4-Letter Words for Kids (Free Printable List)
Boost word recognition skills with this list of common four-letter words, including sight words, words with definitions, and even fun activities to try.
Learning four-letter words is a big achievement for young learners, as it means they’re well on their way to mastering more simple two- and three-letter words. Word lists can act as a convenient tool for helping children grow their vocabulary, especially when they include simple definitions and sentences to help them fully understand the meaning of these new words.
Use these lists of common four-letter words to help young children practice their decoding, reading, spelling, and vocabulary skills. You’ll find high-frequency words (sight words), words with definitions and simple sentences, as well as fun activities to try.
Check out our four-letter word lists below, along with fun activities that can help enhance learning.
Common 4-Letter Words
These four-letter words are among the most common that preschoolers and kindergarteners will see.
also
each
from
have
into
look
make
many
more
only
over
said
some
than
that
them
they
this
time
what
when
were
will
with
your
4-Letter Sight Words
Sight words, also known as high-frequency words, are words that appear frequently in books and conversation. Children should first try decoding these words with the phonetic rules they’ve learned. Words don’t always follow phonetic rules, which is when children may need to learn to recognize them on sight. For more insights on sight words, check out our How to Teach Sight Words article for children in kindergarten through second grade.
Below is a list of common four-letter sight words. As children learn these words (and others), they can shift their focus from decoding words to reading fluency and comprehension.
Note: Some of these words overlap with the words on the list above.
come
down
from
have
here
into
just
like
look
make
over
said
some
that
they
were
what
when
with
your
Get more sight word lists with our free printable kindergarten sight words. Or, try these sight words worksheets with your preschooler.
More 4-Letter Words for Kids
able
away
baby
back
base
busy
calm
card
chat
city
cold
cool
cute
dark
exit
fact
fair
feel
fell
fine
five
four
game
gone
hair
hear
hide
hope
keep
life
list
need
nine
pull
push
rice
sale
sell
stay
word
4-Letter Words with Definitions & Sentences for Kids
This list includes more four-letter words that children are likely to encounter in conversation and in text, making it important for them to learn to recognize them and understand their meaning. You’ll also find words from the lists above shown with their definitions and used in simple sentences that children can understand.
☐ bake: to cook using dry heat. “We will bake cookies.”
☐ ball: a round object often used in sports. “We played catch with a ball.”
☐ bear: a large fur-covered wild animal with big paws. “We saw a bear at the zoo.”
☐ blue: a color. “The sky is blue.”
☐ boat: a small vessel used for travel on water. “We traveled by boat across the lake.”
☐ cake: a sweet baked treat. “We baked a chocolate cake for dessert.”
☐ come: to move toward a place. “Please come here.”
☐ door: a movable structure used to open or close an entrance. “I opened the door to the classroom.”
☐ down: toward a lower place. “The elevator is going down to the first floor.”
☐ dust: fine, dry particles of dirt. “Please wipe the dust off the picnic table.”
☐ feet: the lower part of the body used for standing or walking. “My feet hurt after running.”
☐ find: to discover something. “I need to find my shoes.”
☐ fire: heat and light produced by burning. “We made a fire at the campsite.”
☐ fish: an animal with a tail and fins that lives in water. “We caught a fish.”
☐ flag: a piece of cloth that represents a country. “The flag is waving in the wind.”
☐ fork: a tool with sharp points used to eat. “Use a fork to eat your salad.”
☐ frog: a small animal that jumps and lives near water. “The frog is green.”
☐ from: used to indicate the origin of something. “This gift is from Grandma.”
☐ gate: a movable barrier. “Please close the gate.”
☐ gift: something given to someone, usually as a present. “I got a gift for my birthday.”
☐ good: something that is positive. “You did a good job.”
☐ hand: the body part at the end of your arm. “She raised her hand.”
☐ help: to assist someone. “Can you help me with this?”
☐ here: in this place. “I am standing here.”
☐ high: located at a great distance above the ground. “The kite flew high.”
☐ jump: to move upward off the ground. “The frog can jump fast.”
☐ lamp: a device that provides light. “Turn on the lamp so we can see the book.”
☐ like: to enjoy something. “I like ice cream.”
☐ look: to direct your eyes at something. “Look at the beautiful bird.”
☐ love: a deep feeling of affection. “I love my family.”
☐ make: to create something. “We will make a cake.”
☐ milk: a liquid produced by cows or other mammals. “I drink milk with breakfast.”
☐ nest: a structure built by birds to hold eggs. “The bird built a nest in the tree.”
☐ open: not closed or shut. “Please open the door.”
☐ pink: a color. “She has a pink dress.”
☐ play: to engage in a fun activity. “We will play outside.”
☐ rain: drops of water falling from the sky. “It’s going to rain today.”
☐ read: to look at and understand words. “I like to read books.”
☐ ride: to sit on and/or control something moving, like a bike. “I can ride my bike.”
☐ rock: a hard substance found in nature. “We skipped rocks on the lake.”
☐ shop: a place where goods are sold. “We went to the candy shop.”
☐ sing: to make music with your voice. “Let’s sing a song.”
☐ snow: frozen precipitation. “Snow is falling from the sky.”
☐ some: an unspecified amount or number. “I would like some water.”
☐ star: a small point of light in the sky at night. “I see a bright star.”
☐ stop: to bring something to an end. “Please stop running.”
☐ tent: a portable shelter used for camping. “We set up a tent at the campsite.”
☐ that: used to identify a specific person or thing. “That is my book.”
☐ them: referring to a group of people or things. “I saw them at the park.”
☐ they: referring to a group of people or things. “They are playing soccer.”
☐ time: a point or period when something occurs. “It’s time for dinner.”
☐ tree: a tall plant with a trunk and branches. “The tree is very tall.”
☐ walk: to move on foot. “We like to walk in the park.”
☐ warm: providing or feeling heat. “The blanket is warm.”
☐ were: past tense of “are”. “They were happy.”
☐ what: asking for information. “What is your name?”
☐ when: asking about time. “When are we leaving?”
☐ will: used to express future actions. “We will go to the park tomorrow.”
☐ with: accompanied by someone or something. “I went to the store with my friend.”
☐ your: belonging to someone. “Your hat is on the table.”
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4-Letter Word Activities for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners
4-Letter Word Puzzle Hunt:
Create a simple puzzle using four-letter words by writing each word on index cards, but split the letters up (one letter per card). Hide the cards around the room and have your child search for them. Once they find all four letters, they can work to put them together to form the correct word. This activity not only reinforces spelling but also engages problem-solving and memory skills.
4-Letter Word Art Collage:
Encourage your child to get creative by making a collage that represents four-letter words. Provide magazines or printed images of objects that represent the words (e.g., a picture of a ball, a tree, or a frog) and let your child glue the images onto paper. Then, have them write the corresponding four-letter word underneath each picture. This activity builds vocabulary and enhances visual learning.
4-Letter Word Tic-Tac-Toe:
Turn a classic game into a learning tool! Create a tic-tac-toe board and fill each square with a different four-letter word. Players must read the word in the square before they can place their X or O. This fun twist on a traditional game helps with word recognition and adds a competitive element to learning.
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