Looking for a hands-on printable for teaching word families? Check out our word family houses!
(This post contains affiliate links.)
My word family houses were one of my very first printables here at The Measured Mom®. These little gems are wonderful for helping new readers crack the code of sounding out words!
If you’re teaching a new reader to sound out words, I highly recommend using word families instead of groups of unrelated words.
What are word families?
Word families are groups of words that share the same ending. For example, the words cat, fat, and mat all belong to the “-at” word family.
Why teach reading with word families?
1) The English language is complicated. A bit daunting for someone just learning, wouldn’t you say? Word families help beginning readers find predictable patterns within words.
2) Knowing word families makes sounding out words easier because instead of laboriously sounding out each letter, the reader reads the first sound and attaches it to the familiar word family name. When reading the word cat, for instance:
Instead of reading /k/ /a/ /t/, the child learns to read /k/ /at/.
These word family houses are easy to print and assemble!
If you print on colored cardstock and laminate, you get a durable printable that will hold up through a lot of use.
1. Print each house on a single piece of cardstock.
2. Cut out each house and wheel, being sure to cut into the house to cut out the window.
3. Laminate. (For this demonstration, I put just one house and wheel in the laminator, but I can fit two houses and two wheels on a single piece of laminate.)
4. Cut out the pieces and use a sharp tool to punch a hole through the black dots. Assemble with a brass fastener for some hands-on reading practice!
Get the original versions for free
If you’d like my original sets, you can download them individually for free.
© 2015 – 2020, Anna G. All rights reserved.
Elena says
Thank you very mach!
Anna Geiger says
You’re very welcome, Elena!
susi says
Genevieve loves the houses! Colored them and they are gorgeous! Thanks
Anna Geiger says
Yay! Thank you for sharing, Susi!
MERAL toramanoglu says
SO GOOD :)) THANK YOU
Anna Geiger says
You’re very welcome!
Antara says
Hi Anna,
Was just wondering if the small books that you had for ‘word families’ are still available? I can’t seem to find it anymore. They were really very helpful.
Anna Geiger says
Yes! All my word family books are here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/free-phonics-books/
Yael says
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this!
Thank you!
Anna Geiger says
You’re very welcome, Yael!
Sam says
Hi! Great resource thank you! I don’t have any brass fasteners where I am currently. Any other ideas as to what I can use instead?
Thanks!
Anna G says
Sorry, I don’t! I would google “alternatives to brass fasteners” and see if you find a DIY option. 🙂
Shannon says
These are such a cute idea! Thanks so much.
Kiersten says
Thank you so much for sharing these amazing resources! For some reason when I try to click the short “u” houses, it won’t take me to it like the other ones. Does anyone know a solution for this? Thanks!!
Anna G says
Thanks, Kiersten – fixed it!
Lana says
The printable card patterns you have made are very beautiful. I see some cards that are like a houses. They are wonderful. Will you send me some cards…
Kate Dowling says
Hi Lana!
This is Kate, Anna’s assistant. To download these cards, please scroll up to where it says, “Get the original versions for free.” Under that you will find links for each of the five vowels. Enjoy the cards!