Words That Start with the Letter J for Kids
Find a list of letter J words, letter J activities, and tips for teaching the letter J sound and words to your child.
Our list of letter J words for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary students aims to help children get familiar with the letter J sound and expand their vocabulary with a list of letter J words.
Young learners may not be able to read many of these words on their own. Adults can read unknown words aloud to their children, helping them hear the beginning letter J sound. Simply print out our list of letter J words to work on with your child, along with our letter J 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 J, as a vocabulary list, or as a spelling list.
Older children can practice reading the lists of letter J words and their definitions on their own or with an adult. Each word is also used in a sentence to help children understand the word’s meaning. Our lists include words that may act as review for your child, as well as words that will challenge them.
You can further enhance your child’s learning with our list of letter J activities for children and find tips on teaching new words and sounds to your child at the bottom of this page.
Lists of Letter J 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 J, 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 J Words
☐ jab: to poke something quickly. “He will jab the balloon with a pin to make it pop.”
☐ jam: a thick sweet food made from fruit and sugar. “She spreads jam on her toast.”
☐ jar: a wide-mouthed container typically made of glass or pottery. “He put the cookies in the jar.“
☐ jaw: the part of the skull that holds the teeth. “Sharks are known for their big jaws and sharp teeth.”
☐ jet: a fast airplane powered by jet engines. “The jet flew high in the sky.”
☐ jig: a lively dance. “Let’s dance a jig at the festival.”
☐ job: a paid position of regular employment. “She starts her new job next week.”
☐ jog: to run at a slow, steady pace. “He jogs every morning to stay fit.”
☐ jot: to write something quickly. “Jot down your name and number.”
☐ jug: a container for holding liquids, usually with a handle. “He filled the jug with water.”
☐ jut: to extend sharply outward or upward. “A rock juts out from the cliff.”
Simple Preschool Letter J Words
☐ jack: a device used to lift heavy objects. “He used a jack to lift the car.”
☐ jacket: a piece of clothing worn on the upper body to keep warm. “I always wear a jacket in the winter.”
☐ jeans: pants made from denim. “He wore his new jeans to school.”
☐ jiffy: a very short amount of time. “He said he would be back in a jiffy.”
☐ jingle: a light ringing sound. “The keys jingle in her pocket when she walks.”
☐ joke: to say something that’s funny or playful. “She told a joke that had everyone laughing.”
☐ joy: a feeling of great happiness. “She felt joy at seeing her friend.”
☐ jump: to push yourself up into the air using your legs. “The frog can jump very high.”
Kindergarten Letter J Words
☐ jazz: a type of music with lively, complex rhythms. “They listened to jazz music during dinner.”
☐ jeep: a small, rugged vehicle used for off-road driving. “They drove a jeep up the mountain.”
☐ jest: to joke or act playfully. “The statement was said in jest–it wasn’t serious.”
☐ jinx: to bring bad luck. “She didn’t want to jinx her chances by saying too much.”
☐ joint: a place where two parts of something fit together. “The doctor showed how the bones in the elbow joint allow it to move.”
☐ jolly: very happy and cheerful. “Santa Claus is a jolly man.”
☐ juice: a liquid drink typically made from fruits or vegetables. “He drank a glass of orange juice at breakfast.”
☐ jukebox: a machine that plays songs from records when a coin is inserted. “The diner has an old jukebox.”
☐ jump rope: a rope used in a game where people swing the rope over their heads and under their feet. “The children love to jump rope during recess.”
☐ juniper: a type of shrub or small tree with berries. “There are several juniper bushes by the lake.”
☐ just: very soon or recently. “I’ll just put the blanket away.”
☐ justice: the quality of being fair and reasonable. “The teacher explained that giving everyone a turn is an example of justice.”
Elementary Letter J Words
☐ January: the first month of the year. “Many people begin January by setting new goals.”
☐ jewel: a precious stone that is used in jewelry. “She wore a necklace with a bright blue jewel.”
☐ jigsaw: a puzzle consisting of many small pieces that fit together. “They completed a jigsaw puzzle of a mountain.”
☐ journal: a blank book that someone can write personal thoughts or experiences in. “She writes in her journal every night.”
