There are lots of phonics worksheets available online, in books, and in phonics programs.

Unfortunately, not all of them are of the highest quality. In this article, we'll explore characteristics of high-quality phonics worksheets.

5 Questions to Ask When Considering a Phonics Worksheet

Asking these questions will help you determine if you should use a phonics worksheet with your students.

1. Is there enough room for the child to write?

2. Are there a sufficient number of practice activities, or will the child finish quickly?

3. Does the worksheet encourage the student to attend to phonics patterns?

4. Is the worksheet visually appealing, without being too cluttered with unnecessary clipart or graphics?

5. Are the fonts "kid friendly" and easy to read?

High-Quality Examples

Things to notice about this 1st grade "Read and Highlight" activity:

• There are plenty of words for students to practice reading.
• Students are required to apply their knowledge of what a consonant blend is when they highlight or circle the blends.
• Students extend their learning and demonstrate their understanding of two of the words' meanings by writing a sentence at the end.

Things to notice about this Kindergarten "-IP Word Family Words" activity:

• An example is given for students to trace, to help them understand the directions
• Sound boxes are used - they are an excellent tool for giving students spelling support and reinforcing connections between letters and sounds

If you need a phonics program that includes many high-quality worksheets, as well as lesson plans, read more about From Sounds to Spelling here. The program includes complete lesson plans and materials to teach Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade students phonics, decoding, spelling, phonological awareness, high frequency words, vocabulary, and other early literacy concepts.

Last but not least, want some free phonics activities printables? Grab some here!