Words that Start With the Letter I for Kids
Our list of letter I words comes with letter I activities, and tips for teaching the letter I sound and words to your child.
This comprehensive list of letter I words aims to help preschool, kindergarten, and elementary students get familiar with the letter I sound and expand their vocabulary with a list of letter I words.
Young learners may not be able to read many of these words on their own. Adults can read unknown words aloud to their child, helping them hear the beginning letter I sound. Simply print out our list of letter I words to work on with your child, along with our letter I pictures to help your child gain an understanding of what these new words mean. You’ll find simple words, such as its and ice, as well as more challenging words, like initial and impatient.
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 I, as a vocabulary list, or as a spelling list.
We’ve also included a definition of each word and used it in a short sentence, which can aid in growing your child’s understanding of what each word means. We’re also sharing letter I activities for children to help enhance their learning, as well as tips for parents on how to teach letter I words to their children.
Lists of Letter I 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 I, 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 I Words
☐ ice: water that is frozen solid. “We put ice in our drinks to keep them cold.”
☐ icy: covered with ice. “The road was icy and slippery.”
☐ ill: not feeling well. “She felt ill and stayed in bed all day.”
☐ ink: a colored fluid used for writing. “Please use a pen with blue ink to write the letter.”
☐ inn: a small hotel. “They stayed at a cozy inn during their vacation.”
☐ its: belonging to someone or something. “The dog chased its tail.”
☐ ivy: a climbing vine. “The old walls were covered in green ivy.”
Simple Preschool Letter I Words
☐ ice cream: a sweet frozen treat. “She enjoyed her ice cream on the hot day.”
☐ idea: a thought or suggestion. “She had a great idea for the new project.”
☐ igloo: a house made of ice. “The Inuit are known for building igloos.”
☐ inch: a unit of measurement. “He measured the paper, and it was eight inches long.”
☐ in: located inside. “The cat is in her bed.”
☐ insect: a small creature with six legs. “A butterfly is a type of insect.”
☐ is: a linking verb. “He is happy.”
☐ itch: a feeling that causes a desire to scratch. “He had an itch on his back.”
☐ it: used to refer to an object. “Pick it up.”
☐ item: an individual thing or article. “Please place the item on the table.”
☐ ivory: a hard white material from elephant tusks. “The old piano has ivory keys.”
Kindergarten Letter I Words
☐ imagine: to think of or create something in your mind. “Let’s imagine we’re in a magical land.”
☐ important: something that is of great significance or value. “Being kind is important.”
☐ infant: a very young baby. “The infant slept quietly in her crib.”
☐ inform: to give information or knowledge. “The teacher will inform us about the trip tomorrow.”
☐ ingredient: a part of any mixture or combination. “Flour is an important ingredient in cakes.”
☐ inside: the inner part of something. “The treasure is hidden inside the box.”
☐ invite: to ask someone to come to an event. “We will invite all our friends to the birthday party.”
☐ into: going inside something. “She put the toys into the box.”
☐ iron: a tool used to press clothes to remove wrinkles. “He used the iron to smooth out his shirt.”
Elementary Letter I Words
☐ imperial: relating to royalty, specifically emperors. “They prepared an imperial feast for the emperor and his guests.”
☐ indeed: truly or in fact. “He did indeed finish all of his homework.”
☐ industry: businesses that make or sell goods. “The car industry is very important in our city.”
☐ initial: first or beginning. “Tom drew a big T, the initial letter of his name, on his book.”
☐ innovate: to introduce something new or different. “Companies need to innovate to stay competitive.”
☐ inquiry: a request for information. “The student made an inquiry about the library books.”
☐ insight: a clear understanding of a complex situation. “She had an insight into the problem that helped solve it.”
☐ integrate: to combine one thing with another so that they become a whole. “The school tries to integrate technology into every class.”
☐ interact: to communicate or work together. “It’s good to interact with others on team projects.”
☐ interpret: to explain the meaning of something. “He can interpret the instructions well.”
