Whale Worksheets for Kids

Whales are such an interesting topic to explore with young children, and these Whale Worksheets for Kids give PreK and kindergarten learners several ways to work with whale pictures and vocabulary.

If you’re planning a larger ocean or whale theme, you’ll find more ideas on my Whale Activities for Kids page.

Children will see several types of whales throughout the activities in this printable, giving them plenty of opportunities to become familiar with their names and appearances.

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Who Are These Whale Worksheets For?

These whale worksheets are designed for PreK and kindergarten children who are ready to practice early literacy and fine motor skills while learning whale vocabulary.

You can add individual pages to an ocean unit, use the picture cards to introduce the different animals, or choose a handwriting activity when your child is ready for more pencil practice.

You don’t have to complete every page at once. Pick the activities that fit what your child is currently working on.

Why Learn About Whales With Young Children?

Whales give young children a specific group of ocean animals to observe, compare, and learn to recognize.

Instead of only talking about “whales” as one animal, the printable introduces children to several named animals and lets them see differences in their illustrations. The pages feature animals labeled sperm whale, humpback whale, killer whale, narwhal, gray whale, Baird’s beaked whale, beluga whale, blue whale, and dolphin.

That makes the topic useful for practicing animal vocabulary while also building early literacy skills.

Recommended Whale Books

Want to see what a real whale looks like? Grab one of these amazing whale books, and your ocean lover will be so excited to see these magnificent giant creatures.

Whales: Amazing Pictures & Fun Facts on Animals in NatureA Whale of a Tale!If I Were a WhaleDK Eyewitness Books: WhaleThe Snail and the Whale Activity BookWhales: An Illustrated Celebration

 

What Will Kids Learn?

These whale worksheets help young learners practice a few key skills while building whale vocabulary.

• Fine motor skills: Build hand control with tracing, dot markers, cutting, and pasting.
• Whale identification: Recognize and name different whales using picture cards and matching activities.
• Early literacy: Practice beginning letters and trace whale names.
• Handwriting: Trace words such as sperm whale, humpback whale, killer whale, narwhal, and dolphin.

What Supplies Are Needed?

You’ll need a few basic supplies to use the whale worksheets.

• Printer (I have this one)
• Paper
• Pencil or crayons
• Dot markers
• Scissors
• Glue

I have the HP printer 8710, but it’s no longer available. It’s been running well for years now. Consider 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.

You won’t need every supply for every page, so you can simply pull out what you need for the activity you’re using that day.

Recommended Whale Toys

Get out a water bin and have a ton of fun with these whales, a perfect sensory activity and excuse to cool down.

Simulated Ocean Big Animal (Killer Whale)Skillmatics Educational Game: Sharks, Whales & MoreRealistic Sperm Whale Plush ToyJigsaw Puzzles for Kids Ages 4-8, 108 Pieces Whale Shaped Cardboard Puzzles for Animal Lovers, Sturdy Floor Puzzles Box and Poster, Educational Toys Gift for Boys Girls, 23.38 x 14.72 InchSafari Ltd. Whales TOOB – 10 Mini Plastic Whale Figurines – Educational Ocean Animal Toy Figure Set for Boys, Girls and Kids Ages 3+OkiyiD Blue Narwhal Night Light, Cute Squishy Silicone Lamp, Dimmable Touch Control Narwhal Gifts for Boys Girls, Ocean Animal Nursery Lamp for Birthday Christmas Decor

 

What Is Included in the Whale Worksheets for Kids?

The printable contains 11 pages with several different activities for young learners.

Whale Picture and Vocabulary Cards

Pages 1 through 4 show large illustrated animal cards with the corresponding names printed underneath.

The animals shown include sperm whale, humpback whale, killer whale, narwhal, dolphin, gray whale, Baird’s beaked whale, and beluga whale. The card sets are repeated within these four pages.

Use the cards to introduce the vocabulary before moving on to the other activities.

S Is for Sperm Whale

Page 5 features a large letter S beside a sperm whale illustration.

Children can fill the circles inside the letter and trace the words “Sperm whale” along the bottom of the page.

This page combines letter recognition with handwriting practice.

B Is for Beluga Whale

Page 6 uses the same type of activity with a large letter B and a beluga whale.

Children can work on the letter before tracing “Beluga whale” at the bottom of the worksheet.

Identify the Whales

Page 7 shows five whale illustrations in an ocean setting with blank spaces beneath them.

Children identify the pictured whales and place the correct names with the illustrations. The answer key identifies them as sperm whale, blue whale, beluga whale, killer whale, and humpback whale.

Cut-and-Paste Whale Names

Page 8 provides the pieces used with the identification activity.

Children cut out labels for the blue whale, sperm whale, killer whale, beluga whale, and humpback whale and paste them into the matching spaces.

This gives them a hands-on way to practice matching names with the corresponding pictures.

Write the Whale Words

Page 9 is a handwriting page with illustrations and tracing-style words.

Children trace the names sperm whale, humpback whale, killer whale, narwhal, and dolphin.

It’s a simple way to bring whale vocabulary into early handwriting practice.

Answer Key

The final pages include an answer-key section for the whale identification activity so you can quickly check the matches.

How Can You Extend the Whale Activities?

You can continue the whale theme with a few simple activities that don’t require much preparation.

• Put the whale picture cards side by side and ask your child to find two that look similar or different.
• Choose one whale card and have your child describe what they notice in the illustration.
• Spread out several cards and ask your child to find a specific whale by name.
• Hide the cards around the room for a simple whale scavenger hunt.
• Let your child draw their own ocean scene and add one of the whales they’ve learned about.
• Practice sorting the cards based on visible characteristics your child notices in the illustrations.
• Build your own ocean in a bottle, create ocean sensory bins, or research your favorite whale.
• Print out these whale activity sheets to identify different types of whales that live in the ocean. Kids will enjoy learning about these cool ocean animals.

These activities give children more time with the vocabulary without adding another worksheet.

Keep the Learning Going

If your kids enjoyed these whale worksheets, I’d also add a couple of ocean printables to your homeschool lineup for extra practice.

If your child enjoys exploring animals and other science topics, you can also check out the Young Learners Science Club.

It’s another option when you want to continue adding science learning to your homeschool after you’ve finished your whale activities.

What Other Free Whale Activities Can You Try?

If your kids enjoyed these whale learning pages, there are plenty of other whale activities and ocean printables you can add to your homeschool plans.

• Whale Activities for Kindergarten
• Whale Crafts for Elementary Students
• Whale Crafts for Preschoolers
• Whale Activities for Preschoolers
• Whale Paper Plate Craft
• 16 Wonderful Whale Crafts For Preschoolers by Simple Everyday Mom
• Orca Whale Books for Kids by 3 Boys and a Dog

Download the Whale Worksheets for Kids below