Which age is this for?

Three to five. It is the sheet before letters, for a hand that can hold a pencil but not yet steer it.

Why does every line start with a dot?

The start point is half of a stroke. Letters that start in the wrong place are hard to fix later, so the dot teaches where to begin from the first line.

Is every sheet different?

Usually. Each print draws six of the twelve strokes at random, always in the teaching order: straight lines, then turns, then curves, then shapes.

Kindergarten tracing lines and shapes

Kindergarten tracing lines and shapes worksheets

Tracing lines and shapes is the practice before letters: straight lines, zigzags, waves, loops and the closed shapes, each drawn from a start dot along a dotted path, three times to trace and once to draw alone. The strokes are the ones the letters will be built from, in the order most programmes teach them (L.K.1.a readiness).

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.K.1.a.

Each print is a different sheet. You don't need to sign up.

One page for every line and shape

Each kind of line and each shape also has its own preschool page, with where to start, which way to go and a sheet of just that one to trace.

The kind of lines you'll trace

Start at the dot and trace each line. Then draw one yourself.

Straight line acrossStraight line downSlanted lineCrossZigzagStepsWaveBumps

Each print draws six of these, always in the same order: straight lines, then turns, then curves, then shapes. Three dotted copies to trace, then a box to draw one alone.

Every print pulls a new set of lines at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on a kindergarten sheet

Lines and shapes. Start at the dot and trace each line. Then draw one yourself. 6 lines per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Sit beside the child and put your finger on the start dot before each line. Say the stroke as it happens, "down, across", and stop at the end. A fat pencil or a crayon is fine for these; control matters more than neatness. When the free box on each row looks like the dotted ones, move on to the letter tracing sheets.

Watch for: These are not drawings to colour; they are the strokes letters are made of. A wave is the top of an m, a loop is the start of an l, a circle is o, a, d and g. Lifting the pencil in the middle of a line is the habit to watch for. One stroke per line, slowly, beats a fast line in three pieces.

Common questions about kindergarten tracing lines and shapes

Which age is this for?: Three to five. It is the sheet before letters, for a hand that can hold a pencil but not yet steer it.
Why does every line start with a dot?: The start point is half of a stroke. Letters that start in the wrong place are hard to fix later, so the dot teaches where to begin from the first line.
Is every sheet different?: Usually. Each print draws six of the twelve strokes at random, always in the teaching order: straight lines, then turns, then curves, then shapes.

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Aligned to Common Core L.K.1.a. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated October 2026.

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