Which color words should a kindergartner know?

The ten on this sheet: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, brown, black and white. Red, yellow, blue, brown, black and white are on the first two Dolch sight word lists, so they turn up in early readers.

Why is gray not on the sheet?

Gray is spelled two ways, gray and grey, and a beginner needs one spelling per word. Schools in the US use gray; if your child's class teaches it, write it at the bottom of the sheet for one more row.

Kindergarten color words

Kindergarten color words worksheets

Kindergarten color words worksheets: six of the ten basic color words on each sheet, traced twice and then written alone on penmanship guides. Six of them are on the first two Dolch sight word lists, so kindergartners meet them in their first books, and writing each one helps them know it on sight.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.K.1.a.

Each print is a different sheet. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of words you'll practice

Trace each word two times. Then write it yourself on the line.

blueorangepurpleredbrownblackwhiteyellow

Each word appears twice in light gray for tracing, then once as a blank line for writing it without help.

Every print pulls a new set of words at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on a kindergarten sheet

Kindergarten sheets draw from 10 words, 6 to a page. Pre-K and kindergarten print from the same 10 words. What changes is the standard (L.K.1.a here) and the teaching notes below.

Tracing. Trace each word two times. Then write it yourself on the line. 6 words per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with a word list on the last page.

How to teach this

Kindergartners can read most of these by sight by the spring. Have your child say the word, trace it twice, then cover the traced copies and write it from memory on the rest of the line. Afterwards, color a small patch in the margin beside each row in that color. A patch in the wrong color shows a word that is not known yet. Purple, yellow and orange are the ones to watch.

Watch for: Saying a color is not the same as reading its word. A child who says red for every row is guessing; point under each word and say it together before tracing. Yellow, orange and purple are long words for a small hand. A break after three rows is fine, and the letters matter more than finishing the page.

Common questions about kindergarten color words

Which color words should a kindergartner know?: The ten on this sheet: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, brown, black and white. Red, yellow, blue, brown, black and white are on the first two Dolch sight word lists, so they turn up in early readers.
Why is gray not on the sheet?: Gray is spelled two ways, gray and grey, and a beginner needs one spelling per word. Schools in the US use gray; if your child's class teaches it, write it at the bottom of the sheet for one more row.

Related worksheets

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Aligned to Common Core L.K.1.a. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated October 2026.

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