Chad went to play with his pup, Gus. "Let's play catch!" said Chad. He tossed a red ball. Gus ran to fetch it, but the ball fell in a ditch. It was stuck in thick mud. Which way could Gus get it? Gus was sad. Chad went to check the ditch. "I will get it for you, chum," he said. He bent down and got the ball. It had a patch of mud, but Gus was glad.
“Chad and the Ditch” is a free printable decodable reader designed for kindergarten and 1st grade students practicing digraph ch phonics patterns. This mini-book uses phonetically controlled vocabulary so beginning readers can successfully sound out nearly every word in the story, building confidence and reinforcing the specific phonics skills they're learning.
The 2-page PDF includes the reading passage on page one and a coloring page illustration on page two. Print both pages, staple together, and your child has an instant mini-book. The coloring activity reinforces story comprehension and makes reading practice feel like a fun activity rather than homework.
This reader is part of our collection of 50 free decodable readers organized by phonics skill and aligned with the Science of Reading. For additional practice with digraph ch patterns, try our digraph ch phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.