Pre-writing strokes · ages 2 to 4
Straight down tracing worksheet
Free printable straight down pre-writing worksheet. The pencil control a child needs before letters, with a start dot and direction arrow. Ages 2 to 4.
Download the free PDF- 5 rows
- Start dots and arrows
- Builds to writing it alone
- No watermark
Free for home and for one classroom. Read the licence.
How to make this mark
Start at the top and pull straight down to the line. The whole arm moves, not just the fingers.
What to watch for
The first stroke most children master, and the one that L, T, I, H and the stems of b, d, h and p are all built from.
Words to say while tracing
Saying a word out loud while the pencil is moving links the mark to a sound instead of leaving it an abstract squiggle. Try down, tall and stick.
How the rows work
The page does not repeat one row five times. The first row shows the mark drawn solid with a numbered green dot where each stroke starts and an arrow for the direction. The next rows are dotted to trace. Then only the start dots remain, and the last row is a ruled line and nothing else.
Want this with your child's name on it?
The name tracing maker builds the same kind of sheet from any name you type, in about 30 seconds. It runs in your browser, so the name is never sent to us.
Next sheets
Free starter pack
Get six letter sheets, in teaching order
Everything on this site is free to print without joining. This is the extra bit: the parent guide, a progress chart, and the first six lowercase letters grouped by how they are formed rather than by the alphabet.
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