Learning to recognize words can help build vocabulary and reading skills. Taking a letter-by-letter approach to the alphabet is one way to introduce new words to students from pre-k through elementary school. It doesn't have to be blasé, either. Below each list of E words for kids, you'll find fun and educational activities focused on the letter E to get them excited to broaden their horizons.
Preschool: Things That Start With E
While preschoolers might not be ready to tackle reading just yet, it's important to start laying the groundwork for solid language arts skills even with young children. What pre-k students learn about recognizing letters and the sounds they make will prepare them for success later on, in kindergarten and elementary school.
each |
ear |
easy |
eat |
eel |
egg |
eight |
eleven |
elf |
elk |
elm |
end |
etch |
ever |
exit |
eye |
Printable Worksheet: Learn to Write E
Helping preschoolers learn how to write the letter E is an important aspect of preparing them to recognize words that start with E for kids. The printable trace-the-letter worksheet below is a fun learning activity for pre-k learners. It is a simple resource to help young learners practice the art of writing the letter E.
Kindergarten: E Words for Kids
It might've been kindergarten more so than preschool, but do you remember the pride you felt when you formed your first word out of a few letters? Let the excitement begin with this list of E words for kindergarten.
- earn - to get something because of your hard work
- Earth - the planet we live on
- eating - the act of consuming food
- edge - the outside of an area
- edible - something that can be eaten
- elbow - the joint that bends between the top and bottom parts of the arm
- elephant - huge mammal with tusks and a long trunk
- energy - the exertion of power
- enter - to come in, put in, or get in
- entire - the whole thing
- envelope - a paper pouch used to send a letter
- even - level or fair
- everyone - all people
- excite - to cause a strong reaction
- explore - to search or investigate
- extra - more than expected
- ewe - female sheep
Printable Activity: Connect Pictures to Words
Kindergarten students are sure to enjoy applying what they know about sight words to draw lines connecting pictures to the words they represent in this fun and educational activity. They'll also enjoy coloring the pictures.
E words for kids matching activity
Click to View & DownloadEarly Elementary: E Vocabulary List
With their alphabet down pat, it's time for first and second graders to move on to terms that are a bit more robust. Get ready to explore with this E words list for early elementary students.
- eager - ready and impatient to do something
- east - the direction to the right of a person facing north
- easily - with little or no trouble
- else - different or other
- escape - to get away
- everything - all of the most important thing
- edit - a change made to something before a final copy is submitted
- effect - a result of something
- elastic - something that can stretch and expand
- enemy - a person who is your opponent
- essential - completely necessary
- evade - to get around or escape from
- exactly - done correctly or accurately
- example - someone or something used as a model
- excess - something that is extra
- except - to take out one thing when you included everything else
- exercise - to engage in physical activity for the purposes of staying healthy
- expect - to look forward to
- explain - to make something clear
- experiment - a test or the act of trying out a new course of action
Vocabulary Checkers Activity
One afternoon, pull out the red markers and gear up for a game of checkers. You can, prepare a blank chessboard and ask your students to color in the red squares.
Then, set them up in pairs and ask them to write one vocabulary word in each square. As each pair plays, they'll have to provide the correct definition for each square. If they're successful, they claim ownership over that square.
Popsicle Parts of Speech Activity
By this time, students should have been introduced to basic parts of speech, especially nouns and verbs. Ready to test their knowledge? For this activity, all you'll need are popsicle sticks and jars of some sort — maybe three old mason jars or coffee mugs. Label one jar "nouns," the other "verbs" and the last "adjectives." On each popsicle stick, write out words like enemy, and exactly. You can then work as a class or in small groups to sort the sticks into the three jars.
Upper Elementary: E Vocabulary List
Enjoy encouraging your students to explore the world with more complex words that start with E, such as consonant blends and terms with more complex meanings. Here's a list that was curated with third, fourth and fifth graders in mind.
- ecology - branch of science that studies how organisms relate to each other and their environment
- ecstatic - in a state of great delight or joy
- editorial - something related to the content in a newspaper or magazine
- effective - something that works
- eliminate - to take out or leave out
- elegant - luxurious in a quiet manner
- embed - to plant something deeply or firmly
- embellish - to exaggerate or add details to a story
- emissary - a person sent on a mission
- enable - to make something possible
- entertain - to hold the attention of someone and show them a good time
- epidermis - the outer layer of skin
- escalate - to increase quickly
- estimate - a guess of the size, worth, or cost of something
- evidence - something that gives proof or leads to a conclusion
- examine - to analyze, inspect, or study carefully
- exhibit - a collection of art or objects on display for the public to see
- exclaimed - having cried out or spoken suddenly
- expression - a frequently used word or phrase
Perusing Print Publications
Are the days of print newspapers and magazines behind us? Not entirely. See if you can scrounge up a hard copy of a periodical for each of your students. (Alternatively, you can find an article online and put it up on the overhead.) Then, ask students to look for either a picture or a snippet from the article that contains one of the above vocabulary words. When they've done so, ask them to write it down and use it in a sentence of their own before presenting their findings to the class.
Applying Vocabulary to Poetry Writing
Do some of your students have an affinity for poetry? If so, use some of the more eye-catching vocabulary words above to develop a selection of topics your students can write about. Say you choose the word emissary. Maybe they'll produce prose about a king's emissary who went to find his one true love. Open up the floor to a wide variety of poetry types. Encourage your students to share in their self-expression.
Endless Enthusiasm for Vocabulary
It helps if endless enthusiasm is your constant companion when it comes to vocabulary lessons. Rote memorization isn't the only solution. Activities that engage students' minds in a very "real-world" sense, along with a little kinesthetic learning can help them increase their vocabulary exponentially.
Escalate your letter E practice with even more words! WordFinder is a helpful resource for teachers, students and word game lovers. Its list of words that start with the letter E comes with an advanced search feature that allows you to customize your own vocabulary word list. Once your students have mastered these E words for kids, move on to words that start with F for kids. You'll find quite a few fun words for your students to figure out!