☐ journalist: a person who writes news stories or articles for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio. “The journalist traveled to many countries to report on important events.”
☐ journey: to travel from one place to another, usually over a long distance. “They planned a journey across the continent by train.”
☐ judge: a person appointed to decide the outcome of a competition or someone who presides over a court. “The judge will make the final decision.”
☐ jubilee: a special anniversary of an event, especially one celebrating twenty-five or fifty years of a reign or activity. “The town celebrated the queen’s jubilee with a parade.”
☐ jargon: special words or expressions used by a specific group that are difficult for others to understand. “The computer experts use jargon that is hard for others to follow.”
☐ July: the seventh month of the year. “People often celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks and parades.”
☐ June: the sixth month of the year. “June usually marks the beginning of summer.”
☐ jury: a group of people sworn to make a decision in a legal case. “The jury listened carefully to the evidence.”
☐ justify: to show or prove to be right or reasonable. “He tried to justify his actions to his friends.”
Food Words
☐ jambalaya: a Creole dish of rice with shrimp, chicken, and vegetables. “They enjoyed a flavorful jambalaya at the festival.”
☐ jamun: a tropical fruit from South Asia, also known as Java plum. “Jamun is both tart and sweet and turns the tongue purple.”
☐ jerky: dried, seasoned meat that is eaten as a snack. “She packed beef jerky for the hiking trip.”
☐ jicama: a crunchy, sweet root vegetable often eaten raw. “Jicama adds a nice crunch to the salad.”
☐ jujube: a small, red fruit that is sweet and chewy when dried. “The jujube is often used in traditional Chinese medicine.”
☐ julienne: to cut food into short, thin strips. “She julienned the carrots for the stir-fry.”
☐ jus: a sauce made from the juices that come from cooking meat. “He served the roast with a side of jus for dipping.”
Animal Words
☐ jackal: a wild dog found mostly in Africa and Asia, known for its cunning nature. “The jackal roamed the desert looking for food.”
☐ jaguar: a large cat native to the Americas, recognized by its yellow and black coat. “The jaguar moved silently through the jungle.”
☐ jay: a type of colorful bird known for its noisy calls. “A blue jay visited their bird feeder.”
☐ jellyfish: a sea animal with a soft body and no bones, often transparent. “The jellyfish floated near the surface of the water.”
☐ jerboa: a small rodent with long legs for jumping, found in desert climates. “The jerboa hopped quickly across the sand.”
☐ joey: a young kangaroo or other marsupial. “The joey peeked out from its mother’s pouch.”
☐ junco: a small gray or brown bird found mainly in North America. “A junco landed in the snowy yard looking for seeds.”
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Object Words
☐ jackhammer: a powerful tool used for breaking up concrete. “The construction worker used a jackhammer to break up the road.”
☐ jadeite: a type of hard, typically green stone often used in carvings and jewelry. “The museum displayed an ancient carving made of jadeite.”
☐ jar opener: a tool designed to help open stubborn lids on jars. “Grandma used a jar opener to get the pickle jar open.”
☐ jasmine: a type of fragrant flower used in perfumes and teas. “The garden was filled with the scent of jasmine.”
☐ javelin: a long spear thrown in sports competitions. “He threw the javelin far into the field.”
☐ joist: a length of metal or wood used to support the floor of a building. “The carpenter checked the floor joists for signs of wear.”
Places Words
☐ jail: a place where people are kept when they have been arrested. “The thief was sent to jail.”
☐ jetty: a structure that projects from the land out into water, often used as a landing stage for boats. “They walked along the jetty to watch the sunset.”
☐ jungle gym: a structure made of metal bars for children to climb on in playgrounds. “The kids played on the jungle gym all afternoon.”
☐ junction: a place where roads or railway lines come together. “There is a busy junction at the end of Main Street.”
☐ jurisdiction: a region or area governed by a particular set of laws, authority, etc. “The city’s jurisdiction ends at the river.”
☐ junkyard: a place where old cars, machines, and other discarded materials are collected. “He went to the junkyard to find a replacement part for his car.”
Nature and Environment Words
☐ jade: a term used to describe the green color often found in natural settings, like forests or gardens. “The hills were a rich shade of jade after the rain.”
