1st Grade Spelling Bee Words

• 1st grade
• 50 words, 3 levels
• Free printable list

Spelling bee words for 1st grade, in three levels: 20 easy words, 20 medium words and 10 hard words. They're short, common words with the patterns 1st graders know, plus a few challenge words for the final rounds.

Spelling bees in 1st grade

In 1st grade, a spelling bee is usually a class activity rather than a competition with eliminations. The goal is confidence: standing up, hearing a word and spelling it out loud. Most words come straight from 1st grade phonics, so the best preparation is the same as everyday practice: sounding words out and noticing patterns like ck, sh and silent e.

The words

Start with the easy list and move up when your child spells most of the words without help. In a real bee, words usually get harder each round.

Easy words (20 words, Round 1)

• cat
• dog
• sun
• red
• big
• run
• hat
• cup
• bed
• pig
• fox
• hen
• map
• jam
• net
• log
• bus
• six
• top
• wet

Medium words (20 words, Rounds 2 and 3)

• frog
• stop
• ship
• fish
• cake
• bike
• home
• tree
• rain
• play
• jump
• duck
• milk
• nest
• star
• book
• look
• moon
• green
• snow

Hard words (10 words, Final rounds)

• friend
• school
• people
• because
• flower
• yellow
• purple
• rabbit
• little
• apple

How to study for a spelling bee

1. Five to ten words a day. Don't cram the whole list. Short daily sessions over two or three weeks work best.
2. Say, spell, write, check. Say the word, spell it out loud letter by letter, write it, then check it against the list.
3. Find the tricky part. In most hard words, only one or two letters are surprising. Point them out and make a memory trick, like those in commonly misspelled words.
4. Use the rules. Many words follow patterns: doubling, drop the e, i before e. Knowing the rule turns ten words into one idea.
5. Practice out loud. Bees are oral. Practice standing up, saying the word, spelling it clearly and saying the word again at the end.
6. Mock bee. A few days before, run a practice bee at home with the family. See how to run a home spelling bee.

Tip for 1st grade: 1st grade bees are usually friendly class events. Let your child practice saying each letter clearly and starting over if they make a mistake, if their bee allows it.

Five words worth extra attention

These words from the lists trip up the most spellers at this level. The tricky part is explained for each.

• friend: the i before e: fr-i-e-nd. A friend is there to the end.
• school: sch says /sk/: s-c-h-o-o-l.
• people: the silent o: p-e-o-p-l-e.
• because: a-u-s-e at the end, not u-z.
• purple: ur in the first part, le at the end.

On the day of the bee

• Listen to the whole word before starting. Ask to hear it again if you're unsure.
• Ask for a sentence or definition if the bee allows it, especially for words that sound like other words.
• Picture the word written down before saying the first letter.
• Spell slowly and clearly. There's no prize for speed.
• If you're out, that's OK. Every speller misses a word eventually, even champions.

Practice quiz

Ten words from the medium and hard lists. Tap the right spelling.

1. 1.Which spelling is right?

   🔈
   friend frend freind
   Show answer

   friend.

2. 2.Which spelling is right?

   🔈
   school skool scool
   Show answer

   school.

3. 3.Which spelling is right?

   🔈
   yellow yelow yello
   Show answer

   yellow.

4. 4.Which spelling is right?

   🔈
   purple purpel perple
   Show answer

   purple.

5. 5.Which spelling is right?

   🔈
   because becuz becaws
   Show answer

   because.

6. 6.Which spelling is right?

   🔈
   people peple peopel
   Show answer

   people.

7. 7.Which spelling is right?

   🔈
   flower flowr flouer
   Show answer

   flower.

8. 8.Which spelling is right?

   🔈
   rabbit rabit rabbet
   Show answer

   rabbit.

9. 9.Which spelling is right?

   🔈
   little littel litle
   Show answer

   little.

10. 10.Which spelling is right?

    🔈
    apple appel aple
    Show answer

    apple.

Printable list

The free PDF has all 50 words on one US Letter page, grouped by level, so you can call out words for a practice bee or tick off the ones your child knows.

Other grades and practice

For weekly practice through the year, see the 1st grade spelling lists. Every rule is on the spelling page, and all spelling bee lists are on the spelling bee words page.

Last reviewed: November 11, 2026

Questions parents ask