Letter I Preschool Printable Worksheets

All printables for personal or classroom use only.

These letter of the week printables are great for tot school, preschool, and kindergarten children. Children can work on one letter activity each day.

Click on the picture to download the printable.

See the entire Letter of the Week curriculum.
 

Blank lowercase letter- great for crafts, painting, or decorating.

LETTER I UPPERCASE TRACING WORKSHEET-

Trace the uppercase letter I.

Here's a fresh version of I with new wording.

How to Teach the Letter I

I is a great letter to teach because the shape is simple, and it's the first vowel kids can use to start reading little words like it, in, and sit. The steps below are the ones I use with the letter I worksheets on this page.

1. Start with the short I sound. I can say two different sounds, but begin with the short one, /i/ as in igloo. A fun way to practice is to pretend you have an itch and scratch your arm while saying "i, i, itch." The long I sound, /ī/ as in ice, can wait until your child has the short one down.

2. Show how to form it. Lowercase i is one short line down with a dot on top. Teach the dot as the last step so it doesn't get forgotten. Capital I is a straight line down, and if your program uses a top and bottom bar, add those afterward. Warm up with big finger movements in the air, on a foggy window, or in a tray of cornmeal.

3. Match it to real things. Hold up an insect toy, a bottle of ink, or a ruler and talk about inches. Build a quick igloo out of marshmallows or sugar cubes and say the word as you stack. More words to try are iguana, itch, in, and it.

4. Look out for lookalikes. Capital I and lowercase l are nearly twins, and lowercase i is often mixed up with j. For l, remind your child that the capital I is the one used at the start of names and sentences. For j, the tail is the clue: j drops below the line and i stays on it.

The tracing pages, coloring sheets, and beginning sounds worksheets on this page give your child practice with each of these steps.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Letter I

When should my child start learning the letter I?
Many kids are ready between ages 3 and 4. I is one of the easiest letters to trace since it's mostly a single line, so it makes a good early win. The dot usually takes a little more practice than the line.

What sound does the letter I make?
I has a short sound, /i/ as in igloo and pig, and a long sound, /ī/ as in ice and bike. At this age, stick with the short sound. It shows up in most of the first words children learn to read.

What words start with the letter I?
For little learners, try igloo, insect, ink, iguana, inch, itch, in, and it. Words that start with the long I include ice, iron, and ivy. Pick the ones your child can see or touch around the house.

Is I a vowel?
Yes. The five vowels are A, E, I, O, and U, and I is the middle one. Vowels are the letters that give words their open, singing sounds. You don't need to teach vowel rules yet. Just let your child know that I is a special letter that helps build words.

How is the short I different from the long I?
Short I says /i/, like in sit and fish. Long I says its own name, like in kite and ice. Kids pick up the short sound first because it appears in so many simple words. The long sound usually comes up in kindergarten with silent E words.

How do I help my child tell capital I from lowercase l?
Show them both in real words. In Ian and ladder, the shapes sit side by side, and your child can spot the difference. Tell them that capital I begins names and sentences, and lowercase l is part of words. Some fonts add bars to the capital I, which makes it easier to spot.

What are fun ways to practice the letter I at home?
Make an ice cube hunt, sort toy insects, or build a marshmallow igloo. You could also write a big I on paper and have your child add stickers or dot markers as the "dot" for lowercase i. A few minutes at a time is plenty.

Where should we start with the letter I worksheets?
Tracing is a good first stop because it teaches the line and the dot. Then try the beginning sounds worksheet to see if your child can hear /i/ in words. When you're ready for something lighter, the coloring pages are a good choice.