Free printable letter Z worksheets for preschool and kindergarten: trace uppercase Z and lowercase z, find the letter, follow the letter maze and color Z words.
Preschool and kindergartenCommon Core RF.K.1.D, RF.K.3.A2 free PDFs with answer keys
Change the numbers, layout and number of problems, then download a new PDF with its answer key.
Z is the last letter of the alphabet and has a buzzing sound children love. These free letter Z worksheets include tracing Z and z, a find-the-letter grid with N and S as look-alikes, a Z maze and a coloring page for “Z is for zebra”.
Free letter Z worksheets to print (PDF)
Each of these letter Z worksheets is a one-page PDF; the find and maze pages add an answer key. Press Customize to change the colors or paper size in the maker on this page.
Trace Z and zArrows first, then on their own.PDFCustomizeFind the letter ZCircle and count, with key.PDFCustomizeLetter Z mazeColor the Z path, with key.PDFCustomizeZ is for zebraColor, trace and draw.PDFCustomize
The letter Z sound
Z says /z/, as in zebra, zoo, zipper and zero. It is made like s, with the teeth close together, but with the voice buzzing like a bee. At the end of words, z is often doubled, as in buzz and fizz. The /z/ sound is also spelled with s in many words, like is and has.
Z is for zebra: letter Z words for kids
Words that start with Z: zebra, zoo, zipper, zero, zigzag, zucchini, zone, zoom, zip, zinnia.
Z inside or at the end: buzz, fizz, quiz, pizza, lizard, puzzle.
The color page uses zebra, zoo, zipper and zero, so children trace each word and color the matching letter.
Letter Z at a glance
Place in the alphabet
26th of 26, after Y
Type
Consonant
Uppercase shape
Straight lines only
Often confused with
S, N and the number 2
Scrabble tile value
10 points
Grouping letters by shape helps handwriting: letters made of straight lines, like Z, are usually easier to start with than curved ones.
How to write Z and z
Uppercase Z: A line across the top, a slant down to the bottom left, then a line across the bottom.
Lowercase z: The same shape, small, from the middle line.
Z is a line across the top, a slant down to the bottom left and a line across the bottom. Uppercase and lowercase z are the same shape. Children often write Z backwards like an S shape; saying “across, slant back, across” keeps the slant going the right way.
Letter Z tracing and the rest of the pack
Trace: letter Z tracing with arrows to follow, then uppercase Z and lowercase z on their own.
Find the letter: circle every Z and z hidden among similar-looking letters, then count them.
Letter maze: color the Z squares to make a path from start to finish.
Color: color the big Zz, trace the Z words and draw something that starts with Z.
Letter Z activities for preschool
Short, hands-on games make the letter Z worksheets stick. Try one a day alongside the printed pages:
Zigzag path: tape a zigzag line on the floor and walk along it.
Zoo animals: sort toy animals into zoo animals and farm animals.
Zip it: practice zipping and unzipping a jacket while saying z words.
Buzzing bee: buzz like a bee every time you hear the /z/ sound.
A letter Z week plan
Monday: say the /z/ sound together, trace Z and z on the first page, then try the Zigzag path idea above.
Tuesday: work through the find-the-letter page, count how many you circled, and move on to Zoo animals.
Wednesday: solve the letter Z maze, then play Zip it.
Thursday: color “Z is for zebra”, read zebra, zoo, zipper and zero aloud and finish with Buzzing bee.
Friday: write Z and z from memory, look for Z in a favorite picture book and reprint any page that felt tricky.
Letter Z worksheets kindergarten teachers can use
Kindergarten readers meet z in zap, zip, zig and buzz, and the /z/ sound spelled with s in is, as and has. The letter Z worksheets teachers use usually finish a letter of the week program, so this is a good moment to review the whole alphabet with our alphabet review pages.
Names: if someone in the family has a name that starts with Z, the name tracing worksheets turn it into a tracing page.
Whole alphabet: the alphabet worksheets hub has all 26 letter packs plus ABC order and matching pages.
Letter Z worksheets: frequently asked questions
What age are letter Z worksheets for?
Preschool and kindergarten, usually ages 3 to 6. Kindergarten expects children to recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters (Common Core RF.K.1.D).
How many days should we spend on the letter Z?
A letter-of-the-week plan uses one page a day: trace on Monday, find on Tuesday, the maze on Wednesday and coloring on Thursday, with Friday for review or a craft.
Why is z often doubled at the end of words?
In short words with a short vowel, z is often doubled, as in buzz and fizz, just like ss in kiss and ll in bell.
How are z and s different?
Both are made with the teeth close together. Z uses the voice and buzzes; s is just air.
Can I print a different letter or several at once?
Yes. The maker on this page can build packs for any letters, like S, A, T, P, I, N, or the whole alphabet.
