The Letter “H”

See also:
From Head to Toe
Halloween
Health

Words that Start with “H”

habitat
hair
hairbrush
half
hall
ham
hammer
hamper
hand
handprint
handshake
hang
hanger
happy
hare
harmonica
harmony
harvest
hat
hatch
Hawaii
hay
head
headband
heart
heavy
hedge
helicopter
helium
hello
hem
hen
hero
hexagon
hi
hide
high
high wire
hill
hippo
history
hog
hole
home
honey
hoop
hop
hopscotch
horn
horse
hospital
hot
hot dogs
hour
house
hug
huge
Hula
hula hoop
hum
hummingbirds
hundred
hungry
hunt
hunter
hut

Arts and Crafts

Hats

Make hats from newsprint and have the child decorate with paint, crayons, stickers, or whatever else you have on hand.

Hand Antler Headbands

Trace the child’s hands onto brown paper. Have the child cut out the hand shapes. Measure your child’s head, and have the child cut a piece of brown construction paper long enough to create a headband. Glue the paper together so the headband fits snugly on your child’s head but is loose enough to take off easily. Then affix the hands for antlers.

Play-Doh “H”

Have your children make an “H” out of Play-Doh. They can use cookie cutters or free form.

Heart Hands Pyramid

Paint the child’s hand white, and place three handprints on the bottom of the page. Paint the other hand red and place one handprint at the top. Then have the child mix the paint on their hands and make two pink handprints in the middle.

Glue Hearts

Place glue on a piece of paper in a heart shape. Have the children place glitter, colored rice (shown on left) or Koolaid (on right) on the glue.

Heart Popsicle Frame

Have the children glue four Popsicle sticks together to form a rectangle. Add foam accents or decorate as desired.

Heart Punch Collage

Use a heart punch to make many different colored hearts for the children to glue to different colors of construction paper. Some examples of different papers include wallpaper and construction paper.

Cotton Heart

Place glue on a piece of paper in a heart shape. Have the children place cotton balls on the paper.

Hand Hearts

Paint the child’s hands pink (and/or) red. Have the children make a heart shape as shown with their hands.

Wooden Heart

Have the children decorate a wooden heart shape with felt or paint.

Heart Rubbings

Cut heart shapes from paper doilies or sandpaper. Tape these hearts to the table. Have the children place a piece of thin white paper over the hearts and rub a crayon over the heart.

Heart Shapes

You can show older children how to make hearts by folding a piece of paper in half and drawing an ice cream cone along the folded edge and cutting it out. Let the children try cutting hearts out of pink, white and red paper.

Heart-Shaped Potato Prints

Cut a large potato in half. You will need a heart shaped cookie cutter that will fit on the potato half. Press the cookie cutter into the flat side of the potato. Then, using a knife, cut the potato around the outside of the cookie cutter, leaving a heart shaped potato stamp. Supply the children with the potato stamps, different colored paints, and paper. Have the children dip the potatoes in the paint and press them firmly onto the paper. If the potatoes are not cut evenly the shapes will not appear clearly.

Heart Fish

You will need to supply each child with one very large heart shape for the fishes body, one large heart shape for the tail two or three heart shapes for the fins, and one tiny heart shape for the mouth. Have the children glue the extra large and large heart together by the points, and then add the fins to the body, then the tiny heart is the mouth.

Heart Necklaces

Supply the children with heart-shaped beads and yarn. You child also have the children cut out heart shapes from construction paper. Then, have them use a hole punch to make a hole, so they can thread them onto a piece of yarn.

Heart Door Hanger

Supply the children with a foam door hanger. Let the children decorate with foam hearts.

Fingerprint Heart

Have children overlap two fingerprints to make a heart.

Heart Headbands

Measure your child’s head, and cut a piece of construction paper long enough to create a headband. Glue the paper together so the headband fits snugly on your child’s head but is loose enough to take off easily. Have the child glue heart shapes to the headband.

