Reading > Alphabet > Letter O

Letter O Worksheets & Printables

Worksheets and printables for teaching the letter O. Practice letter recognition, letter formation, handwriting, and beginning sound O. 

Children need to learn the names of letters and how to recognize them in different contexts such as books, their name, and in environmental print, like signs. Letter recognition requires them to recall letters based on their physical characteristics.

The letter “o” can be more comfortable for children to identify because of its simple circular shape. Show children how to make an “o” with their thumb and index finger. You can also have them look in the mirror to see how their mouth forms an “o” when they say the letter name.

Use alphabet posters or individual alphabet charts for children to refer to when learning to recall the letter “o.” You can also provide them with opportunities to use tools like magnetic letters, letter tiles, letter stamps, and flashcards. They can make the letter “o” using playdough or go on a letter hunt to find as many “o’s” as they can.

When children are learning to print letters, the goal is to have printing become automatic so they can focus their energy on other things, like the content of their message. Teaching them a verbal pathway to use when forming letters can support their printing. For both the lowercase and uppercase “o,” use the phrase, “Pull back and around,” as you model the movement needed to print the letter. Make the distinction between the lowercase “o,” which is a short letter, and the uppercase “o,” which is a tall letter.

Provide children with opportunities to trace the letter before moving on to independent practice. Beyond traditional paper and pencil activities, children can make letter “o’s” using materials like whiteboards, chalkboards, sand or salt trays, and fingerpaint. They can also practice the motion needed to print an “o” using juggling scarves in the air.

To help children learn the sounds that “o” makes, relate the letter to familiar objects. For example, the short “o” sound can be associated with an octopus, officer, or ox. The long “o” sound can be related to oak, oatmeal, or oceans. Children can fill a block letter with pictures or drawings of these items then refer to it to help them recall the sound. They can also make their own alphabet book, with a page for each letter. When they learn a new letter, they can add a picture to represent the sound.

Children can complete matching activities to practice letter sounds. Have them match the letter “o” to the correct picture. (e.g., Match “o” to an omelet.) You can also have them color the correct pictures to match the sound. (e.g., Color the olive. Don’t color the grapes.)

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