Reptile
Snakes have no legs and move by bending their long, strong bodies. They smell the air by flicking out their forked tongue.
Lives in: Everywhere
HomeAnimals A–ZLetter S
Animals That Start With S: List, Facts & Free Coloring Pages
From slithery snakes to sleepy sloths, the letter S is full of surprises. Hiss the S sound together, read a fun fact or two, then print the free coloring page. Here is our list of animals that start with the letter S, perfect when a little one asks what animal starts with S.
12animals
1sounds
3free pages
Letter sound
What Sound Does the Letter S Make?
The letter S makes a long hissing sound, just like a snake. Kids can hold it as long as they like, which makes it a great sound to practice. Tap any word to hear it.
Ss
Say it together
Hiss like a snake and see who can make the “sss” last the longest. Then read the words on the right.
/s/
S says sss
Put your teeth together, smile a little and let the air hiss out like a snake.
Be a snakeWiggle your arm like a snake while you hiss.
Sock puppetPut a sock on your hand and let it say S words.
Snack timeName an S snack, like strawberries or soup.
Animal list
12 Animals That Start With the Letter S
S has so many animals that picking just twelve was hard. Read each name out loud and stretch out the hiss. Every one of these animals with S has a short fact you can read aloud.
Fish
A shark can lose thousands of teeth in its life, and new ones keep moving forward to take their place. The whale shark is the biggest fish in the world.
Lives in: OceanMammal
Sloths move so slowly that tiny green algae can grow in their fur. They spend most of their lives hanging upside down in trees.
Lives in: RainforestsMammal
Squirrels bury nuts in the fall to eat later in winter. Some of the nuts they forget grow into new trees!
Lives in: ForestsMammal
Sheep grow a thick coat of wool that farmers trim about once a year. Wool is used to make cozy sweaters, socks and blankets.
Lives in: FarmsMammal
Seals are great swimmers but wiggle on their bellies when they are on land. A thick layer of fat called blubber keeps them warm in icy water.
Lives in: OceanArachnid
Spiders have eight legs, so they are not insects. Many spiders spin silky webs to catch their food.
Lives in: EverywhereBird
Swans are large birds with long, curvy necks. Baby swans are called cygnets.
Lives in: LakesMammal
A skunk can spray a very stinky smell to keep enemies away. Before it sprays, it often stomps its feet as a warning.
Lives in: ForestsMollusk
A snail carries its shell on its back like a little house. It glides along on a trail of slime that helps it move.
Lives in: GardensFish
Seahorses are fish that swim standing up. The dad seahorse carries the eggs in a pouch until the babies hatch.
Lives in: OceanMammal
Sea otters sometimes hold paws while they sleep so they do not drift apart. They use rocks as tools to crack open shellfish.
Lives in: OceanAnimal names that start with S (S animals list): Snake, Shark, Sloth, Squirrel, Sheep, Seal, Spider, Swan, Skunk, Snail, Seahorse, Sea Otter.
Facts checked with National Geographic Kids and Wikipedia.
Quick quiz
What Animal Starts With S? Quick Quiz
A tiny game to check what stuck. Read the question out loud and let your little one tap the answer.
Question 1
Score: 0
Free download
Free printable
Letter S Worksheets: Free Coloring Page
Three free pages in one PDF: color the letter S and a snake, trace the letter, then find the S animals. Print it for circle time, morning work or a quiet afternoon at home.
1
Download the PDFOne click, no sign-up or email
2
Print at home or schoolFits US Letter and A4 paper
3
Color and traceBig letters and dotted tracing lines
Uppercase SLowercase sTracing practiceFind the S animals
Download Free PDF
3 pages, black & white
Questions
All FAQs
Animals Beginning With S: FAQ
Easy ones for kids are snake, sheep, seal, shark and squirrel. Fun extras include sloth, seahorse and skunk.
Seal and snake are great first S words. They are short, easy to picture and start with a nice long hiss.
Yes. Press the download button to get the PDF, then print as many copies as you need for home or class.
Hiss like a snake while pointing to the sun or a sock. Then ask your child to hiss whenever they hear a word that starts with S.
The sperm whale is one of the biggest S animals. A big male can grow longer than a school bus.
Some spiders and snails are smaller than a grain of rice. You might need a magnifying glass to spot them!
Sharks, seals, seahorses and sea otters all live in the ocean. Starfish do too, and they are not really fish at all.
Sheep are the best-known S farm animal. Swine is an old word for pigs, so they count too!
The sloth! It moves so slowly that tiny green algae can grow in its fur.
Move on to the letter T page, or print the alphabet flashcards to review S with a quick matching game.