Cut and Paste 'An' Family Worksheet for Preschoolers
This cut-and-paste worksheet has children ages 4-5 build simple 'an' family words, like 'can,' 'man,' and 'pan,' by gluing the correct beginning letter in front of the shared 'an' ending. Practicing a word family this way teaches children that changing just one letter creates a whole new word — a foundational pattern-recognition skill in early reading known as rhyming or word-family instruction.
Part of the pack
Month 4: Learning & Development | Ages 4-5Curriculum
How to use this worksheet
Look at the picture for each word together and say its name slowly, listening for the beginning sound. Have your child find the matching letter among the cutout pieces at the bottom of the page. Help them cut out the correct letter and glue it into the blank space in front of 'an' to complete the word. Repeat for each picture, then read all the finished 'an' words aloud together at the end.
Materials needed
- Scissors
- Glue
- Pencil
Extension activities
- •Build new 'an' family words using magnetic letters or letter tiles, testing which beginning letters make real words.
- •Draw a picture for each completed 'an' word to reinforce its meaning.
- •Play a rhyming game, taking turns saying any word that rhymes with 'can,' 'man,' or 'pan.'
- •Search a picture book for any 'an' family words and read them aloud when spotted.
- •Make up a silly rhyme or short poem using several of the 'an' words together.
Tips for parents and teachers
Emphasize the shared 'an' sound each time a new word is completed, since recognizing that pattern — rather than sounding out every word from scratch — is the real reading strategy being built. If your child glues the wrong letter, read the resulting nonsense word aloud together; hearing that it 'doesn't sound right' often helps them self-correct. Celebrate their growing ability to predict new words once they understand the pattern.
Written by
Hemsweta Jain · Teacher Cheena
MBA and Early Childhood Educator, teaching since 2014 · Founder of RaisoActive, Mumbai
Every RaisoActive worksheet is designed and checked by the founder before publishing.
Published · Last reviewed
Related worksheets
CVC 'an' Family Matching Worksheet for Early Readers
This worksheet strengthens phonics skills in children ages 4-6 by having them read, color, and match CVC words from the 'an' family, such as 'can', 'man', and 'fan'. Practicing an entire word family together helps children notice the shared 'an' pattern, an efficient shortcut that lets them decode a whole group of new words once they master just one.
CVC Word Family 'an' Worksheet: Read, Cut, and Match!
This cut-and-fold worksheet helps children ages 4-5 read words in the 'an' word family — like 'can', 'fan', and 'man' — and then self-check their reading by revealing a hidden picture underneath. Because every word shares the same 'an' ending, children practice changing just the first letter and re-blending, which builds both decoding speed and confidence. The reveal mechanic gives instant feedback, letting children verify their own reading rather than depending on an adult to confirm each word.
CVC Train Worksheet: Write and Build CVC Words!
This worksheet gives children ages 4-6 focused practice blending letter sounds into consonant-vowel-consonant words, using train-car pictures as clues for words like 'dog,' 'hen,' or 'cup.' Because children both write the word and can optionally build it with Lego blocks, this worksheet reinforces the same phonics skill through two different physical actions — handwriting and hands-on construction — which helps the spelling patterns stick.
Coding Shapes Worksheet: Cut and Arrange Shapes!
This cut-and-paste worksheet has children ages 3-5 recreate example shape sequences by cutting out individual pieces and arranging them to match, combining shape recognition with the ordered, step-by-step thinking used in early coding and pattern logic. The physical act of cutting and precisely placing each piece also strengthens fine motor control and spatial planning.
CVC Train Worksheet: Write CVC Words!
Writing consonant-vowel-consonant words like 'cat,' 'sun,' or 'pig' under matching pictures gives children ages 4-6 direct practice with letter-sound blending, a core phonics skill that underpins independent reading. Because each train car pairs a picture clue with a blank space, children also practice translating a spoken word they can sound out into its correctly spelled written form.
Coding Shapes Worksheet for Preschoolers: Cut and Paste Patterns
This cut-and-paste activity has children ages 3-5 recreate shape sequences shown in sample boxes, combining shape recognition with the same ordered, step-by-step thinking used in beginner coding concepts. Cutting out individual shapes and arranging them in the correct sequence also builds fine motor precision and spatial planning.
Christmas Cut and Paste Worksheet for Preschoolers
Cutting out a moon, snowman, gifts, and trees and arranging them inside a circle builds scissor precision and compositional thinking in children ages 3-5. Because there's no single 'correct' layout, children also practice early creative decision-making — choosing where each element belongs within a bordered space, which supports spatial awareness.
Rocking Santa Card Craft Worksheet for Preschoolers
This rocking Santa card craft has children ages 3-5 cut out individual shape pieces and assemble them onto a folded card base, combining scissor control with an early understanding of how folding creates movement, since the 'rocking' effect comes from the card's fold. Following the assembly steps in order also reinforces sequencing and attention to visual instructions.
Guides for this topic
How to Teach CVC Blending: A Step-by-Step Method That Works in Two Weeks
A step-by-step method for teaching CVC blending, covering continuous sounds, word families, common errors, and a 14-day plan that most children finish reading CVC words.
Phase 2 Phonics at Home: Sound Order, Blending Games, Worksheets
Phase 2 phonics at home: the five sound sets in order, oral blending, tricky words, a two-week routine, common mistakes, and free worksheets.
Reception Year Explained: EYFS Learning and How to Help at Home
A teacher's plain-English guide to the Reception Year: the seven areas of learning, Early Learning Goals, Phase 2/3 phonics, the RBA and home routines.
Reviews
Every worksheet for ages 4–5, no watermark
Members download the full library of 1,000+ worksheets and every activity pack without watermarks or daily limits. One year costs ₹1,000 in India or $20 elsewhere.
See membership plansOr download any worksheet free with a watermark (5 a day).