We are opening the door to the outstanding letter O! As we continue our alphabetical adventure, focusing on positive words helps children understand wonderful concepts like openness, optimism, and being original.
Whether you are a parent or a teacher, this guide is packed with encouraging words for preschoolers, easy nouns, and engaging preschool letter O activities. If you are following our series, make sure you have explored our neat guide on Positive N Words for Preschoolers.
💡 Key Takeaways
- Inspire Optimism: Teach uplifting words like Open, OK, and Overjoyed.
- Build Fluency: Master essential O sight words like On, Out, and One.
- Active Learning: Engage in fun Letter O activities like "Octopus arms" and "Orange peeling."
Positive Words That Start with O for Kindergarten
Kindergarten is a time for opening up to new ideas and people. Teaching kindergarten words that start with O helps children express their observations and their growing independence. These words focus on being helpful and positive.
Many "O" words are about action and results. For a list of dynamic words, check our collection of positive verbs that start with O.
- Obedient: Following rules and listening to adults.
- Object: A thing you can see or touch.

- Observe: To look at something very carefully.
- Obtain: To get or earn something.
- OK: A way to say everything is good or agreed upon.
- On: Moving forward or being active.
- One: Being special and unique.
- Open: Ready for new things or to let others in.
- Open-hearted: Being kind and honest with your feelings.
- Operate: To make something work.
- Opportunity: A chance to do something great.
- Optimism: Looking for the good in every situation.
- Order: Keeping things tidy and in the right place.
- Organize: Putting things in a neat way.
- Original: Being the only one like it; being yourself!
- Outstanding: Very, very good; standing out from the rest.
- Overjoyed: Feeling extremely happy.
- Own: To have something that belongs to you.
Easy O Words for Kindergarten
When teaching phonics, easy O words for kindergarten focus on the "Short O" sound (like in Octopus) or the "Long O" sound (like in Open). These simple words are perfect for early readers.
- Oak: A large, strong tree.
- Oar: A pole used to row a boat.
- Oat: A grain used for oatmeal.
- Odd: Different or unusual.
- Off: Not on.
- Oil: A smooth liquid used for cooking.
- Old: Not new.
- On: Not off.
- One: The number 1.
- Orb: Something shaped like a ball.

- Our: Belonging to us.
- Out: Not in.
- Owl: A bird that hoot at night.
- Ox: A large, strong farm animal.
Sight Words That Start with O for Preschoolers
Sight words are essential for reading fluency. Learning sight words that start with O is vital because words like "On" and "Of" are small but appear in almost every sentence. Below are the high-frequency words from the Dolch and Fry lists.
- Of: (e.g., "A cup of water.")
- Off: (e.g., "Turn off the light.")
- Old: (e.g., "How old are you?")
- On: (e.g., "Sit on the rug.")
- Once: (e.g., "Once upon a time...")
- One: (e.g., "I have one apple.")
- Only: (e.g., "I only want one.")
- Open: (e.g., "Open the window.")

- Or: (e.g., "Red or blue?")
- Our: (e.g., "This is our school.")
- Out: (e.g., "Go out to play.")
- Over: (e.g., "Jump over the puddle.")
Tip: Letter O sight words like "One" and "Once" don't sound the way they look! Teach these as "memory words" that kids just have to know by heart.
Letter O Adjectives for Kindergarteners
Adjectives help children describe their world with more detail. Teaching adjectives for kindergarteners starting with O helps them describe quantity, state, and mood. These positive adjectives are chosen to be outstanding and clear.
For more descriptive words, explore our specific collection of positive adjectives that start with O. For a complete vocabulary resource, refer to our full list of positive adjectives A to Z.
- Obedient: "You are such an obedient listener."
- OK: "It is OK to make mistakes."
- Old: "The old tree has big branches."
- Only: "You are the only you in the world!"
- Open: "The open window lets in fresh air."
- Optimistic: "Being optimistic means looking for the sun behind the clouds."
- Orange: "The orange juice is tasty."
- Orderly: "The toys are in an orderly line."
- Ordinary: "Even an ordinary day can be fun."
- Organic: "This organic apple is healthy."
- Original: "Your painting is very original."
- Other: "Let's find the other shoe."
- Our: "This is our happy home."
- Outgoing: "She is outgoing and makes friends easily."
- Outstanding: "You did outstanding work today!"
- Overjoyed: "I am overjoyed to see you."
Preschool Things That Start with O | Nouns
Nouns are naming words. For preschool things that start with O, we focus on nature, animals, and objects that children see every day.
If you need more inspiration for classroom themes or word walls, check out our list of positive nouns that start with O.
- Oak: A strong tree.
- Oar: A paddle for a boat.
- Oatmeal: A warm breakfast cereal.
- Ocean: The big blue sea.
- Octagon: A shape with eight sides.
- Octopus: A sea animal with eight arms.
- Office: A place where people work.
- Oil: Used for cooking or cars.
- Olive: A small green or black fruit.
- Omelet: A yummy egg breakfast.
- One: The first number.
- Onion: A vegetable that grows underground.
- Opening: A hole or space to go through.
- Orange: A round citrus fruit.
- Orchard: A place where many fruit trees grow.
- Orchestra: A big group of people playing music.
- Ostrich: A very big bird that runs fast.
- Otter: A cute animal that swims in the water.
- Oven: Used for baking cookies.
- Owl: A bird that says "Whoo-whoo."
- Ox: A strong animal.
- Oyster: A shell that sometimes has a pearl.
Preschool Letter O Activities
Make the letter O outstanding with these fun tasks! Preschool letter O activities should involve sensory play and movement. Here are three original ideas:
-
Octopus Arm Counting:
Cut out a circle for an Octopus head and give your child eight strips of paper for arms. Have them glue the arms on while counting to eight. This teaches math and the letter O. -
Orange Peeling & Tasting:
Give your child a large Orange. Help them peel it (great for fine motor skills!) and talk about how it smells and tastes. It’s a delicious way to learn the letter O. -
"Over" the Obstacle Course:
Create a simple Obstacle course in your living room. Have your child jump Over pillows and crawl Over rugs. Every time they go "Over," have them shout the word!
FAQ
What is the most positive O word?
Outstanding and Optimistic are wonderful words. However, Overjoyed is the best word to describe a child's pure happiness.
How do I teach the O sound?
The O sound can be a "round" sound. Tell your child to make their mouth into a big circle (just like the letter O!) and say "Ahh" (like for Octopus) or "Ohh" (like for Open).
What starts with O in nature for kids?
Nature is full of O wonders! You can look for a big Oak tree, listen to an Owl at night, or imagine the vast Ocean. You might also spot a cute Otter or an Ostrich!
What kids toys start with O?
Fun toys starting with O include an Obstacle course set, Octopus plushies, and Orange play-food. Many kids also love using an Over-sized ball!
What is a good social word starting with O?
Open-hearted. Teaching children to be open-hearted means encouraging them to be kind, honest, and welcoming to new friends.
Conclusion About O Words For Preschool
From being original thinkers to observing the ocean, these positive O words for preschoolers help broaden a child's vocabulary. By focusing on words like Optimism and Outstanding, we help them grow into confident and happy individuals.
You have done an outstanding job with O! Next up, we will find some playful words with the letter P.
