Digraph Phonics Worksheets & Activities for Elementary Students

This digraph set of phonics worksheets and phonics activities focus on digraphs with short vowels.  We have four sets that include Initial Digraphs, Final Digraphs, SH/CH Digraphs, and a Mixed Set of Digraphs.  These are a great resource that provides extra practice with reading and writing words with digraph phonics patterns.

These Digraph Phonics Worksheets are a great addition to your phonics word work literacy centers. They can also be used for small group reading, independent work time, and even homework.

What is Included in the Digraph Phonics Worksheets?

These Digraph Phonics Worksheets focus on short vowel words with digraphs and include 357 NO PREP printables for short vowel digraphs.

The digraph worksheets are grouped by:

• Initial Digraphs
• Final Digraphs
• SH / CH Mixed
• ALL Digraph Mixed Set

These can also be printed at a reduced size and can be used for interactive notebooks.  This Phonics Interactive Notebook blog post will give you ideas on how to move beyond the worksheet into a phonics notebook.

There are 21 worksheet templates with multiple versions of most templates within each section. We have included additional phonemic awareness worksheets in these digraph sets. Many students struggle with hearing and distinguishing the differences between different digraphs.

Two of the worksheets #7b and #9b are variations of the previous worksheet type.

The 21 templates are:

1. Color the Picture
2. Circle the Same Word
3. Read, Trace, Write
4. Read, Write, Color
5. Spell & Write
6. Match & Write
7. a: Circle the Word (7b: Circle the Digraph)
8. Read and Check
9. 9a: Write Two Times (9b: Write Digraph Four Times)
10. Read, Match, Write
11. Sentence Scramble Cut & Paste
12. Write a Sentence
13. Picture Sort
14. Word Sort
15. Write by Word Family
16. Cut & Paste Onset Rime
17. Cut. Paste. Write.
18. Cut & Paste Onset & Rime Write
19. Color the Matching Sound (PA)

Examples of Each Digraph Worksheet Page

These 21 digraph phonics worksheets are repeated in each of the four sets (Initial, Final, SH/CH, Mixed) and often include multiple pages to accommodate the entire word list of each set.

Many of the worksheets utilize the blending cues available on our Blending Cards. Blending cues are dots to segment the word, dotted lines to blend the word, and a large arrow to “read it fast”.

Students can use the blending cues to read the word, then do the work on the worksheets. If you’re already using the Blending Cards, these worksheets are a great accompaniment.

1- Color the Picture

On this first worksheet, students read the word using the blending cues. They then color the picture that matches the word.

After students complete the worksheet, they could cut it out in strips and boxes and create flash cards with the words and pictures.

2 – Circle the Same Word

On this digraph phonics worksheet, students read the word using the blending cues and then circle the matching word.  This is a great way for students to start recognizing the word as a group of letters altogether.

3 – Read, Trace, Write

This worksheet has students read the word using the blending cues, then trace and write the word.

4 – Read, Write, Color

This digraph phonics worksheet is similar to the first one; however, now students are asked to write the sounds of each word as well as read and color the image.  Double consonants take up one space because they make one sound together. 

5 – Spell & Write

On this worksheet, students look at the picture, segment the word, circling the letters that make the word. Students then write the word on the blank space.

6 – Match & Write

This is a match and write worksheet where students look at the picture and then find it within the given word.

7a – Circle the Word

This worksheet asks students to circle the word that matches the picture from a list of three words. 

This worksheet makes a great interactive notebook activity when cut up.  Students can take one square, circle the word, and glue it in their notebook. 

7b – Circle the Digraph

This worksheet asks students to circle the digraph sound that matches the picture from a list of digraphs. It is similar to the above worksheet, but instead of words, it only has the digraph.

8 – Read and Check

This digraph worksheet is a bit more complicated and great for your more advanced readers.  It asks students to read and check the sentence that goes with the picture.

9a – Write Two Times

On this worksheet, students write the word two times.

9b – Write Four Times

On this worksheet, students write the digraph four times. Make it more interesting by asking students to use different colors.

10 – Read, Match Write

On this worksheet, students read the sentence and figure out which word is missing, given the list of words.  Students write the missing word in the blank space.

11 – Sentence Scramble Cut & Paste

For this worksheet, students are presented with three or four words that make a sentence. Each row has its own set of words. Students cut apart the words and create the sentence.

If students have difficulty with this task, give them some hints, like the period ends the sentence and the sentence starts with a capital letter.

12 – Write a Sentence

This worksheet is similar to the above worksheet, except instead of a cut and paste, students are asked to write the sentence, given the three or four words.

13 – Picture Sort

This is a traditional picture sort. Students say the word in the picture and determine the word family that matches.

14 – Word Sort

This is similar to a traditional word sort but includes blending cues to help students read the words.

This is another sheet that would be good for interactive notebooks.  Cut the columns and glue them down to a page in a notebook. Students sort and glue the words in the appropriate columns.

15 – Write by Word Family

This is another worksheet that emphasizes word families. On it, students write the words that go along with the word family. The onsets for the particular column are grouped together and each column is sorted by the rime.

16 – Cut & Paste Onset & Rime

This worksheet is the opposite of the above. Students are given the onset and match the rime with the picture.

17 – Cut. Paste. Write.

This digraph worksheet is a cut and paste where students match the word. Students then write the word on the blank space.

18 – Cut & Paste Onset & Rime. Write.

The final digraph phonics worksheet is where students match the onset and rime and then write the word.

19 – Color Matching Sound

The final worksheet is where students match the sound and color the picture that matches. It is a phonemic awareness activity.

Many of the digraph phonics worksheets are similar, with some small tweaks. One worksheet may ask students to match a word, and another may ask them to write it.

Providing so many different options provides plenty of choices, variety, and practice with digraph phonics patterns.

How to Purchase the Digraph Phonics Worksheets

The Digraph Phonics Worksheets can be purchased on my website or on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Phonics Interactive Notebook Activities

If you’re interested in using these worksheets in an interactive notebook format, see this blog post for details on how to do that.