Letter Tracing Worksheets

How to use the letter tracing tool

1. Type a title in Title on the sheet, or keep the default, Letter Tracing.
2. Under Letters, keep The whole alphabet, A to Z, or choose Choose my own letters and type the letters in Letters to practice, such as m a t s. Repeats and non-letters are ignored.
3. Set Letter case to uppercase and lowercase together, uppercase only, or lowercase only.
4. Set Page layout to many letters on a page, or one letter on each page.
5. Pick a Line size that fits the child’s age.
6. Set Tracing rows from 0 to 6 for each letter.
7. Set Blank rows to write on from 0 to 4 for each letter.
8. Choose Tracing letters: light gray or dotted outline.
9. Choose Letter weight: regular or bold.
10. Turn the Show descender line checkbox on or off for g, j, p, q, and y.
11. Pick a paper size, US Letter or A4.
12. Select Print or save as PDF, and print at 100% scale.

The preview updates as you change each setting. Reset settings restores the defaults. The page address stores your settings, so a bookmarked or shared link opens the same sheet. New worksheet creates a different sheet with the same settings, and each sheet shows a short worksheet code under the buttons.

How do I make letter tracing worksheets?

Start with the letters you want to practice, then set the layout. The sheet shows each letter once as a dark model, followed by light tracing copies on the same row. Set the number of tracing rows for each letter, then add blank rows if the child should write the letter without a guide. Keep the default settings for a full alphabet sheet, which comes out at 4 pages on US Letter and A4.

Should children learn capital or lowercase letters first?

Children can learn either case first, and the Letter case control lets you choose. Many early-years programs begin with uppercase letters, because their shapes are mostly straight lines and simple curves. Lowercase letters appear more often in running text, so many children practice both once they know the basic shapes. Use uppercase only, lowercase only, or both together, depending on what the child is learning at school.

How many letters should a child trace at a time?

A short set is easier to finish with good letter formation than a full alphabet. Three to five letters on one sheet is a practical starting point, especially for young children who tire quickly. Use Choose my own letters to pick the ones that are being taught that week, such as m a t s. This also lets you repeat the same letters on several sheets. Add more letters once the child forms each one correctly.

Can I make a tracing page for one letter?

Yes. Set Page layout to One letter on each page, then choose Choose my own letters and type a single letter. Each page then has a heading such as Letter A, a model, and tracing rows, followed by blank writing rows to the bottom of the page. For a single letter page, this layout gives the child more room than the many-letters layout.

What age is letter tracing for?

The line size settings match common school stages. Extra large (1 inch) is for pre-K to kindergarten, large (3/4 inch) for kindergarten to first grade, medium (5/8 inch) for second grade, and small (3/8 inch) for third grade and up. Choose the largest size that fits the child’s hand control, and move to smaller lines as writing becomes more accurate.