Letter J Coloring Page

Trace the J with a finger first: straight down, then curve left. Coloring takes about ten minutes. Ask the child to color the hook in a different color to show the turn. Afterward, hunt for J words such as jump, jam and jellyfish, and act out jumping. Use New version for a fresh set of bubbles on a second page, or print several for a group banner.

J is one of the few capitals that drops below a line in cursive, but in print it sits on the baseline. The hook is the hard part: children often color past the curve or flatten it into an L. Coloring the hook teaches the shape of a turning stroke, which also shows up in the bottoms of U and S. J makes the /j/ sound in jam and jet. The next letter is K.

Crayons suit toddlers; markers suit kindergartners. Try coloring the stem one color and the hook another to show its two parts. Another variation is giving the J a face and arms and turning it into a character. Print a few copies if you want to compare with L, which turns the other way.

What makes J tricky to color?

The hook at the bottom curves in a narrow space. Slow down there, and color the hook in its own color to keep the crayon from slipping outside.

Which sound does J make?

The /j/ sound, as in jam, jump and jet. Make the sound together, then jump on each word. Moving the body helps young children remember it.

What keeps J and L from blurring together?

J hooks to the left at the bottom, while L turns right. Coloring the hook and the foot in different colors on two printouts shows the difference quickly.