Handprint Wreath

Trace each child’s hands several times onto a piece of green paper. Have the children cut out these hand shapes. Supply each child with a paper plate and show them how to cut out the center of the plate. Have the children glue their green hands shapes onto the plate to make a wreath. You could also have them use a paper hole punch on red paper and glue the holes on for holly.

Dinosaur Handprints

Place a rubber bank around the child’s ring and middle fingers…. tight enough to help keep them together.. but loose enough not to cut off circulation. Paint the child’s hand with a paintbrush and green, or green/gray paint. Have the child press their hand firmly onto a piece of paper. Viola, a dino handprint.

“H” Stencil Art

Provide the children with stencils to trace. They may use markers, glitter, paint, crayons.. etc to decorate the shapes.

Huge Anthill

Materials: Large Butcher Paper Black crayon
Cut the paper in the shape of an anthill. Have your child draw tunnels with the crayon and draw ants in the tunnels.
Variations:

Let the children create fingerprint ants with ink or paint: Show your child how to make fingerprints on the paper. Have your child draw six legs, a head and antennae onto their prints to create ants.
Use a black marker or black paint

Cookie Cutter Art

Obtain a cookie cutter that is shaped like a “h” or a shape that begins with the letter “h”, i.e. hand or horse. Have the children dip the cookie cutter in a shallow container of paint, then press onto a piece of paper to make prints.

Hog Painting

Cut a hog shape from pink construction paper. Let your child paint on the “mud” with black or gray tempera paint.

Haystack Art

On a piece of construction paper, have your child draw Little Boy Blue. Then supply tan or yellow pieces of yarn to glue onto the paper.

“H” Rubbings

Cut “h” shapes from paper doilies or sandpaper. Tape these shapes to the table. Have the children place a piece of thin white paper over the shapes and rub a crayon over the it. You could also cut the shapes into objects that begin with the letter “h,” i.e., “house.”

Contact Paper Art

You will need a picture of an object that begins with the letter “h.” A reverse image is needed if the picture can be backwards. Place the image on the table and place a piece of contact paper, sticky side up over the image. Supply the children with scraps of construction paper to tissue paper. Children use the scraps to create the image on the contact paper.

Headbands

Have the children cut out two strips of paper that when connected will fit around their head. Allow the children to decorate the paper with markers, crayons, paint, glitter or whatever you have on hand. Connect the strips with glue or tape, (staples will catch the child’s hair).

“H” Place Mats

Have children cut items out of a magazine that begin with the letter “h” to glue onto a piece of paper. Children glue the items onto their paper. When the glue is dry an adult should laminate the papers for use as a place mat at lunch or snack.
Variations:

Children can cut out the letter “H” from magazines, catalogs and newspapers.
Simplest: adult will trace a shape onto a piece of paper and the child can decorate it with crayons, markers, paint or other items of your choice.
Simple: An adult can cut out shapes that begin with “h” or upper and lower case “h” letters for the children to glue onto the paper.
More Advanced: An adult can trace a shape onto a piece of paper, then the child will then cut out the shape and glue it onto the paper.
Even More Advanced: The child will trace, cut, and glue the project themself.

Handprint Turkey

Paint the palm of your child’s hand brown, as well as their thumb. Then paint each of their fingers a different bright color such red or blue. Have the child press their hand onto a piece of white paper. For older children, let them draw on feet and characteristics such as eyes and nose. The thumb represents the turkeys neck and the palm the body.

Hexagon Marble Painting

First, you need a large plastic container with a lid. (I used a shallow peanut butter container.) Next cut out paper hexagon that will fit in the lid of the container. Place a few drops of paint into the container with a few marbles (be sure to observe carefully as marbles are a choking hazard) then place a very small amount of paint on the lid and pre-cut paper on the paint. (I use the paint to make the paper stick to the lid.) Place the lid on the container, flip and have the children shake. When finished, remove paper and allow to dry, and place a clean piece of paper in the lid for the next child.

