SH or CH? Free Digraph Worksheet for Kindergarten
Reading isn’t just about memorizing letters. It’s also about knowing the sounds they make together. Digraphs like “sh” and “ch” are among the first letter combinations young readers learn. They’re key to developing early reading skills. That’s why this free SH or CH digraph worksheet is a must-have for preschool, kindergarten, and first grade learners.
What Are Digraphs?
A digraph is when two letters work together to make one sound. For example:
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sh makes the sound you hear in shark, ship, or shoe.
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ch makes the sound you hear in chick, chips, or cherry.
Understanding these sounds is a big milestone in phonics development. Once kids know digraphs, they start decoding harder words. This helps them read with more confidence.
About the Worksheet
This printable sh or ch worksheet has 12 images kids will easily recognize. For each one, students:
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Look at the picture
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Say the word out loud
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Decide if the word starts with SH or CH
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Color the correct circle
This simple activity does a lot. It builds phonemic awareness. It strengthens sound-letter mapping. It also encourages vocabulary development. Best of all, it’s fun and interactive!
Why SH and CH Digraphs Matter
The sh and ch sounds are two of the most common beginning digraphs in English. Teaching these together helps kids hear the differences. They can sort words by their beginning sounds. It also helps prevent confusion between similar sounds.
Practicing digraphs like sh and ch:
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Builds decoding and spelling skills
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Strengthens early reading fluency
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Lays the foundation for more advanced phonics patterns
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Boosts listening comprehension and oral language development
When to Teach sh and ch Digraphs
Students usually start learning digraphs after they know consonant sounds and short vowel words. Here’s a rough guideline by grade:
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Preschool: Exposure through stories, songs, and simple words
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Kindergarten: Formal introduction of SH, CH, TH, WH with practice activities and worksheets
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1st Grade: Continued review, application in reading passages, spelling, and writing
This worksheet is perfect for a kindergarten phonics lesson. It’s also useful for advanced preschoolers or first graders who need some review.
It’s easy to use, printable, and perfect for helping kids develop early literacy skills without making your planning more complicated.
Looking for More Digraph Worksheets?
If your students enjoyed this activity, check out our full collection of free phonics worksheets at Superthink. We offer:
Each one is designed with clarity, creativity, and ease of use in mind.
