Letter M Preschool Printable Worksheets

All printables for personal or classroom use only.

Are you looking for worksheets for the letter M? These preschool worksheets will help your child learn all about the letter M.

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 M UPPERCASE TRACING WORKSHEET-Trace the uppercase letter.

How to Teach the Letter M

M is an easy sound for little ones to pick up, since they've been humming and saying "mama" and "mmm, yummy" since they were babies. The shape takes more practice, so most of the work is in the writing. Here is how I'd use the letter M worksheets on this page.

1. Start by humming. M says /m/ as in moon. Close your lips, hum, and let your child feel the buzz by touching their nose or lips. Pretend to taste something delicious and say "mmm" together. It's a sound you can hold as long as you like, which makes it easy to hear at the start of words.

2. Learn the strokes. Capital M is a line down, a slant that goes down to the middle, a slant back up, and a last line down. Some kids like to think of it as two mountains. Lowercase m is a line down, then two humps: "down, up and over, up and over." Go big before small. Finger tracing on a cookie sheet of sprinkles or sand works nicely, and so does a sidewalk chalk mountain range.

3. Say it with real objects. Hunt for a mitten, a mug, a magnet, or a toy mouse and name each one. If you have a few minutes in the kitchen, pour some milk or mash a banana and talk about the "mmm" you hear. Good words to add are moon, monkey, map, mop, muffin, and mud.

4. Know the usual mix-ups. Lowercase m and n are close cousins, so have your child count the humps: m has two, n has one. Capital M is sometimes written upside down as a W. Pointing out that M has a flat bottom with two feet on the ground clears it up quickly.

The tracing pages, coloring sheets, and beginning sounds worksheets on this page support each of these steps.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Letter M

When do children usually learn to write the letter M?
Recognizing M often happens around age 3, since it's one of the first letters in many kids' names. Writing it comes later, often between ages 4 and 5, because of all the changes in direction. Take your time and celebrate the attempts.

What sound does the letter M make?
M makes the /m/ sound, the one at the start of mom, moon, and milk. It's a nasal sound, which means the air comes out through the nose when your lips are closed. M is steady and has one sound, so it's a friendly letter to learn.

What words start with the letter M?
Easy choices include moon, mouse, monkey, milk, mop, map, mitten, muffin, mud, magnet, mom, and mango. Start with words your child already says every day, like mom and milk, and build from there.

What is the difference between m and n?
It comes down to the humps. A lowercase m has two humps, and n has one. A fun way to say it is "m has two legs plus one more, n has just a pair." Have your child trace both and say the number out loud as they go. Writing them on paper with a middle line also helps.

Why does my child write M like a W?
Flipping letters is very common in the preschool years, and M and W are mirror images of each other, so the mix-up makes sense. Draw a small star at the top left where M should begin. Many children sort it out once they have a clear starting point.

What are some easy ways to practice the letter M at home?
Try a magnet hunt around the fridge, a muffin-baking session where your child says the M words, or a mud pie in the backyard. A scavenger hunt for things that start with /m/ also works well in the car or at the store.

Which letter M worksheets should we start with?
I'd begin with tracing, since the humps and points take the most practice. Once your child feels comfortable, move to the beginning sounds worksheet. If you'd like something gentler, the coloring pages are a good way to wrap up a session.