Before letters come lines
Occupational therapists call these pre-writing strokes: the basic movements every letter is made of. A child who can trace a standing line, a slanted line and a curve has the building blocks for the whole alphabet. This sheet has eight rows, each with a green start dot on the left and an arrow showing the direction.
The eight patterns, easiest first
- Straight lines across the page
- Standing lines, from top to bottom
- Slanted lines
- Zigzags, which lead to letters like M, N, W and Z
- Waves
- Hills, the hump in n, m and h
- Cups, the curve in u and the bottom of J
- Loops, a first taste of cursive
Getting it right
Always trace from left to right and from top to bottom. These are the directions used in writing, so practising them now builds the habit. Don't worry about staying exactly on the dots; smooth, steady movement matters more than accuracy at this stage.
More ways to practise
Pick one pattern to fill the whole page, or use the solid grey style so younger children can trace a thick line with a crayon. Slide the sheet into a plastic sleeve and use a dry-erase marker for endless reuse.