🐸 Sight Word Swamp
Hear the word, hop to the lily pad that says it.
How to play
- Pick a swamp and a tier, then click Start Hopping.
- Listen to the sight word. In the first three tiers it is shown too.
- Tap the drifting lily pad that says the word, or use the buttons or keys 1-4.
- The frog hops over. Five hops get it across the swamp!
- Wrong pad? Splash, but nothing is lost. The pad is read aloud so you can compare.
- In listen mode, tap 🔊 Hear it again, or 👀 Peek to see the word (peeked words earn 1 ✨).
A sight words game where kids hear the word and find it
Sight Word Swamp is a free game for practicing the high-frequency words kids need to read by sight. A cheerful frog sits at the edge of a swamp. A sight word is read aloud, like said or because, and lily pads carrying words drift slowly across the water. Tap the pad that says the word and the frog leaps onto it with a splash, the view glides up the swamp, and a new row of pads floats in. Five good hops and the frog reaches the far bank to a swirl of fireflies.
The wrong pads aren't random. They are look-alike words from the same list, the ones children actually mix up, like was and saw, on and no, where and were, or then and them. That is what makes it real sight word practice rather than simple matching. When a child taps the wrong pad, it sinks with a splash and its word is read aloud next to the target, so the difference can be heard as well as seen. There is no timer and no game over, only the streak resets.
All five Dolch sight word lists
The tiers follow the Dolch sight word lists that many classrooms use. Tier 1 is the pre-primer list with words like the, and, see, and look, and Tier 2 is the primer list. Tier 3 covers the first grade list, all with the word shown as well as spoken. Tier 4 and Tier 5 move to the second and third grade lists in listen mode, where the word is only heard and the child has to read the pads to find it. A Peek button shows the word for a moment for anyone who needs it. The Championship tier mixes every list with faster lily pads. If a device can't speak, the word is always shown on screen.
Every word earns fireflies, and every crossing adds a bonus. Fireflies unlock new swamps: Misty Swamp, Lotus Pond, Moonlit Marsh, Bayou Sunset, and Crystal Lake. Best streaks are saved per tier. Sight Word Swamp is free, works in the browser on computers, tablets, and phones with touch, mouse, or keyboard, needs no download or account, and saves progress only in your own browser. See the Parents & Safety page for privacy details, or explore more in the Word Games hub.
Frequently asked questions
How do I play Sight Word Swamp?
Listen to the sight word, then tap the lily pad that says it, or use the answer buttons or number keys. The frog hops onto the pad, and five correct hops get it across the swamp.
Which sight words does it use?
The five Dolch sight word lists: pre-primer, primer, first grade, second grade, and third grade, plus a Championship tier that mixes them all.
What is listen mode?
In Tiers 4 to 6 the word is only spoken, not shown, so the child has to read the lily pads to find it. The Peek button shows the word briefly if needed. On devices that cannot speak, the word is always shown.
Why are the wrong answers so similar?
The wrong pads are look-alike words such as was and saw or where and were. Those are the words children really confuse, so telling them apart is the point of the practice.
What age is it for?
It fits pre-K through third grade, about ages 4 to 9, matching the Dolch lists from pre-primer to third grade.