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CVC -ap Word Family Worksheets for Preschool (No Writing)

Age Group: 3–6 years No. of Pages: 5 Format: Printable PDF

These 5 printable pages introduce the CVC -ap word family to children aged 3–6 who are not writing yet. Children read words like cap, map, nap, tap, match them to pictures and listen for sounds.

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Age: 3–6 years
Subject: English (Phonics)
Word family: -ap (short a)
Skill: Reading CVC words, no writing
Format: Printable PDF
Pages: 5

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About This Worksheet

Changing just the first letter turns cap into map, then nap. That simple pattern is what the -ap word family teaches, and it gives young children an early route into reading on their own.

All the activities use pointing, circling and matching, which keeps the focus on reading the -ap words rather than on handwriting.

Activities in This Pack

Inside, your child will find five -ap activities:

  • CVC -ap word list to read together (cap, map, nap, tap)
  • Match each picture to its -ap word
  • Beginning sounds: find the first letter of each -ap word
  • Select the matching -ap word
  • Select the matching picture

Skills Your Child Practises

  • Blending sounds: c-a-p, cap
  • Hearing the beginning sound in nap and tap
  • Recognising the -ap ending by sight
  • Visual matching of words and pictures
  • Reading -ap words such as cap and map

How to Use This Worksheet

  • Read the -ap word list together and point to each letter as you say it.
  • Blend slowly: c-a-p, cap. Then try map the same way.
  • Swap the first letter to make new words, for example cap to map.
  • Do one or two pages at a time so it stays fun.
  • When your child is confident, move on to the -ap reading and writing pack.

About the -ap Word Family

Every -ap word uses the short a sound, as in apple. In this pack your child meets cap, map, nap and tap. When those feel easy, say other -ap words aloud together: gap, lap, clap and snap. Ask your child which letter changes each time.

Say it together: “Take a nap in your cap.” Point to each -ap word as you say it.

What’s Next?

Next: CVC -ap Words: Reading and Writing Worksheets, the -ap reading and writing pack. For more, see all our CVC worksheets.

Where This Worksheet Fits

This pack is part of our short a CVC word families. For each family, start with the no-writing pack, then move on to reading and writing:

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Looking for more? Browse all our CVC word family worksheets and English worksheets for preschool and kindergarten.