Tam at Bat

Short A Kindergarten CVC Foundations
Tam at Bat
Tam at Bat, page 1
1Tam had a bat and a red cap. "I will toss it," said Max. "You hit it, Tam!" said Ken.
Tam at Bat, page 2
2Max did toss it. Tam hit at it. Miss! Tam did not get it. Tam was sad.
Tam at Bat, page 3
3"You can do it, Tam!" said Ken and Max. Max did toss it. Tam hit it! Pop! It is up, up, up!
Tam at Bat, page 4
4Tam ran and ran to the mat. "I did it!" said Tam. Ken and Max ran to hug Tam.
Circle or highlight all the short A words in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What color is Tam’s cap?
  2. How did Tam feel after missing the first toss?
  3. What did Ken and Max do at the end?
Keep practicing
Practice Short A with 10 more free worksheets

Picture worksheets to read, match and spell short a words, plus this story's word sort, phrasing cards and word search.

Get the Short A worksheets →
Tam at Bat printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
Full-color picture book • Print, cut & staple • No signup required
Read-aloud version (one page per sheet, for projecting)

Reader Details

Phonics Skill Short A
Grade Level Kindergarten
Phase CVC Foundations
Worksheets Short A Worksheets

Target Words

cat bat hat mat sat tap cap nap map van can ran

Sight Words

the is a and to was it on his had her he my said

More Short A Readers

Did they understand it?
One-page stories to read, then circle, color or draw

Free kindergarten reading comprehension sheets, built from the same short-vowel words as this book. Black and white, with answer keys.

See the kindergarten sheets →
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About This Decodable Reader

“Tam at Bat” is a free printable decodable reader designed for kindergarten students practicing short a 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 free PDF is a full-color illustrated mini-book: a cover, four picture pages with one or two lines of story text each, and a back page listing the short a words, high-frequency words, and discussion questions. Print the three sheets, cut each one in half along the dashed line, and staple — your child has a real little book to hold. A read-aloud version with one large page per sheet is also included for projecting to the whole class.

This reader is part of our collection of free decodable readers organized by phonics skill and aligned with the Science of Reading. For additional practice with short a patterns, try our short a phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.