Math, Science, and Games

Cookie Cutter Match Up

Obtain many cookie cutters of objects that begin with the letter “H”. Trace each one onto one piece of paper. Have the children try to match each cookie cutter to its match on the paper.

Hatch an Egg

Obtain different kinds of eggs to hatch.

Heart Match Up

There are many ways to set this up depending on the skill level or the particular skill you wish to work on. Try these different setups:

Cut out heart shapes from different colors of paper. Give each child one heart. Ask the children to find one person with the same color heart.
Cut out heart shapes from different colors of paper. Cut the hearts in half using a puzzle-type cut, like zig zag or interlocking pieces. Give each child one half of a heart, and ask them to find the person with the other half. Or Give the children two pieces and have the children make a circle, with one child that has one match on one side and the other match on the other side. You may end up with 2 or more circles depending on how the heart pieces are distributed.
Cut out heart shapes from one color of paper. Cut the hearts in half using a puzzle-type cut, like zig zag or interlocking pieces. Give each child one half of a heart, and ask them to find the person with the other half. Or Give the children two pieces and have the children make a circle, with one child that has one match on one side and the other match on the other side. You may end up with 2 or more circles depending on how the heart pieces are distributed.
Cut the heart shapes from one color of paper. Label one set of hearts with numbers, i.e. if you have 20 children, label the hearts with the numbers one to ten. The other half, draw one dot on one, two on another, and so on until ten. Give each child one heart and have them find the child with their match.
Cut the heart shapes from one color of paper. Place matching stickers on two hearts. Give each child one heart and have them find the child with their match.
Cut the heart shapes from one color of paper. Cut the hearts in half using a puzzle-type cut, like zig zag or interlocking pieces. Place matching stickers on each half of a heart. Give each child one heart half and have them find the child with their match.
Place matching heart stickers on separate index cards. Give each child a card and ask them to find the child with their match.
Try all the above, but in a file folder format. Glue one part of the heart to the file folder and laminate its match.

Heart Card Match

Remove the heart card from a deck of old playing cards. Cut the cards in half so one number or letter is on each half. Ask the children to pick one card, then find its other half.

Heart Bubbles

Bend a red coat hanger in the shape of a heart to use as a bubble maker.

Heart Connect Four

You can place heart stickers on the pieces of a “Connect Four” game. Play the game according to the traditional rules.

Heart Counting Jar

For older children. Fill a small jar with small heart candies. Ask each child to guess how many candies are in the jar. For younger children, limit the number of candies to less than ten. Record each child’s guess. Count the candies.

Heart Counting Jar 2

Provide three identical jars with pre-counted heart shaped candies items of 20, 30, and 40. Label these jars 20, 30 and 40. Place 20 to 40 red items in a fourth identical jar. Allow the children to examine all four jars before they guess. Record the children’s approximations. Count the candies.

Stamping Patterns

Use rubber stamps to create a simple pattern on the top half of a piece of paper. Ask your child to help you recreate the pattern on the bottom half of the paper. Tip: Start with one stamp, and have your child pick which stamp you used. Start slowly and work your way up to more complicated patterns. Use stamps that begin with the letter “H”.

“H” Hop

Cut out large “h” shapes from colored paper. Laminate them and cut them out. Place them on the floor and ask the children to hop from one “h” to another. These may also be used as seat markers for group time.
Variations:

Instead of the letter “H” use shapes that begin with the letter “H” like “house” or “hog.”
Create many different shapes, with most beginning with the letter “h”. Tell the children they can only hop on the ones that begin with the letter “h”.
Create many different letter shapes, most the letter “h”.
Tell the children they can only hop on the “h” markers.

