CVC 'at' Family Words Matching Worksheet for Kids
This worksheet introduces children ages 3-5 to the 'at' word family — cat, bat, hat, mat, and similar words that share the same ending sound — helping them notice that once they know how 'at' sounds, they can read many new words just by swapping the first letter. Word family practice is one of the most efficient ways young readers build a large sight vocabulary quickly, since the pattern transfers across dozens of words. Matching each word to its picture confirms real understanding, not just mechanical sounding-out.
Curriculum
How to use this worksheet
Read the first 'at' family word together, pointing out that it ends the same way as the others on the page. Have your child change only the beginning sound as they read down the list, noticing how easy the rest of the word becomes once they know the 'at' ending. Ask them to color the picture for each word, then draw a line matching the word to its correct picture. Reread the whole list together once finished, pointing out the shared 'at' ending each time.
Materials needed
- Pencil
- Crayons
Extension activities
- •Make a set of letter cards and have your child slide different beginning letters in front of 'at' to build new words.
- •Write the 'at' family words your child knows on sticky notes and stick them around the house on matching objects.
- •Think of a silly sentence using two or three 'at' words, like 'the cat sat on the mat'.
- •Create a simple rhyming poem together using as many 'at' words as your child can think of.
- •Play a memory-matching game with word cards and picture cards for the 'at' family.
Tips for parents and teachers
Once your child grasps that 'at' always sounds the same, encourage them to apply that pattern to new words they haven't seen before, which is the real power of word families. If they're still sounding out each letter individually, that's fine at this stage, but gently point out the repeated 'at' chunk to nudge them toward faster recognition. Praise their growing speed as much as their accuracy.
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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