Words That Start with the Letter Q for Kids
Check out our list of letter Q words, letter Q activities, and tips for teaching the letter Q sound and words to your child.
Our collection of letter Q words is designed for for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary students and aims to help them learn the letter Q sound and grow their vocabulary with a list of letter Q words.
If some words are too challenging for your child, read them aloud, emphasizing the beginning letter Q sound. Simply print out our list of letter Q words to work on with your child, along with our letter Q pictures to help your child gain an understanding of what these new words mean.
Pick and choose the words you feel are appropriate for your child, and remember that this list can be used to familiarize your child with the sound of the letter Q, as a vocabulary list, or as a spelling list.
Older children can practice reading the lists of letter Q words and their definitions independently or with help from an adult. Each word is also used in a sentence to help children understand the word’s meaning. Our lists include words that your child may already know, as well as words that will challenge them.
You can further enhance your child’s learning with our list of letter Q activities for children and find tips on teaching new words and sounds to your child at the bottom of this page.
Lists of Letter Q Words
Select the words that you think are suitable for your child. Keep in mind that these lists of words can be used to help familiarize your child with the sound of the letter Q, act as a list for vocabulary building, or be used for spelling practice. Younger children will likely need you to read the list to them.
3-Letter Q Words
☐ qat: a flowering plant native to East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. “Dried qat leaves are used in tea in some cultures.”
☐ quo: referring to the existing state of affairs. “They aimed to maintain the status quo.”
Simple Preschool Letter Q Words
☐ quack: the sound a duck makes. “The duck went quack as it entered the pond.”
☐ queen: the female ruler of an independent state. “The queen waved to the crowd.”
☐ quick: done with speed. “He made a quick decision.”
☐ quill: a writing tool made from a feather. “Long ago, people wrote with a quill dipped into ink.”
☐ quilt: a bed covering made of stitched pieces of fabric. “She made a colorful quilt for her bed.”
Kindergarten Letter Q Words
☐ quart: a measurement of liquid that equals two pints. “She bought a quart of milk.”
☐ quiet: making little or no noise. “She asked the children to be quiet.”
☐ quench: to put out, end, or satisfy. “A glass of ice water is a great way to quench thirst.”
☐ query: a more formal word for question. “She had a query about the new rules.”
☐ quirky: characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits. “Her quirky sense of humor made everyone laugh.”
☐ quiver: to tremble or shake. “The leaves began to quiver in the wind.”
☐ quota: a limited or fixed number or amount of people or things. “They met their sales quota for the month.”
☐ quote: to repeat or copy a group of words from someone else’s text or speech. “He liked to quote famous authors.”
Elementary Letter Q Words
☐ qualify: to be entitled to participate in something by meeting certain conditions. “She needs to qualify for the competition.”
☐ qualities: the traits that make something or someone what it is. “She was kind, responsible, and a former teacher, giving her the qualities of a great babysitter.”
☐ quantity: the amount of something. “He measured the quantity of ingredients.”
☐ quarter: one of four equal parts into which something is divided; a coin worth 25 cents. “She cut the cake into four quarters.”
☐ quest: a long search for something. “They embarked on a quest to find the ancient artifact.”
☐ question: something that is said or written requesting information. “She asked a question about the assignment.”
☐ queue: a line or sequence of people or vehicles awaiting their turn. “They stood in a queue for tickets.”
Letter Q Food Words
☐ quahog: a type of hard-shelled clam used in soups and stews. “They harvested quahogs from the beach for dinner.”
☐ quiche: a savory, open-faced pie made of a crust and filled with a custard of eggs, cheese, and other ingredients. “They served different types of quiche at brunch.”
☐ quince: a yellow fruit used for jams and jellies. “She made quince jelly.”
☐ quesadilla: a Mexican dish made with a tortilla and filled with cheese, meat, and vegetables. “He ordered a chicken quesadilla.”
☐ quinoa: a grain crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. “She made a salad with quinoa.”
Letter Q Animal Words
☐ quagga: an extinct type of zebra. “The quagga once roamed South Africa.”
☐ quail: a small game bird. “They saw a quail in the meadow.”
☐ quetzal: a brightly-colored bird found in Central America. “The quetzal is known for its colorful feathers.”
☐ quokka: a small marsupial from Australia. “The quokka is known for its friendly appearance.”
☐ quoll: a carnivorous marsupial with spotted fur that’s from Australia and New Guinea. “The quoll hunts at night.”
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Letter Q Object Words
☐ quadrant: a quarter of a circle. “The students learned about quadrants in math class.”
☐ quiver: a container for holding arrows. “The archer carried a quiver full of arrows.”
Letter Q Places Words
☐ quarry: a place where stone is dug out of the ground. “They visited a marble quarry.“
☐ quay: a platform alongside water for loading and unloading ships. “The ship docked at the quay.”
☐ Quebec: a province in eastern Canada. “They traveled to Quebec for vacation.”
☐ Qatar: a country in the Middle East. “Qatar is known for its rich cultural heritage.”
Letter Q Nature and Environment Words
☐ quagmire: a soft, boggy area of land. “The hikers avoided the quagmire.”
☐ quake: a shaking of the ground caused by the sudden movement of the Earth’s crust. “The quake caused buildings to sway.”
☐ quicksand: loose, wet sand that yields easily to pressure, causing things resting on it to fall in. “The quicksand posed a danger to travelers.”
Letter Q Emotions and Traits
☐ quaint: pleasantly unique. “The quaint village was charming.”
☐ quarrelsome: a tendency to argue. “The quarrelsome child often started fights.”
☐ quick-witted: an ability to think or respond quickly. “His quick-witted remarks kept the conversation lively.”
Letter Q Action Words
☐ quibble: to argue or raise objections about a trivial matter. “They quibbled over the details.”
☐ quip: to make a witty remark. “He quipped about the situation.”
Free Printable Letter Q Words Lists
Download and print our PDFs of the letter Q word lists to review with your children. One list includes all of our letter Q words and the other lists features our letter Q words along with their definitions and the words used in a simple sentence.
Letter Q Words with Pictures
Preschoolers and kindergarteners will appreciate having illustrations to look at while learning new letter Q words. As you read the words aloud to them, draw their attention to the letter Q sound as you pronounce the word. Point at the corresponding picture as you say the letter Q word. You can choose from our printable letter Q words with pictures to color or letter Q words with illustrations.
Letter Q Activities
Letter Q Song:
Learning about the letter Q is especially fun when it’s a song kids can listen, dance, and sing to.
Letter Q Worksheets:
These free printable letter Q worksheets can help children learn to recognize the letter Q, say its name and the sound it makes, and start learning how to write it, too.
Tips for Teaching Letter Q Words
- Be Patient
The letter Q sound can be tricky to master. As with all new topics your child is learning, go at their speed, be patient, and switch to something else if they become frustrated.
- Q is Often Qu
Very rarely does the letter Q appear in a word without the letter U right after it. Work with your child to help them understand that these letters are buddies who often work together.
- Use Multiple Teaching Approaches
Introducing a new letter sound in a variety of ways can help children better understand and get familiar with it. Combine our list of letter Q words with the letter Q song, worksheets, and activities to approach this new letter sound in many different ways.
Additional Resources
ABCmouse has educational resources for children aged 2-8, as well as resources to help parents and teachers.
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