LETTER I and Insects
Letter I brings with it a theme children almost always find fascinating: Insects. Whether we’re watching ants marching, butterflies fluttering, or beetles exploring a log, insects invite us to look closely, ask questions, and discover the tiny world beneath our feet.
Letter Sounds and Our Zoo-Phonics Friend
Our Zoo-Phonics friend for I is Inny Inchworm. Children curl their hands like a little inchworm and say the short /i/sound: “i-i-i.” Short I can be a tricky sound to master, so pairing it with Inny’s gentle inching motion helps children hear and feel it more clearly.
We play with words like insect, igloo, iguana, inch, inside, and imagine. For reinforcement at home, this short letter I song is helpful:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbZ6u2igNf8
How We Form the Letter I
Uppercase I is introduced as “big line down, little line on top, little line on bottom,” while lowercase i is “little line down, little dot on top.” Because lowercase i requires dot placement, it’s a great letter for practicing fine motor control.
For home or classroom fun, children enjoy forming I with craft sticks, drawing it in shaving cream, or dangling paper “inchworms” from yarn.
Theme Connection: Insects
Insects spark curiosity naturally. Children might explore plastic insects in sensory bins, observe real insects outdoors, or create simple insect habitats with sticks, leaves, and small containers. Books such as In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming or The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle help children make rich connections between stories and nature.
At home, you might take a “bug walk” to see what insects are living nearby. If your child loves hands-on learning, Buggy and Buddy has excellent insect-themed activities and crafts:
https://buggyandbuddy.com
Kindergarten Readiness Skill: Scientific Inquiry (WaKIDS/GOLD Objective 25)
This week’s readiness skill focuses on inquiry—asking questions, observing carefully, and drawing simple conclusions. When children watch an ant carrying food, wonder why a beetle curls up, or compare wings on different insects, they are doing the work of young scientists.
Supporting inquiry at home can be as simple as asking, “What do you notice?” or “What do you think will happen next?”
Continuing the Learning at Home
You can look for the letter I anywhere—in books, signs, food labels, or even on clothing tags. Children might enjoy drawing their favorite insect, sorting insects by number of legs, or building a pretend bug out of playdough.
Every small discovery reminds children that the world is full of life and wonder, waiting to be noticed.
