Compound Words for First Grade: A Foundational List

Reviewing Compound Words

Putting it simply, a compound word is made by putting two words together to form a single word. The resulting compound word may have a meaning that cannot be determined directly by examining the two original words.

Examples are:

• cupcake (cup + cake) - A small cake for a single serving, usually with icing on top.
• something (some + thing) - A thing that may not be entirely known.
• nowhere (no + where) - Not in any place.
• anybody (any + body) - Any person at all.

Compound Words for First Grade

There are many compound words for first grade that students of that age can easily understand and enjoy working with. There are actually three types of compound words, but it's best to stick with closed compounds (two words that become a single word with no punctuation) with first graders. Focus on the basics; they can discover more complex compounds later.

Compound Words Table A-D

Review a selection of basic compound words starting with the letters A-D.

airplane	airport
applesauce	armchair
armpit	babysitter
backbend	backpack
barefoot	baseball
bathtub	bedroom
billboard	birthday
blueberry	bookcase
bookmark	bookshelf
brainstorm	bullfrog
butterfly	butternut
campfire	cardboard
catfish	chalkboard
cheeseburger	classmate
classroom	clockwise
copycat	cornbread
cornstalk	crosswalk
crossword	cubbyhole
cupcake	daydream
dishwasher	doghouse
doorknob	doughnut
downhill	downtown
dragonfly	drawbridge
drawstring	driveway
dugout	dustpan

Compound Words Table E-L

Many additional basic compound words start with the letters E-L.

earache	earrings
earthquake	earthworm
eyeballs	fingernail
firefighter	firefly
flagpole	flashlight
football	footstep
forearm	gingerbread
goalkeeper	goldfish
grasshopper	groundhog
hairbrush	hallway
hamburger	hamstring
handstand	hardship
hardware	heartbeat
hedgehog	highway
hillside	homemade
hometown	honeydew
hopscotch	housework
humankind	hummingbird
iceberg	jellyfish
keepsake	keyboard
kneecap	ladybug
landslide	leftover
lifeguard	lighthouse
litterbug	locksmith
lowercase	lumberjack

Compound Words Table M-Z

There are many basic compound words that start with the letters M - Z.

mailbox	moonlight
newborn	newscast
nightfall	nosebleed
notebook	oatmeal
online	outside
pancake	pathway
peanut	peppermint
pinball	playhouse
playmate	ponytail
popcorn	pothole
rainbow	restroom
sandbox	schoolwork
seashell	seesaw
sidewalk	snowball
sunburn	sunflower
sunglasses	sunrise
sunroof	superhero
tablespoon	tadpole
teamwork	teardrop
teaspoon	textbook
underground	viewpoint
waterproof	website
workbook	worksheet
worldwide	wristwatch
yearbook	zookeeper

Printable List of 500+ Compound Words for Kids

For a great teaching resource that's also a fun and cute handout, download the printable list of compound words. It features more than 500 compound words kids can start learning in first grade (and beyond!).

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Activity: Matching Game Using Compound Words

Compound words work really well in matching games. Children love finding matching pairs among the pile, and it also allows for some creativity in forming new words altogether. It's easy to make your own.

1. Choose a selection of compound words from the list above. (Five words per student is a good number to start with, though you may want to go with more or less.)
2. Cut cardstock paper in halves or quarters to form cards, or use index cards.
3. Print the individual words that join together to form the compound words on their own card. (For example, if you choose yardstick as one of the words, write "yard" on one card and "stick" on another.)
4. Assign students to work individually or in pairs, letting them know that their task is to match the cards to form five (or whatever number you are using) compound words.
5. Provide each student (or pair of students) with the appropriate cards.
6. When students have completed the task, have each student (or pair of students) call out their words. Then, lead the class in a discussion of the activity. Ask them to share what they found challenging, as well as what strategies they used.

Compound Words Practice

In addition to the matching game above, you may be interested in some practice exercises to help teach compound words to children. The answers to these practice questions appear below the printable worksheet, which includes additional practice questions.

Practice Forming Compound Words

Choose the correct answer from the options below each sentence.

1. Which of the following words can be combined with "pony" to form a compound word?
   1. cake
      
   2. tail
   3. fish
2. Which word can be combined with "back" to form a compound word?
   1. yard
   2. quake
   3. fly
3. Which word can be combined with "grass" to form a compound word?
   
   1. pan
   2. grow
   3. hopper
4. Which word can be combined with "play" to form a compound word?
   1. ground
   2. earth
   3. tooth
5. Wich word can be combined with "jelly" to form a compound word?
   1. food
   2. fish
   3. rise

Printable Compound Word Practice Worksheet

For even more practice exercises in worksheet form, download the printable worksheet below. It focuses on helping students learn to recognize and form compound words, along with an answer key. Activities include connecting words to form compound words, identifying word pairs that do and don't work as compound words and properly writing compound words.

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Answers to Practice Forming Compound Words

The correct answers to the in-article practice items are listed below. The correct response is bold and the compound word appears in parentheses.

1. Which of the following words can be combined with "pony" to form a compound word?
   1. cake
      
   2. tail (ponytail)
   3. fish
2. Which word can be combined with "back" to form a compound word?
   1. yard (backyard)
   2. quake
   3. fly
3. Which word can be combined with "grass" to form a compound word?
   
   1. pan
   2. grow
   3. hopper (grasshopper)
4. Which word can be combined with "play" to form a compound word?
   1. ground (playground)
   2. earth
   3. tooth
5. Wich word can be combined with "jelly" to form a compound word?
   1. food
   2. fish (jellyfish)
   3. rise

A Life of Learning

One of the most important lessons you can teach first graders is that learning is fun! When helping them with understanding compound words, be sure that they're having a good time. This will pave the way for a lifelong love of learning. They'll be prepared to focus on compound nouns sooner rather than later. Compound verbs won't be far behind. Before long, they'll even be tackling compound sentences.