☐ jasper: a type of rock valued for its interesting patterns and used in jewelry and decoration. “He found a piece of jasper during the field trip to the park.”
☐ jet stream: a high-speed current of air at high altitudes that greatly influences the weather. “The jet stream shifted, causing the weather to change rapidly.”
☐ jungle: a dense forest in a tropical climate, filled with a wide variety of plants and animals. “The jungle was alive with the sounds of birds and monkeys.”
☐ jurassic: relating to the period about 200 to 145 million years ago, when dinosaurs existed. “They found fossils from the Jurassic era while digging in the area.”
Emotions and Traits
☐ jaded: tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having had too much of something. “He felt jaded after years in the same job.”
☐ jaunty: having or expressing a lively, cheerful, and self-confident manner. “She wore her hat at a jaunty angle.”
☐ jealous: feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages. “He felt jealous when his friend got a new bike.”
☐ jeering: making rude and mocking remarks, typically in a loud voice. “The jeering crowd made it hard for him to speak.”
☐ jittery: nervous or unable to relax. “He felt jittery before the big presentation.”
☐ jovial: full of happiness and joy. “Her jovial nature lit up the room.”
☐ jubilant: feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph. “The team was jubilant after winning the championship.”
☐ judicious: having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense. “She was judicious in her decision to save money.”
☐ judgmental: having or displaying a critical point of view. “She tried not to be judgmental when giving feedback.”
Action Words
☐ jaunt: to make a short journey for pleasure. “Let’s go on a jaunt in the park.”
☐ jeopardize: to put someone or something into a potentially risky situation. “He jeopardized his chances with reckless decisions.”
☐ jerk: to suddenly move something or someone with a quick, sharp motion. “She jerked her hand away when she touched the hot stove.”
☐ jockey: to maneuver or struggle for a favorable position. “He jockeyed for a better view at the concert.”
☐ jolt: to move suddenly and sharply, often in a rough way. “The bus jolted forward, throwing him against the seat in front.”
☐ jostle: to push, elbow, or bump against someone roughly, typically in a crowd. “Shoppers jostled with each other to grab the last popular toy.”
☐ juggle: to handle several responsibilities or tasks at once. “She juggled work and her studies successfully.”
Free Printable Letter J Words Lists
Simply download and print our PDFs of the letter J word lists to review with your children. One list includes all of our letter J words and the other lists features our letter J words along with their definitions and the words used in a simple sentence.
Letter J Words with Pictures
Preschoolers and kindergarteners will appreciate having illustrations to look at while learning new letter J words. As you read the words aloud to them, draw their attention to the letter J sound as you pronounce the word. Point at the corresponding picture as you say the letter J word. You can choose from our printable letter J words with pictures to color or letter J words with illustrations.
Letter J Activities
Letter J Song:
Learning about the letter J is especially fun when it’s a song kids can listen, dance, and sing to.
Letter J Worksheets:
These free printable letter J worksheets can help children learn to recognize the letter J, say its name and the sound it makes, and start learning how to write it, too.
Letter J Activities
Have J Day
Theme the day around the letter J, eating jam on toast, drinking juice, telling jokes, working on jigsaw puzzles, going on a jaguar hunt, and whatever other fun J activities you and your child can think of.
Jumping Jack Challenge
The challenge of this game is to not just do as many jumping jacks as possible, but to also say a new word that starts with the letter J every time you jump!
Write a Jingle
Work with your child to write a short song or jingle about the letter J, include as many J-words as possible and singing it to a simple, catchy tune.
Tips for Teaching Letter J Words
- Compare the Differences
When teaching your child the letter J, or any other letter, compare the differences between other letters with similar shapes to help distinguish each letter. For example, J and L both have long straight lines up, but J curves one way while L goes straight the other way.
- Review
Each time your child learns a new letter sound, don’t forget to spend a few minutes reviewing the sounds they previously learned. This can help them retain all the new information they’re learning.
- More Tips for Teaching Letter Sounds
Review our blog post featuring expert methods for teaching letter sounds, and try some of the strategies with your child.
Additional Resources
ABCmouse has educational resources for children aged 2-8, as well as resources to help parents and teachers.
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Letter Sound Activities for Young Kids
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