Hide and Seek

Have all the children hide their eyes while you “hide” an item that begins with the letter “h” in the room. (It should be placed in plain view) Tell the children to find the item, but not touch it. Once they spot it they should sit back down in their spot. The first one to sit down again will get to hide the item.
Variation:
Play the game the same as above, except hide the item. Then tell the children individually whether they are “hot” or “cold” to the relation of the item. Allow the other children to have a chance to hide the item, and tell children whether they are “hot or cold”. It may be a good idea to discuss the meaning of hot and cold before you play this game.

Fishing Game

Tie 3 feet of string to a wooden spoon. Attach a magnet to the end of the string. Cut and laminate many different colored, and sized shapes from construction paper (not too big though). Attach a paper clip to each shape. Spread the shapes on the floor and let your child try to catch the shapes.
Variations:

Use the letter “h” as your shape.
Use shapes that begin with the letter “h.”
Use the letter “h” as your shape. Mix in other letters, but have the children try to catch the “h” shapes.
Use shapes that begin with the letter “h”, mix in other shapes, but have the children try to catch the shapes that begin with the letter “h”.
Create the shapes using different colors of paper. Have the children try to catch the red shapes or the blue ones.
Create the shapes using different colors of paper. Have the children name the color of the shape they caught.
Create different-sized shapes and have the children try to catch the smallest or largest shape.
Number the shapes one through six. Have the child roll a number cube before they fish to see what number they should try to catch.
Number the shapes one through six. Have the child tell you what number they caught.

“H” Sorting

Cut out many “h” shapes for the following activities.
Variations:

Use different colors and have the children sort by color.
Use different sizes and have the children sort by size.
Use different sizes and have the children line up the shapes from smallest to largest.
Cut out upper and lower case letters and have the children sort them.
Use shapes that begin with “h” and shapes that do not. Have the children sort the shapes into two piles, begins with “h” and does not begin with “h.”
Use upper and lower case “h” shapes and other letters. Have the children sort the shapes into two piles, “h” and not “h.”
Number the shapes one through six. Have the child line up the shapes from one to six.

Musical Chairs

Cut out “h” shapes or things that begin with “h” from large white construction paper. Have the children decorate them, then write each child’s name on them. Laminate them. Set out the shapes on the floor in a circle. Have the children walk around the circle of shapes. When the music stops have the children race to their shape. Every child should have a shape to stand on.
Variations:

For younger children, you may allow them to go to anyone’s shape.
For younger children, you may provide more shapes than children.
More Advanced: have other letters on the floor, children may only stay on an “h.”
More Advanced: have shapes on the floor that do not begin with “h,” children may only stay on shapes that begin with “h.”
Have the child name the shape they are standing on.
Make the letters upper and lower case. Have the children state if they are standing on an upper or lower case “h.”
Make the shapes from different colors. Ask “Who is standing on the red “h”?” Or have the child name the color of shape they are standing on.
Use hula hoops instead of shapes.

Hungry Hippos

Try out the game “Hungry Hippos” with a small group of children.

Picture Matching

Find stickers that represent an object that begins with the letter “h”. Place 2 identical stickers on the left and right sides of an index card. Cut the index in half, cut in a jig-jag form. Use a highlighter to highlight the edges. Do this with many different stickers. Have the child match the stickers, and line up the two halves of the index card.

Memory

Find stickers that represent an object that begins with the letter “h”. Place 2 identical stickers on the left and right sides of an index card. Cut the index in half, cut the index card in half. You can use these cards to play memory.

Lacing Cards

Cut colored poster board into “h” shapes and punch holes around the edges. Then let your child lace yarn or a shoestring into the cards.

Ideas for Plastic Figures Beginning with “H”

Have the children sort the animals by size.

Have the children sort the animals by the kind they like the best to least.

