph bingo or memory) to supplement
📚 Read aloud short books that focus on target digraphs to reinforce in context

Bonus Activity Ideas:

🔤 Digraph Hunt – Circle words with digraphs in a storybook or magazine
🧩 Sound Sort – Cut and sort pictures into digraph sound columns
✍️ Word Builder – Use magnetic letters to build words with digraphs at the beginning or end

Why Teachers & Parents Love It:

• ✅ No prep required—print and go!

• ✅ Combines reading, writing, and visuals for multisensory engagement

• ✅ Aligned with best practices in early reading instruction

• ✅ Suitable for differentiation and intervention

• ✅ 100% FREE to download, share, and reuse

This worksheet is part of our larger collection of free, printable early literacy resources for K–2 learners. Designed with U.S. curriculum standards in mind, it makes reading accessible, fun, and structured for kids at every level.

📥 Download your FREE Digraphs Worksheet PDF for First Grade today, and help your child become a confident, capable reader—one sound at a time!

 Click below to access the worksheet instantly via Google Drive.