Words that Start With the Letter J for Kids | ABCmouse (2024)

Table of Contents

List of Letter J Words

Print the Letter J Words

Letter J Words with Pictures

Letter J Activities

Tips for Teaching Letter J Words

☐ jack: a device used to lift heavy objects. “He used a jack to lift the car.”

☐ jacket: a piece of clothing worn on the upper body to keep warm. “I always wear a jacket in the winter.”

☐ jeans: pants made from denim. “He wore his new jeans to school.”

☐ jiffy: a very short amount of time. “He said he would be back in a jiffy.”

☐ jingle: a light ringing sound. “The keys jingle in her pocket when she walks.”

☐ joke: to say something that’s funny or playful. “She told a joke that had everyone laughing.”

☐ joy: a feeling of great happiness. “She felt joy at seeing her friend.”

☐ jump: to push yourself up into the air using your legs. “The frog can jump very high.”

Food Words

☐ jambalaya: a Creole dish of rice with shrimp, chicken, and vegetables. “They enjoyed a flavorful jambalaya at the festival.”

☐ jamun: a tropical fruit from South Asia, also known as Java plum. “Jamun is both tart and sweet and turns the tongue purple.”

☐ jerky: dried, seasoned meat that is eaten as a snack. “She packed beef jerky for the hiking trip.”

☐ jicama: a crunchy, sweet root vegetable often eaten raw. “Jicama adds a nice crunch to the salad.”

☐ jujube: a small, red fruit that is sweet and chewy when dried. “The jujube is often used in traditional Chinese medicine.”

☐ julienne: to cut food into short, thin strips. “She julienned the carrots for the stir-fry.”

☐ jus: a sauce made from the juices that come from cooking meat. “He served the roast with a side of jus for dipping.”

☐ jackal: a wild dog found mostly in Africa and Asia, known for its cunning nature. “The jackal roamed the desert looking for food.”

☐ jaguar: a large cat native to the Americas, recognized by its yellow and black coat. “The jaguar moved silently through the jungle.”

☐ jay: a type of colorful bird known for its noisy calls. “A blue jay visited their bird feeder.”

☐ jellyfish: a sea animal with a soft body and no bones, often transparent. “The jellyfish floated near the surface of the water.”

☐ jerboa: a small rodent with long legs for jumping, found in desert climates. “The jerboa hopped quickly across the sand.”

☐ joey: a young kangaroo or other marsupial. “The joey peeked out from its mother’s pouch.”

☐ junco: a small gray or brown bird found mainly in North America. “A junco landed in the snowy yard looking for seeds.”

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☐ jackhammer: a powerful tool used for breaking up concrete. “The construction worker used a jackhammer to break up the road.”

☐ jadeite: a type of hard, typically green stone often used in carvings and jewelry. “The museum displayed an ancient carving made of jadeite.”

☐ jar opener: a tool designed to help open stubborn lids on jars. “Grandma used a jar opener to get the pickle jar open.”

☐ jasmine: a type of fragrant flower used in perfumes and teas. “The garden was filled with the scent of jasmine.”

☐ javelin: a long spear thrown in sports competitions. “He threw the javelin far into the field.”

☐ joist: a length of metal or wood used to support the floor of a building. “The carpenter checked the floor joists for signs of wear.”

☐ jail: a place where people are kept when they have been arrested. “The thief was sent to jail.”

☐ jetty: a structure that projects from the land out into water, often used as a landing stage for boats. “They walked along the jetty to watch the sunset.”

☐ jungle gym: a structure made of metal bars for children to climb on in playgrounds. “The kids played on the jungle gym all afternoon.”

☐ junction: a place where roads or railway lines come together. “There is a busy junction at the end of Main Street.”

☐ jurisdiction: a region or area governed by a particular set of laws, authority, etc. “The city’s jurisdiction ends at the river.”

☐ junkyard: a place where old cars, machines, and other discarded materials are collected. “He went to the junkyard to find a replacement part for his car.”

☐ jade: a term used to describe the green color often found in natural settings, like forests or gardens. “The hills were a rich shade of jade after the rain.”

☐ jasper: a type of rock valued for its interesting patterns and used in jewelry and decoration. “He found a piece of jasper during the field trip to the park.”

☐ jet stream: a high-speed current of air at high altitudes that greatly influences the weather. “The jet stream shifted, causing the weather to change rapidly.”

☐ jungle: a dense forest in a tropical climate, filled with a wide variety of plants and animals. “The jungle was alive with the sounds of birds and monkeys.”

☐ jurassic: relating to the period about 200 to 145 million years ago, when dinosaurs existed. “They found fossils from the Jurassic era while digging in the area.”

☐ jaded: tired, bored, or lacking enthusiasm, typically after having had too much of something. “He felt jaded after years in the same job.”

☐ jaunty: having or expressing a lively, cheerful, and self-confident manner. “She wore her hat at a jaunty angle.”

☐ jealous: feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages. “He felt jealous when his friend got a new bike.”

☐ jeering: making rude and mocking remarks, typically in a loud voice. “The jeering crowd made it hard for him to speak.”

☐ jittery: nervous or unable to relax. “He felt jittery before the big presentation.”

☐ jovial: full of happiness and joy. “Her jovial nature lit up the room.”

☐ jubilant: feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph. “The team was jubilant after winning the championship.”

☐ judicious: having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense. “She was judicious in her decision to save money.”

☐ judgmental: having or displaying a critical point of view. “She tried not to be judgmental when giving feedback.”

☐ jaunt: to make a short journey for pleasure. “Let’s go on a jaunt in the park.”

☐ jeopardize: to put someone or something into a potentially risky situation. “He jeopardized his chances with reckless decisions.”

☐ jerk: to suddenly move something or someone with a quick, sharp motion. “She jerked her hand away when she touched the hot stove.”

☐ jockey: to maneuver or struggle for a favorable position. “He jockeyed for a better view at the concert.”

☐ jolt: to move suddenly and sharply, often in a rough way. “The bus jolted forward, throwing him against the seat in front.”

☐ jostle: to push, elbow, or bump against someone roughly, typically in a crowd. “Shoppers jostled with each other to grab the last popular toy.”

☐ juggle: to handle several responsibilities or tasks at once. “She juggled work and her studies successfully.”

Letter J Activities

Have J Day

Theme the day around the letter J, eating jam on toast, drinking juice, telling jokes, working on jigsaw puzzles, going on a jaguar hunt, and whatever other fun J activities you and your child can think of.

Jumping Jack Challenge

The challenge of this game is to not just do as many jumping jacks as possible, but to also say a new word that starts with the letter J every time you jump!

Write a Jingle

Work with your child to write a short song or jingle about the letter J, include as many J-words as possible and singing it to a simple, catchy tune.

Additional Resources

ABCmouse has educational resources for children aged 2-8, as well as resources to help parents and teachers.

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