Food Words
☐ iceberg lettuce: a type of crisp lettuce that resembles a cabbage. “She used fresh iceberg lettuce for the salad.”
☐ icing: a sweet topping made from sugar that’s often used to decorate cakes. “She spread pink icing on the cupcakes.”
☐ idli: a type of steamed cake made from rice batter and black lentils, popular in South India. “We had idli and sambar for breakfast.”
☐ igiri: a traditional Japanese dish of sushi rice wrapped with a strip of seaweed. “He loves eating igiri with a bit of wasabi.”
☐ instant: food that is quick to prepare and requires very little cooking. “Instant noodles are a popular snack among college students.”
Animal Words
☐ ibex: a type of wild goat with long, curved horns found in the mountains of Europe, Asia, and North Africa. “The ibex climbed the steep cliffs with ease.”
☐ ibis: a bird with a long, curved bill, living mostly in wetlands and known for its wading habits. “The ibis foraged in the shallow water for food.”
☐ iguana: a large lizard native to Central and South America. “The green iguana basked in the sun on a branch.”
☐ impala: an African antelope with slender and graceful limbs, known for its ability to leap. “The impala jumped over the bushes to escape the predator.”
☐ inchworm: a type of small caterpillar that moves by bringing its hind end forward while gripping with its front legs. “The inchworm made its way across the leaf.”
☐ indri: a large lemur with a short tail and black and white fur, native to Madagascar. “The indri leaps from tree to tree in the rainforest.”
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Object Words
☐ icon: a small picture on a computer that you click to start something. “She clicked the icon to play the game.”
☐ image: a picture. “She looked at an image of her family on her phone”
☐ incense: something that smells nice when burned. “They burned incense to make the room smell good.”
☐ indicator: a light that tells you something. “The indicator on the car blinks when you turn.”
☐ inflator: a tool used to fill things with air. “She used the inflator to fill the ball with air.”
☐ insulation: material used to keep heat in or out. “Insulation in the walls keeps the house warm.”
☐ intercom: a system to talk to someone in another room. “She spoke into the intercom to call her brother.”
☐ iPad: a small touchscreen computer. “He played games on his iPad.”
☐ ironing board: a board for ironing clothes on. “He unfolded the ironing board to iron his shirt.”
Places Words
☐ Iceland: a cold country in the North Atlantic known for its hot springs and waterfalls. “They enjoyed swimming in hot springs in Iceland.”
☐ Idaho: a state in the northwestern U.S. known for its mountains. “Idaho is near Montana and Oregon.”
☐ Illinois: a midwestern state in the U.S. known for its biggest city, Chicago. “We drove through miles of farmland in Illinois before reaching the city of Chicago.”
☐ India: a large country in South Asia, home to the beautiful Taj Mahal. “The Taj Mahal in India is very famous.”
☐ Indonesia: is a country in Southeast Asia that includes many islands. “Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands.”
☐ Islamabad: the capital of Pakistan, and home to over 1 million people. “Islamabad has many lovely parks and forests.”
☐ Ireland: located off the coast of England, Wales, and Scotland. “The Cliffs of Moher in Ireland are a popular tourist destination.”
☐ Istanbul: a large city in Turkey along the boundary of Europe and Asia. “Sara visited Istanbul to see its famous Blue Mosque.”
☐ Italy: located in Europe and known for its long coastline, food, and historic architecture. “People like to visit Italy to see the Colosseum in Rome and ride boats in Venice.”
Nature and Environment Words
☐ iceberg: a large piece of freshwater ice floating in the ocean. “We spotted an iceberg during our sea voyage.”
☐ icicle: a hanging piece of ice formed by the freezing of dripping water. “Icicles hang along the edge of the house in winter.”
☐ igneous: a type of rock formed through the cooling and hardening of magma or lava. “Granite is an example of an igneous rock.”
☐ incubate: to keep eggs warm until they hatch. “Birds incubate their eggs by sitting on them until they hatch.”
