Christmas Reading Worksheets for Kindergarten and 1st Grade
Updated November 2026 · 7 free printables
Christmas and winter reading worksheets for early readers: sound boxes for winter words (hat, sled, sock, bell), five Christmas sight word sentences to trace and read, nine Christmas pictures to name and write with a word bank, winter rhyming pairs to connect, six Christmas sentences with a missing word and a clap-the-syllables page, plus a Christmas sight word search.
The words are printed in the ball-and-stick manuscript letters children learn to write, on the same four-line paper as our handwriting pages, and every page with a right answer has a key on page 2.
At a glance
- Pages
- 7 free printables, one PDF each
- Ages
- 5 to 7
- Levels
- Kindergarten, Grade 1
- Answer keys
- 6 of the 7 pages have one on page 2
- Paper
- US Letter and A4
- Price
- free, no sign-up needed to download
All 7 Christmas Reading Worksheets for Kindergarten and 1st Grade, One by One
Here is a closer look at every page in this collection, with who it's best for and a coloring idea for each one.
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1. Christmas Sight Word Search
Ten Dolch sight words that show up in every Christmas picture book, SEE, LOOK, COME, HERE, LITTLE, BIG, RED, GO, UP and FOR, hidden across and down in a 10 by 10 grid. Read each word aloud, find it, then use it in a sentence about the tree and the gifts on the page. Key on page 2. Big pictures and only a few tasks per page make it a gentle start for kindergartners. Add white for snow.
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2. Winter Words Sound Boxes
Eight winter words for sound boxes: hat, mug, cup, fox, log, sock, sled and bell. Each word has a colored picture and one box per sound, so children stretch the word (s-o-ck), hear three or four sounds and write a letter in each box; ck gets one wide box because it is one sound. The answer key on page 2 shows the finished boxes. It suits ages 4 to 6, and little ones can count the pictures with a finger. Red, green and gold make a classic Christmas palette.
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3. Christmas Sight Word Sentences to Trace
Five Christmas sentences built from Dolch sight words (see, big, for, you, go, look, little, here, me) to trace in dashed manuscript letters on handwriting lines, with an empty line under each to write it again. A picture goes with every sentence (a tree, a Santa hat, a sled, a star, a gift) to color when the writing is done. No answer key is needed. Big pictures and only a few tasks per page make it a gentle start for kindergartners. Add white for snow.
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4. Write the Christmas Word Under the Picture
Nine Christmas pictures to name and write: tree, star, gift, bell, sled, snowman, mitten, cookie and stocking. Each card has a colored picture and four-line handwriting paper, and the word bank at the top shows the spellings in the same ball-and-stick letters children learn to write. The answer key has every word filled in. It suits ages 4 to 6, and little ones can count the pictures with a finger. Red, green and gold make a classic Christmas palette.
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5. Winter Rhyming Words: Match the Pairs
Six winter pictures on the left (hat, sock, sled, mug, bell, star) and six rhyming pictures mixed up on the right (cat, clock, bed, bug, shell, car). Children say both names, listen for the same ending and connect the dots with a line; the words are printed under the pictures for early readers. The key shows the six lines in red. Big pictures and only a few tasks per page make it a gentle start for kindergartners. Add white for snow.
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6. Christmas Sentences: Fill in the Missing Word
Six Christmas sentences with one word missing: Santa wears a red ___, the ___ is on top of the tree, we hang a ___ by the fireplace. First graders read the sentence, choose hat, star, stocking, gift, wreath or sled from the word bank and write it on the line; a small picture beside each sentence confirms the choice. Answer key on page 2. First graders can do it on their own once they know the strategy at the top of the page. Red, green and gold make a classic Christmas palette.
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7. Christmas Syllables: Clap and Count
Twelve Christmas words to clap into syllables: one-clap words like tree, bell and star, two claps for snowman, stocking, mitten, penguin, present and cookie, and three for ornament, candy cane and gingerbread. Each card has a colored picture, the word in manuscript letters and the numbers 1, 2, 3 to circle. The key circles the right count in red. First graders can do it on their own once they know the strategy at the top of the page. Red, green and gold make a classic Christmas palette.
Tips for coloring Christmas Reading Worksheets for Kindergarten and 1st Grade
- Say the picture name before writing anything; the sound comes first, the letter second.
- On the tracing page, read the sentence aloud before and after tracing it.
- For the syllable page, clap under the chin: the jaw drops once per syllable.
Fun facts about Christmas Reading Worksheets for Kindergarten and 1st Grade
- The sentences use Dolch sight words (see, look, little, here, for), the words early readers meet most often.
- ck and ll get one sound box each because they spell a single sound.
- Hearing rhymes and clapping syllables are two of the strongest predictors of reading success in kindergarten.
Fun ways to use your printables
- Hide the word bank cards around the room and write each word when it is found.
- Make up a new sentence for each picture on the tracing page and write it on the empty line.
- Play "I spy a rhyme" with the winter pictures in the room.
How to print
Click Download PDF on any page and print it at 100% on US Letter or A4 paper. Use regular printer paper for crayons and pencils, or cardstock for markers and paint. Every page here is free for home, classroom and party use, so feel free to print as many copies as you need.
Frequently asked questions
What reading skills do these pages cover?
Phonemic awareness (sound boxes, rhyming, syllables), sight words (tracing sentences, the sight word search), vocabulary and spelling (write the Christmas word) and sentence-level comprehension (fill in the missing word).
Do children need to read to do the rhyming page?
No. The rhyming pairs and the syllable page work from the pictures; the printed words are there for children who are starting to read.
Are the Christmas worksheets free?
Yes. Every sheet is a free PDF for home, homeschool and classroom use. Print as many copies as your class or family needs; the only thing we ask is not to resell them or upload them to another site.