14 stroke types
From straight lines to mixed loops, through zigzags, waves, garlands, arches, battlements, stairs, circles and spirals.
What do you want to practise?
Start over?
Teaching Guide: Pre-Writing Skills in Pre-K and Kindergarten
Before writing letters, children need to master the basic strokes: lines, curves, turns and loops. This free pre-writing worksheet generator creates A4 sheets with dotted strokes to trace, ordered by difficulty and sized for ages 3, 4 and 5.
- For
- Pre-K & K Pre-K 3, Pre-K 4, K (ages 3-5)
- Subject
- Language & Literacy › Writing & Handwriting
- Includes
- Printable sheet (no answer key)
- Format
- A4, to print or save as PDF; new exercises every time
- Price
- Free, no sign-up
- Available in
- Catalan, Spanish, English
Student worksheet Start dot and arrow
Each row shows where to start with a green circle and an arrow pointing the right way.
Sized by age
Age 3: large strokes, 3 rows per page. Age 4: 5 rows. Age 5: 7 rows of small strokes, ready for letters.
Trace and continue
Trace the whole row, or just the start and carry on with guide dots or unaided.
Mixed sheet
An automatic mix of strokes that get harder step by step, different every time: great for review.
Eco-Print
Fine dots and outline pictures to colour in: very little ink.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pre-Writing Worksheets
What are pre-writing skills?
They are the hand and arm movements that prepare children for writing. Tracing strokes helps them control the pencil, follow a direction and coordinate eye and hand.
In what order should strokes be practised?
Start with straight lines (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), then changes of direction (zigzags, battlements, stairs) and curves (waves, garlands and arches), and finally turns (loops, circles and spirals). The wizard already shows the strokes in this order, and on the sheet you can move each exercise up or down to change it.
Which age should I choose?
Use the age as a starting point: if a stroke is hard, try the size for the age below, which is larger with fewer rows per page.
What are the green dot and the arrow for?
They show where to start and which way to go. Always following the same direction builds the habit children will later use when writing letters.
Why is there no answer key?
In pre-writing the dotted stroke is the model: children trace the dots, and in the rows to continue they compare their stroke with the start of the row.
Is any data sent to a server?
No. The worksheet is generated in your browser and nothing leaves your computer.
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