Z is the very last letter of the alphabet, and it can be a tricky one for young kids. Big Z looks a lot like N and S, and little z is easy to mix up with s and x. Z words like zebra, zipper and zucchini do not come up every day, so children do not hear the letter Z at the start of words very often.
That is why we made the Letter Z Game. Kids hop on a zipline with Sunny and zoom over a cozy yarn-craft zoo, past the monkey trees and the zebra field. They tap the balloon with the big Z, catch the kite with the little z and grab the pictures that start with Z as they float by.
Then comes a bonus round: Bomzy’s little Bomzies are too wound up to nap, so kids tuck each one in until zero are awake. Every child finishes with stars. It is letter practice that feels like a ride at the zoo.
How to Play the Letter Z Game
- Listen to Sunny. Sunny reads every direction out loud, so even pre-readers can play.
- Round 1: Sunny rides the zipline while three balloons float by. Tap the balloon with the big Z, and it zips over to Sunny and pops.
- Round 2: kites fly past the monkey trees. Tap the kite with the little z, and Sunny catches it.
- Round 3: bubbles float over the zebra field with pictures inside. Find the picture that starts with Z, like a zebra, a zipper or a zucchini.
- Every catch drops into the collection row at the bottom of the screen. A wrong tap gets a kind hint, never a lost life, and the letters a child mixed up come back for one more try.
- Bonus round: Bomzy lets out ten wound-up Bomzies. Tap each one to tuck it in: it yawns, closes its eyes and floats off on a cloud, Zzz. The sign counts down to zero, and when the Bomzies wake up rested and happy, Bomzy gets invited on the zipline too.
- Go for 3 in a Row!, 5 in a Row! and 10 in a Row!, beat your High Score, and try for a Perfect Game. Every child finishes with stars.
What Kids Learn
The Letter Z Game helps kids recognize and name the uppercase Z and the lowercase z (Common Core RF.K.1d), tell them apart from the letters they look like, and hear the letter Z at the start of real words.
- Big Z: a zigzag: a line on top, a slant down, and a line on the bottom.
- Little z: a small zigzag that sits on the line.
- Look-alikes: N, S, E, s, x and v show up as tricky choices, so kids learn to look for the zigzag.
- Z pictures: zebra, zipper and zucchini all start with the letter Z.
- Teacher words: Sunny names every answer, like “Zebra! Zebra starts with the letter Z.”
Try this at home or in class: draw a big Z in the air with your arm: zig, zag, zig. Then buzz like a bee, zzz, and go on a Z hunt. Can you find a zipper on a jacket or a picture of a zebra?
More Practice with the Letter Z
- Letter Z Song (animated music video)
- Letter Z Tracing Worksheet
- Letter Z Handwriting Practice Worksheet
- Alphabet Stories Letter Z Reading Comprehension Worksheet
- Letter Y Game and Letter X Game
Teachers: members can assign the Letter Z Game to a whole class with a Classroom link. Students play on any device, and you see who finished and how they did.
Ready to ride the zipline? The Letter Z Game plays on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
