Words That Start With the Letter Y for Kids
Check out our list of letter Y words, letter Y activities, and tips for teaching the letter Y sound and words to your child.
Help your child expand their vocabulary and learn the letter Y sound with these letter Y words for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary students. These lists of words include simple CVC words and more complex words for older children. Whether hearing the words read to them or reading the words themselves, children will have an opportunity to grow their vocabulary and understanding of the letter Y sound.
Younger children will especially enjoy the letter Y coloring sheet featuring images of the letter S and pictures of words that start with the letter Y.
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 Y, as a vocabulary list, or as a spelling list.
You’ll also find a definition for each letter Y word and the word used in a simple sentence to help your child better understand its meaning. You can further enhance learning with our printable list of letter Y words, as well as a list of letter Y activities to try and tips for teaching new letters and words to your child.
Lists of Letter Y 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 Y, 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 Y Words
☐ yap: to bark sharply. “The dog tends to yap at strangers.”
☐ yaw: to swerve off course. “The boat began to yaw in the strong wind.”
☐ yea: an affirmative vote. “The motion was passed with a yea.”
☐ yen: the main type of money in Japan. “He exchanged dollars for yen in Japan.”
☐ yep: informal way of saying yes. “Yep, I agree with you.”
☐ yet: up until the present time. “He hasn’t learned to ride a bike yet.”
☐ yip: a short, sharp sound from animals. “The puppy gave a happy yip.”
☐ you: referring to the person or people being addressed. “You are welcome to join us.”
☐ yow: an exclamation of pain. “Yow, that hurt!”
Simple Preschool Letter Y Words
☐ yarn: a long, thick strand of cotton, wool, etc. used for knitting. “She bought yarn to knit a scarf.”
☐ yell: to shout loudly. “He heard his mother yell from the kitchen.”
☐yelp: a short cry made in pain or distress. “She let out a yelp when she scraped her knee.”
☐ yes: used to give an affirmative response. “Yes, I will come to the party.”
☐ young: having lived or existed for only a short time. “The young child is very curious.”
☐ your: belonging to or associated with the person or people being addressed. “Is this your book?”
☐ yuck: an exclamation of disgust. “Yuck, the skunk smells stinky.”
Kindergarten Letter Y Words
☐ yard: an area of land next to a building or home. “The children played in the yard.”
☐ year: a period of 365 days. “The last day of the year is December 31st.”
☐ yellow: the color between green and orange in the spectrum. “She wore a bright yellow dress.”
☐ yoke: a wooden beam used to pair animals together. “The oxen were harnessed with a yoke before plowing the field.”
☐ yolk: the yellow part of an egg. “She separated the egg yolk from the white.”
☐ yesterday: the day before today. “Yesterday was sunny and warm.”
☐ youth: the time of life when someone is young. “He spent his youth in the countryside.”
Elementary Letter Y Words
☐ yahoo: an exclamation of joy or excitement. “Yahoo! We won the game!”
☐ yield: to slow down or stop to check for oncoming traffic. “The driver will yield to oncoming traffic.”
☐ yin-yang: a concept in Chinese philosophy describing how opposite forces are interconnected. “The yin-yang symbol represents balance.”
☐ yo: an informal greeting. “Yo, how are you?”
☐ yodel: to sing by rapidly changing pitch. “He learned to yodel from his Swedish grandmother.”
☐ yoga: a form of exercise involving a series of poses and mind-body connection. “She practices yoga every morning.”
☐ yore: a time long ago. “In days of yore, knights protected the kingdom.”
☐ yummy: delicious. “The cake was yummy.”
Letter Y Food Words
☐ yam: a starchy tuber. “She made a dish with roasted yams.”
☐ yeast: a fungus used in baking and brewing. “She added yeast to the bread dough.”
☐ yogurt: a semi-solid food made from fermented milk. “She likes to eat yogurt with fruit for breakfast.”
☐ yellowfin tuna: a type of tuna fish. “They served yellowfin tuna at the restaurant.”
☐ yucca: a starchy root vegetable. “She fried yucca to make chips.”
Letter Y Animal Words
☐ yak: a large domesticated wild ox. “The yak has thick fur to keep warm.”
☐ yellowjacket: a type of wasp. “The yellowjacket buzzed around the picnic.”
☐ yellowtail: a type of fish found in the Pacific Ocean. “The yellowtail fish is popular in sushi.”
☐ yorkshire terrier: a small breed of dog. “The yorkshire terrier chased a small ball.”
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Letter Y Object Words
☐ yacht: a large boat used for private cruising or racing. “They spent the weekend on their yacht.”
☐ yardstick: a measuring stick one yard long. “He used a yardstick to measure the fabric.”
☐ yashmak: a veil worn by some Muslim women to cover part of their face. “She wore a yashmak during the ceremony.”
☐ yearbook: a book given to students that captures images and moments from the year. “He looked at his high school yearbook.”
☐ yo-yo: a toy consisting of a spool that is reeled up and down on a string. “He played with his yo-yo for hours.”
Letter Y Places Words
☐ Yellowstone National Park: the first national park; located in the U.S. “They saw Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park last summer.”
☐ yonder: at some distance in a specified direction. “The house stands yonder, beyond the hill.”
☐ Yosemite National Park: a national park in California. “Yosemite National Park is known for its stunning scenery.”
☐ youth center: a place where young people can meet and enjoy activities. “The youth center offers many programs for kids.”
Letter Y Nature and Environment Words
☐ yearling: a young animal, particularly a horse, that’s one year old. “The yearlings were grazing in the field.”
☐ yew: a type of evergreen tree or shrub. “The yew tree has small leaves and is very old.”
☐ yucca: a plant with long, sword-shaped leaves. “Yucca plants are common in desert regions.”
Letter Y Emotions and Traits
☐ yearn: to have an intense feeling of longing for something. “He yearned for adventure.”
☐ youthful: having the qualities typical of young people. “Her youthful energy livened up the party.”
Letter Y Action Words
☐ yank: to pull something with a jerk. “She had to yank the door open.”
☐ yawn: to open your mouth wide and breathe in deeply because you are tired. “He began to yawn as it got late.”
☐ yowl: making a loud wailing cry. “The cat was yowling outside.”
Free Printable Letter Y Words Lists
Simply download and print our PDFs of the letter Y word lists to review with your children. One list includes all of our letter Y words and the other lists features our letter Y words along with their definitions and the words used in a simple sentence.
Letter Y Words with Pictures
Preschoolers and kindergarteners will appreciate having illustrations to look at while learning new letter Y words. As you read the words aloud to them, draw their attention to the letter Y sound as you pronounce the word. Point at the corresponding picture as you say the letter Y word. You can choose from our printable letter Y words with pictures to color or letter Y words with illustrations.
Letter Y Activities
Letter Y Song:
Learning about the letter Y is especially fun when it’s a song kids can listen, dance, and sing to.
Letter Y Worksheets:
These free printable letter Y worksheets can help children learn to recognize the letter S, say its name and the sound it makes, and start learning how to write it, too.
Tips for Teaching Letter Y Words
- Echo the Sound
Model the letter Y sound for your child, saying the sound alone and as its used in a few words from the letter Y word lists. Ask them to repeat the sound and words back to you, ensuring they’re using the correct pronunciation.
- Letter Sound of the Week
Add some fun to learning new letter sounds by picking a new letter sound for each week. Spend the week identifying things that start with the letter sound, making foods that use the designated letter sound, and hunting for the letter sound in books.
- Incorporate Technology
Use educational apps and videos that focus on the letter Y, 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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