Letter U 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 rest of the Letter of the Week Curriculum.

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

LETTER U UPPERCASE TRACING WORKSHEET-

Trace the uppercase letter U.

How to Teach the Letter U

U is a vowel with a couple of different sounds, so I like to take it in two parts: first the sound, then the shape. The shape is a friendly curve that kids often compare to a smile or a cup. Here is how I'd use the letter U worksheets on this page.

1. Start with the short U. The sound to begin with is /u/ as in umbrella. Have your child pretend they just got a surprise tap on the tummy and say "uh!" in a short, quick burst. Then say "u, u, up" while pointing toward the ceiling. The long U sound, /ū/ as in unicorn, is better saved for after your child has the short one down.

2. Draw the curve. Capital U is a line down, a curve across the bottom, and a line back up, a lot like a bowl. Lowercase u is nearly the same, plus one extra line on the right side that goes down again: "down, curve, up, and down." Let your child draw giant U's with a fingertip in a pan of dry oats, or let a toy car drive along a U-shaped path made from yarn.

3. Look for U words. Open and close an umbrella while saying "u-u-umbrella." Ask your child to stand up, go under the table, and pull the covers up in bed, using a U word each time. Other words to practice are up, us, under, uncle, upset, and umpire.

4. Notice the common slips. Lowercase u is easily mistaken for v, since both open at the top, so remind your child that u has a curved bottom and v has a point. Turned upside down, a u becomes an n, and some kids flip it without noticing. Pointing out that "u holds water" and "n spills it" makes the direction easier to remember.

The tracing sheets, coloring pages, and beginning sounds worksheets on this page match what you'll be working on in each step.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Letter U

Is the letter U hard for kids to learn?
The shape is easy, since it's just a curve, but the sounds can be confusing. U is a vowel, and it can say /u/ as in sun, /ū/ as in unicorn, or /oo/ as in put. For preschoolers, focus on the short U and take the rest one step at a time.

What sound does the letter U make?
U has a short sound, /u/ as in up and umbrella, and a long sound, /ū/ as in unicorn and use. The short U is the one children hear most in beginner words like cup, bus, and sun, so it's the best one to start with.

What words start with the letter U?
Easy short U words include up, us, under, umbrella, uncle, upset, and umpire. Long U words include unicorn, uniform, use, and unit. For the youngest learners, choose a few short U words that they can act out, like standing up or going under a blanket.

Is U a vowel or a consonant?
It's a vowel, and it's the last of the five: A, E, I, O, and U. Vowels are the open-mouth letters that every word needs at least one of. You don't need to explain the rules yet. Letting your child know that U is a special letter, like A, E, I, and O, is plenty.

How can my child tell the difference between u and v?
Check the bottom. A u has a round curve, and a v has a sharp point. Tracing each with a finger and saying "u is round, v is pointy" is a simple way to lock it in. Writing them on a page with a dotted line in the middle shows the difference too.

What's a good way to practice the letter U at home?
Try an umbrella game on a rainy day, a hide-and-seek round where you say "under" and "up," or a hunt for U-shaped objects like a magnet or a horseshoe. Even five minutes of play is enough to keep the sound fresh.

What should we try first on the letter U worksheets?
Tracing is a good opener because it gives your child time to get used to the curve and the extra stick on lowercase u. The beginning sounds page is next, for listening to /u/ in different words. If you'd like to end on an easy note, the coloring pages are a nice way to do it.

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