Circle the First Letter, K, Q and M
Written by Adi Ackerman, Head Teacher
"Circle the First Letter, K, Q and M" is written for Kindergarten (Ages 5-6), and it covers Common Core RF.K.3.A. If your little one is a year younger but already steady on beginning sounds, the page still works. You may just need to read the instructions out loud. And if they are older and circle letter never quite stuck, this is a short review rather than busywork.


Kindergarten phonics worksheet: circle the first letter of kite, key, queen, quilt, milk and monkey, then trace k, q and m. Answer key included. Part of our circle letter beginning sounds collection. Aligned to Common Core standards.
How do I use this worksheet?
Begin with a shared reading or oral warm-up that highlights circle letter so students hear and see the skill in context before practicing it independently. Have students work through it with your modeling first (do the first item together on the board), then try the rest with a partner, especially for phonics-based tasks where saying an answer aloud first helps. After completing the worksheet, use one or two examples from the page to start a discussion: "Where else have you seen this in your reading?" These circle letter worksheets are ideal for use during small group reading time, as independent center work, or as a homework activity.
What students will practice
- Students will listen as an adult names kite, queen and monkey and hear each first sound.
- Students will circle k, q or m for the first sound of key, quilt and milk.
- Students will trace the letters k, q and m on a tri-line.
Curriculum Links
Common Core State Standards
Reading: Foundational Skills · Kindergarten
Standard: Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by producing the primary sound or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant.
View all RF.K.3.A worksheets →Find this in the curriculum
Browse the grade, subject, and topic this belongs to.
FAQ
How do I use this circle letter worksheet?
⌄
Begin with a shared reading or oral warm-up that highlights circle letter so students hear and see the skill in context before practicing it independently. Have students work through it with your modeling first (do the first item together on the board), then try the rest with a partner, especially for phonics-based tasks where saying an answer aloud first helps. After completing the worksheet, use one or two examples from the page to start a discussion: "Where else have you seen this in your reading?" These circle letter worksheets are ideal for use during small group reading time, as independent center work, or as a homework activity.
What does this worksheet teach?
⌄
Circle the first letter of kite, key, queen, quilt, milk and monkey, then trace k, q and m. The directions on the page read: An adult says each picture name aloud with the student. Circle the letter for the first sound in each picture name. Then, trace the letters at the bottom. An answer key is included.
Can I use this circle letter worksheet for homeschool or classroom?
⌄
Yes, both. We made it for Kindergarten beginning sounds, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens with circle letter. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.
Why start with beginning sounds?
⌄
Because they are the easiest sounds to hear. Ending sounds come next, and vowels in the middle are the last to be heard reliably. Starting where success is likely builds the confidence needed for the harder parts of a word.
What does this worksheet ask my child to do?
⌄
Circle the First Letter, K, Q and M. Spotting the right words in a set is a recognition task. It shows whether your child can apply the rule, without asking them to produce anything.
My child names letters but cannot hear the sound. What helps?
⌄
They are two different skills, and letter names can actively get in the way. Drop the names for a while and play sound games with no paper: "what does moon start with?" Say the sound, not the letter. Once your child can hear the sound, connecting it to the letter is quick.
What does a 'circle the letter' beginning sounds worksheet ask children to do?
⌄
In a typical activity, the child sees a picture - like a dog - alongside two or three letter choices. The child must identify the beginning sound of the word ('dog' starts with /d/) and circle the letter 'd.' This format requires both phonemic awareness and letter discrimination, making it a useful activity that assesses multiple skills at once.
Why is the 'circle the letter' format particularly helpful for kindergartners?
⌄
The multiple-choice format reduces the demand on fine motor skills and letter formation, allowing children to focus entirely on the phonics task. For children who are still developing pencil control, circling is less frustrating than writing letters. The format also gives teachers a fast way to check whether a child knows beginning letter sounds without requiring a written response.
How can these worksheets be used in the classroom or at home?
⌄
In the classroom, these are excellent as a morning warm-up, an exit ticket after a phonics lesson, or a literacy center activity. At home, parents can complete a few examples together first to model how to say the picture name, isolate the first sound, and then find the matching letter. Keep sessions short - 5 to 10 minutes is enough for most kindergartners.
What is a beginning sound?
⌄
The first sound you hear in a spoken word, like the s in sun or the d in dog. Kindergartners learn to hear that sound and match it to its letter (CCSS RF.K.2.D and RF.K.3.A).
Does my kindergartner need to read the picture names?
⌄
No. An adult says each picture name aloud, and the child listens for the first sound. On Circle the First Letter, M, S and T the child then circles m, s or t and traces the letters.
How do I help a child who mixes up b, d and p?
⌄
Practice one look-alike letter at a time and say the sound with a picture, like b for bear and d for dinosaur. Circle the First Letter, B, D and P and the B or D cut and glue sort give these letters pages of their own.
What kinds of beginning sounds pages are there?
⌄
75 sheets: circle the first letter, draw a line to the letter, circle the picture that starts with a letter, color the pictures for one sound, cut and glue sorts, trace words and circle the first letter, mazes and two checkups.
Ratings & Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share what you think.
Reviews are for ClassWeekly members.
Make a Request
Spotted something to fix, or want a worksheet we don't have yet? Tell us and we'll make it.
Worksheet Details
| Grade | Kindergarten |
| Subject | Reading |
| Topic | Beginning Sounds |
| Standard | RF.K.3.A |
| Pages | 1 page |
| Difficulty | Medium |
What is ClassWeekly?
ClassWeekly offers free worksheets and printable learning resources for kids in preschool to grade 5. All worksheets are aligned to Common Core, NGSS, and C3 Framework standards and designed by educators. Become a member to access the full library and download unlimited PDFs.







