53 X Words For Kids!

X is one of the trickiest letters of the alphabet! There simply aren’t many familiar X words for kids, especially words that actually start with X.

And yeah, there are more obscure X words, but I mean, what kid is going to know what a Xenops is?

Instead of filling this list with complicated, unfamiliar, or scientific words children will probably never use, we’ll begin with a few recognizable words that start with X for kids. Then, we’ll explore familiar words that contain or end with X.

Whether you are building early literacy skills, creating a letter X lesson, working on vocabulary, or simply searching for words for a classroom activity, this list is a great place to begin.

• Check out this list of 251 S words for kids!

Download this printable letter X coloring page! ⤵️

How Does the Letter X Sound?

Before we look at words, let’s take a moment to explore how X sounds. The letter X most commonly makes the /ks/ sound, as in box, fox, and six.

However, words that begin with X often sound a little different:

• X can make a /z/ sound, as in xylophone.
• X can make an /eks/ sound, as in X-ray.
• Some scientific X words have less familiar pronunciations.

Because there are so few familiar words that start with X, it can be helpful to explore words that contain or end with X, too.

Easy Words That Start With X for Kids

1. X-ray – a picture that shows the inside of something, such as the bones in your body
2. Xylophone – a musical instrument played by striking bars with mallets
3. Xylophonist – a person who plays the xylophone
4. X-axis – the horizontal line on a graph
5. X-ray fish – a small fish with a nearly transparent body
6. Xmas – an abbreviation for Christmas

And honestly, that is about it! There are additional words that begin with X, but most are complicated scientific terms, names, or words children are unlikely to encounter.

Short X Words for Kids

Since there are so few words beginning with X, children often learn the letter’s sound through words that end in X.

7. Ax
8. Box
9. Fix
10. Fox
11. Mix
12. Ox
13. Six
14. Tax
15. Wax

Familiar Words With X in the Middle

16. Exit
17. Next
18. Taxi
19. Extra
20. Exact
21. Text
22. Pixel
23. Relax
24. Toxic
25. Boxer
26. Mixer
27. Fixing
28. Boxes
29. Foxes
30. Sixty
31. Tuxedo

Longer X Words for Kids

32. Example
33. Excellent
34. Excited
35. Exciting
36. Exercise
37. Explore
38. Explorer
39. Explain
40. Explode
41. Explosion
42. Express
43. Extreme
44. Extinct
45. Oxygen
46. Flexible

Things With the Letter X

47. Toolbox
48. Mailbox
49. Sandbox
50. Lunchbox

Animals With the Letter X

51. Lynx
52. Foxhound
53. T. rex

Letter X Activities for Kids

Because the letter X is found more often in the middle or at the end of words, children may have more success looking for X anywhere in a word.

Try some of these playful letter X activities:

• Play a xylophone
• Look at an X-ray
• Draw a treasure map and mark the treasure with an X
• Make an X using sticks, blocks, or playdough
• Search the house for objects containing the letter X
• Find the letter X on signs, packages, and book covers
• Sort pictures into words that have X and words that do not

Final Thoughts on X Words for Kids

When teaching words that start with X for kids, there is no need to introduce a long list of unfamiliar vocabulary. Start with recognizable words such as X-ray and xylophone.

Then, expand your list to include familiar words containing X. These are words children may actually hear, read, and use, making learning the letter X much more meaningful.