☐ inlet: a small arm of the sea, a lake, or a river. “The inlet was calm and perfect for fishing.”
☐ island: a piece of land surrounded by water. “They spent the day exploring the small island.”
☐ irrigation: supplying water to land or crops through man-made means. “Irrigation helps farmers grow crops in dry areas.”
☐ isthmus: a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas, usually with water on either side. “The isthmus between the two beaches is very narrow.”
Emotions and Traits
☐ idealistic: having goals or plans that are good but unrealistic. “His idealistic plans often clash with practical realities.”
☐ impatient: having a tendency to be quickly irritated. “He became impatient waiting in the long line.”
☐ indifferent: having no particular interest or concern. “She is indifferent about what to eat for dinner.”
☐ insecure: lacking confidence or assurance. “He feels insecure about his abilities despite getting many compliments.”
☐ interest: showing curiosity about something or someone. “She shows interest in learning about the ocean.”
☐ inspire: feeling encouraged to do something. “The beautiful scenery inspired her to paint.”
☐ intrepid: very brave or fearless. “The intrepid explorer ventures into unknown lands.”
☐ inventive: to create or design new things or to think originally. “He is known for his inventive ideas during art class.”
☐ introspective: to look inward on one’s own thoughts and feelings. “She is introspective, often reflecting on her own thoughts.”
☐ irritate: to feel annoyance. “The barking dog may irritate her while she concentrates on her work.”
Action Words
☐ illuminate: to light up. “The lamp will illuminate the dark room.”
☐ illustrate: to explain or make clear by using examples, charts, or pictures. “She will illustrate her point with a diagram.”
☐ implement: to put into effect. “The company will implement the new policy next week.”
☐ improve: to make better. “He works hard to improve his skills.”
☐ increase: to make or become larger; to add to. “The store will increase its prices next month.”
☐ indicate: to point out or show. “The signs indicate where to find the exit.”
☐ influence: to have an effect on the character or behavior of someone or something. “Good teachers can influence their students positively.”
☐ initiate: to begin or start. “She will initiate the meeting at noon.”
☐ inspect: to look over carefully. “Please inspect the car for any damage.”
Free Printable Letter I Words Lists
Simply download and print our PDFs of the letter I word lists to review with your children. One list includes all of our letter I words and the other lists features our letter I words along with their definitions and the words used in a simple sentence.
Letter I Words with Pictures
Preschoolers and kindergarteners will appreciate having illustrations to look at while learning new letter I words. As you read the words aloud to them, draw their attention to the letter I sound as you pronounce the word. Point at the corresponding picture as you say the letter I word. You can choose from our printable letter I words with pictures to color or letter I words with illustrations.
Letter I Activities
Letter I Song:
Learning about the letter I is especially fun when it’s a song kids can listen, dance, and sing to.
Letter I Worksheets:
These free printable letter I worksheets can help children learn to recognize the letter I, say its name and the sound it makes, and start learning how to write it, too.
Letter I Crafts:
Incorporating crafts is a fantastic way to engage children in learning the letter I. From icy igloo creations to imaginative iguana art, our Letter I Crafts will spark creativity while reinforcing letter recognition and sound.
Tips for Teaching Letter I Words
- Proper Mouth Positioning
When working with your child to learn the letter I sound, help them position their tongue in the right way to make the sound. While making the “ih” sound, the tip of their tongue should barely touch the bottom of their teeth, and the middle of their tongue should arch up a tiny bit.
- Tactile Learning
Engage your child’s senses while learning any new letter, as it can help them better connect with what they’re learning. Invite your child to form letters with clay or by tracing letters in the sand or dirt. As they make the shape of the new letter, help them practice saying its sound at the same time.
- Incorporate Technology
Use educational apps and videos that focus on the letter I, creating another learning path for your child that offers auditory and visual input.
Additional Resources
ABCmouse has educational resources for children aged 2-8, as well as resources to help parents and teachers.
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