Buy two or more sets and have the children sort the animals by type.
Supply the children with a balance and let them experiment.
Have the children count the animals.
Supply the children with cards with numbers on them. Large playing cards work well. Have the children place the appropriate number of animals on each card. I.e. 4 animals on the card that has a 4 (or 4 of diamonds) on it.
Let the children play with the animals in the sand and water table.
Put the animals in the block area, encourage the children to create mountains with the blocks for the animals to live and play on.
Put the animals in the sand table, encourage the children to create mountains with the sand for the animals to live and play on.
Supply the children with paint and white paper, and give them a figure of an animal. Have them dip the animal’s feet in the paint them press on the paper to make tracks.

Songs

The Hippo Song

Sung to “The More We Get Together”
If I could be a hippo,
a hippo, a hippo
If I could be a hippo, What would I eat?
A carrot, a plant, or even some grass
If I could be a hippo, I would be quite fat.

Little Boy Blue

Little boy blue, Come blow your horn,
The sheep’s in the meadow
The cow’s in the corn
But where is the boy,
Who looks after the sheep?
He’s under a haystack,
Fast asleep.

Swimming Hippos

Sung to “London Bridge”
Hippos swimming in a lake,
in a lake, in a lake
Hippos are swimming in a lake,
In Africa.

Where are Hippos?

Sung to “Where is Thumbkin?”
Where are hippos? Where are hippos?
In a lake, in a stream,
This one is a Pygmy, this one is a Common,
Swim away, Swim away.

Group Activities

Hare Jumping

Have the children pretend they are hares and jump around the playground. If you make the hare headbands listed above, they can wear the headbands while they jump.

Hula Hoop

Provide your children with hula hoops to play with.

Hula Hoop Hop

Place many hula hoops on the ground and have the children hop from one hula hoop to the next.

Hula Hoop Crawl

Tie a hula hoop from your swing set or from a tree low enough for the children to easily crawl through it.

Hula Hoop Toss

You need a hula hoop and some bean bags. You can either set up the hula hoop on its side or on the ground. Have your child try to throw the bean bags into the hoop.

Jump in the Hoop

Set a few hula hoops on the floor. Play some music and have your child walk around the hula hoops. When the music stops, have them jump into a hoop. More than one child can be in a hoop.

Beach Ball Toss

Hold up a hula hoop and have the children throw a beach ball through it.

Heart Bowling

Obtain 10 half-gallon milk cartons or 2-liter bottles. Fill the bottles about 1/8 full with water and seal the lid. Then, decorate the bottles with red hearts. Set the bottles up like they were bowling pins and have the children roll a ball to try to knock them over. If they don’t knock over easily, remove some of the water.

Field Trip Ideas

Go to a farm.
Visit a farm or a petting zoo with your child. Make sure to name the animals you see that start with the letter “h” and listen to the sounds that they make.

Hat Play

Supply the children with many different types of hats to try on. Sombreros, police hats, winter hats, beanies, clown hats, baseball hats, etc. You can make your own hats that reduce the spreading of lice by affixing the desired hat onto a gallon milk jug with the handle cut off.

Hen Hatching

Place some plastic eggs under a pillow. Have the child sit on the pillow and guess how many eggs are under the pillow. Count the eggs with the child.

Snacks

Ham Sandwiches

Supply your child with ham, cheese, bread, lettuce, mayo and mustard, and let them make a ham sandwich.

Heart Cookies

Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe and a heart-shaped cookie cutter. When the cookies are cool, let the children decorate their hearts.

Heart-Shaped Sandwiches

Use cookie cutters to cut out hearts from bread. Make your favorite sandwich with your heart-shaped bread.

Jello Hearts

Make your favorite flavor of red or purple jello. Be sure to use less water so that the jello is firmer. When the jello is set use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut out the jello. Alternate, use heart-shaped molds specifically designed for jello or chocolate.

Some foods that begin with the letter H:

ham
hamburgers
hummus
hash browns
corned beef hash
halibut
Hershey’s Bars
hot dogs
hoagies
hero sandwiches
ho ho’s
hot peppers
huckleberries