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.
Curriculum
How to use this worksheet
Read each 'an' word together, sounding out the individual letters before blending them smoothly into the full word. Let your child color the picture beside each word. Then have them draw a line matching each word to its correct picture, rereading the completed word once the connection is drawn.
Materials needed
- Pencil
- Crayons
Extension activities
- •Build new 'an' words by swapping the first letter on a whiteboard: can, man, fan, pan, van, ran.
- •Have your child write two or three of the 'an' words from memory on a separate sheet.
- •Create a simple sentence together using one of the 'an' words, like 'The man has a fan.'
- •Make a matching memory game using flashcards of the words and pictures.
Tips for parents and teachers
Encourage your child to sound out the whole word rather than guessing from the picture alone, since true decoding practice is the point of the exercise. Praise their effort and provide positive reinforcement for each successful match, even if it takes a few attempts. Keep the activity moving at a comfortable pace to maintain enthusiasm.

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
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