W is for Whale Worksheet
Whales always make a splash whenever we hit the letter W in our alphabet work. This W is for Whale Worksheet adds the right mix of letter practice and ocean fun to your child’s preschool or kindergarten lesson.
If you’re putting together ocean-themed lessons this month, check out my Whale Activities for Kids list.
This printable focuses on uppercase and lowercase W, tracing, and a simple coloring section. Keep reading if you’re looking for an easy, no-prep way to bring marine-themed into your home this week.
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Fun Facts About Whales
Whales aren’t just giant sea creatures—they’re full of quirky facts kids love. I like to throw in a few fun tidbits during our lesson to see their eyes light up.
- Some whales sing songs that can last up to 30 minutes. Humpback whales are known for their underwater concerts.
- Blue whales are the largest animals on Earth, even bigger than dinosaurs were. They can grow up to 100 feet long.
- Whales can hold their breath for over an hour—which totally blows kids’ minds when we talk about it after swimming lessons.
Recommended Whale Books to Pair With This Activity
We love mixing in some ocean-themed storytime while working through this worksheet. Books about whales, sea adventures, and alphabet sea creatures make great companions to the printable.
The Heart of a WhaleIf I Were a WhaleDale the WhaleThe Snail and the WhaleTHE WHALE THAT BROKE THE SCALE: Children’s Picture Book About Whales (Rhyming Bedtime Story for Baby & Preschool Readers about Wendy the Whale That Broke the Scale!)National Geographic Readers: Whales (PreReader)
Why teach children about whales?
Even at a young age, kids can grasp the idea that whales are special animals worth learning about and protecting. It’s a great way to ease into topics like endangered species, habitats, and how nature works together as a system. Plus, animals are always a hit with young kids.
Talking about whales also leads naturally into conversations about the ocean, how sound travels underwater, and even how huge creatures like whales stay safe and find food. It connects science, language, and empathy in a really organic way. I’ve found that when we do themed weeks—like “W is for Whale”—my kids retain way more because they’re genuinely interested. It doesn’t feel like work to them, and it doesn’t feel like a battle for me.
Ocean Printables You Can Use This Week
If you’re looking for more themed learning, I’ve got a few other ocean printables that fit perfectly with this one. They’re simple, print-and-go activities that reinforce early learning skills in a fun way. I like to print a batch at the beginning of the week and let my kids pick which ones they want to try first—it gives them a little ownership, which helps a lot.
What skills can kids learn from this printable?
This worksheet may look simple, but there’s a lot packed in here for early learners.
- Letter recognition – Helps kids focus on the shape and sound of the letter W through both uppercase and lowercase practice.
- Fine motor control – Tracing the W’s and coloring the whale gives kids more pencil practice, which builds hand strength.
- Animal vocabulary – Associating the letter with the word “whale” builds word connections and expands their animal knowledge.
Recommended Whale Activity Kits
If you want to take this further, activity kits with ocean animals and fun games, keep the theme going without much prep. I usually pull one out on those afternoons when attention spans are short and everyone needs something hands-on.
jojofuny Kid Wooden Puzzles, Multi- Layered Gradient Whale Animal Puzzles Children Educational ToysJOYIN 2 Bubble Guns Kit, Whale Automatic Bubble Maker Blower Machine with 4 Bubble Solutions for KidsGigilli Baby Bath Toys Gifts, Rechargeable Baby Toys Whale, Light Up Bath Toys SprinklerBlu Whale – Develop Motor Skills and Problem Solving – Counting and Color Recognition – Sensory Toddler Travel ToyMarine Pop Fidget Toys Set with ABCs, Silicone Rainbow Dinosaur Popper Fidget Set for Children, Sensory Squeeze Toys Stress Reliever Tool for Kids Adult ADHD 3 Pack, Whale, Turtle and ClownfishSkrtuan Wooden Lacing Whale Toy – Montessori Travel Puzzle Game with Car & Airplane, Fine Motor Skills Educational Toys for Toddlers 1-3 Years
Supplies Needed for this Letter W Printable with Whale Theme
- Printer (I have this one)
- Paper
- Pencil
- Crayons
- Optional: dry-erase pocket and marker for reuse
I have the HP printer 8710, but it’s not available anymore. It’s been running well for years now. Look for another HP Instant Ink-ready printer so that you can use their program to send you ink cartridges whenever your printer gets low on ink.
What’s included in the printable?
W is for Whale Dot Coloring Page
This page features a large “W” for kids to dab with dot markers. It’s one of those low-effort, high-fun pages that works great for preschoolers who aren’t ready for pencils yet. I like to pull this one out when I need five quiet minutes—and dot markers somehow never get old around here.
Letter W Trace and Color
At the top, there’s an uppercase and lowercase W for tracing, along with a cute whale kids can color. Below that, they trace the sentence “W is for whale” and then try writing it on their own. It’s a nice combo of handwriting and early reading practice—and it’s usually the one kindergarteners want to do first.
Find and Color
This page turns letter recognition into a mini game: kids search for uppercase W’s hidden among a sea of bubbles and color only those. It’s simple, but really effective. We sometimes race the clock to see how fast they can spot them all (with a little prize for finishing).
Letter W Words
Here, kids color only the pictures that start with the letter W—great for sound recognition and vocabulary. It’s always fun to see what they guess first before we name them together. I use this one as a conversation starter to come up with more W words that aren’t pictured.
Beginning Sounds Sort
This is a hands-on cut-and-paste activity where kids sort images into two columns: those that begin with W and those that don’t. It’s perfect for helping kids tune in to the beginning sounds of words, and we sometimes use this as a warm-up for a scavenger hunt around the house for more W-starting things.
Other Fun Whale Activities To Try
If your kids love this worksheet, more whale-themed activities are worth checking out.
- Whale Paper Plate Craft
- Whale Worksheets for Kids
- Whale Books for Preschoolers
- Whale-Themed Ocean Sensory Bin by Homeschool Preschool
- Jonah and the Whale Coloring Pages by Affordable Homeschooling
The W for whale tracing and coloring page is a simple way to bring the ocean into your homeschool. Whether you’re focusing on the alphabet or ocean animals or need a quick activity while dinner is cooking, this printable covers all the bases.
Print it off, grab some crayons, and enjoy a relaxed learning time together. Around here, this one’s been a quiet-time lifesaver more than once.