Words that Start With the Letter Z for Kids
Our list of letter Z words comes with letter Z activities and tips for teaching the letter Z sound and words to your child.
This comprehensive list of letter Z words is designed to help preschool, kindergarten, and elementary students get familiar with the letter Z sound and grow their vocabulary with a list of letter Z words.
Young learners may need adults to read unknown words aloud, helping them hear the beginning letter Z sound. Simply print out our list of letter Z words to work on with your child, along with our letter Z pictures to help your child gain an understanding of what these new words mean. You’ll find simple words, such as zap, as well as more challenging words, like zillion.
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 Z, 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 further aid your child in learning each word’s meaning. We’re also sharing letter Z activities for children to help enhance their learning, as well as tips for parents on how to teach letter Z words to their children.
Lists of Letter Z 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 Z, 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 Z Words
☐ zap: to hit or destroy with a sudden burst of energy. “The bug zapper will zap any mosquitoes that come near.”
☐ zip: to fasten with a zipper. “I need to zip up my coat before heading outside.”
☐ zit: a small, red, inflamed spot on the skin. “He woke up with a zit on his forehead.”
☐ zen: a state of calmness. “Sitting quietly in the garden made me feel very zen and peaceful.”
Simple Preschool Letter Z Words
☐ zero: the number 0; nothing. “He scored zero points in the game.”
☐ zone: an area with certain features or for certain activities. “Please stay in the play zone so we can see what everyone is doing.”
Kindergarten Letter Z Words
☐ zillion: an extremely large number. “He has a zillion ideas.”
☐ zoomies: sudden bursts of energy in pets, especially dogs and cats, where they run around wildly. “The dog had the zoomies after his bath and ran around the house.”
Elementary Letter Z Words
☐ zenith: the highest point reached by a star or planet in the sky. “The sun reached its zenith at noon.”
☐ zinc: a chemical element used in making alloys and protective coatings for steel and iron. “The steel beams were coated in zinc for protection.”
☐ zodiac: a line of space around Earth that includes the path the Sun takes around Earth and 12 well-known constellations. “The zodiac has 12 constellations, like Leo and Aquarius.”
Letter Z Food Words
☐ zander: a type of fish similar to pike. “They cooked zander for dinner.”
☐ ziti: a tubular-shaped pasta. “She made baked ziti for dinner.”
☐ zucchini: a green summer squash. “They made a salad with zucchini.”
☐ zwieback: a type of crisp, sweetened bread. “She had zwieback with her tea.”
☐ zest: the outer peel of citrus fruit used as flavoring. “She added lemon zest to the cake.”
☐ zuppa: Italian for soup. “They enjoyed a warm bowl of zuppa.”
Letter Z Animal Words
☐ zebra: an African wild horse with black-and-white stripes. “The zebra grazed in the field.”
☐ zebu: a type of domestic cattle with a hump. “The zebu wandered the farm.”
☐ zorilla: a small African mammal that resembles a skunk. “The zorilla is known for its strong odor.”
☐ zonkey: a hybrid of a zebra and a donkey. “The zoo had a rare zonkey.”
☐ zorse: a hybrid of a zebra and a horse. “The zorse was an unusual sight.”
☐ zebra finch: a small songbird. “The zebra finch sang cheerfully.”
☐ zebrafish: a small freshwater fish. “The zebrafish is popular in aquariums.”
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Letter Z Object Words
☐ zamboni: a machine used to smooth the surface of an ice rink. “The Zamboni cleaned the ice between periods of the hockey game.”
☐ zapper: a device used to kill insects. “They used a bug zapper on the porch.”
☐ zeppelin: a type of rigid airship that’s long and tubular. “The zeppelin floated above the city.”
☐ zipper: a device used to close and open parts of clothing. “He fixed the zipper on his coat.”
☐ zither: a musical instrument made from a flat wooden sound box with many strings. “She played a beautiful tune on the zither.”
☐ ziggurat: a rectangular stepped tower. “The ancient ziggurat was an interesting sight to see.”
☐ zoot suit: a type of suit popular in the 1940s. “He wore a zoot suit to the costume party.”
☐ zen garden: a Japanese rock garden. “They strolled through the peaceful zen garden.”
Letter Z Places Words
☐ Zambia: a country in Southern Africa. “They traveled to Zambia for their vacation.”
☐ Zanzibar: an island off the coast of East Africa. “Zanzibar is known for its beautiful beaches.”
☐ Zaragoza: a city in Spain. “They visited the historic city of Zaragoza.”
☐ Zurich: the largest city in Switzerland. “Zurich is famous for its financial institutions.”
☐ Zion National Park: a national park in Utah. “They hiked through Zion National Park.”
Letter Z Nature and Environment Words
☐ zephyr: a gentle, mild breeze. “A warm zephyr blew through the open window.”
☐ zinnia: a brightly colored flowering plant. “She planted zinnias in her garden.”
☐ zooplankton: small aquatic organisms that float in water. “Zooplankton are a crucial part of the aquatic food chain.”
☐ zirconium: a type of metal that is used as a diamond-like gemstone. “The ring featured a large, sparkling cubic zirconium.”
Letter Z Emotions and Traits Words
☐ zealous: having or showing a lot of energy or enthusiasm. “The zealous fans cheered for their team.”
☐ zany: goofy or wacky. “The clown’s zany antics made everyone laugh.”
☐ zippy: bright or lively. “The zippy music made everyone want to dance.”
☐ zestful: full of enthusiasm and energy. “Her zestful approach to life was inspiring.”
Letter Z Action Words
☐ zigzag: to move forward by making sharp turns from one side to the other. “The road zigzags up the mountain.”
☐ zoom: to move or travel very quickly. “The car zoomed down the highway.”
Free Printable Letter Z Words Lists
Download and print our PDFs of the letter Z word lists to review with your children. One list includes all of our letter Z words and the other lists features our letter Z words along with their definitions and the words used in a simple sentence.
Letter Z Words with Pictures
Preschoolers and kindergarteners will appreciate having illustrations to look at while learning new letter Z words. As you read the words aloud to them, draw their attention to the letter Z sound as you pronounce the word. Point at the corresponding picture as you say the letter Z word. You can choose from our printable letter Z words with pictures to color or letter Z words with illustrations.
Letter Z Activities
Letter Z Song:
Learning about the letter Z is especially fun when it’s a song kids can listen, dance, and sing to.
Letter Z Worksheets:
These free printable letter Z worksheets can help children learn to recognize the letter Z, say its name and the sound it makes, and start learning how to write it, too.
Tips for Teaching Letter Z Words
- Show Your Teeth
Help your child to understand that when making the letter Z sound, they’ll need to show their teeth a bit and the corners of their mouth will go back slightly. It’s often helpful to have your child practice making new letter sounds in front of a mirror with you.
- Use a Variety of Methods
When teaching any new letter and letter sounds, it can be helpful to provide multiple learning resources for your child, such as the letter songs, worksheets, and activities you see listed above.
- Practice Patience
Learning new sounds can be tricky, as some letter sounds are harder to master than others. Whether it’s the sound of the letter Z or another letter sound, take your time mastering each letter sound and take a break if your child becomes frustrated.
Additional Resources
ABCmouse has educational resources for children aged 2-8, as well as resources to help parents and teachers.
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