Why does the small a look different from the a in books?

Most books print a two-storey a, with a little hook on top. Children write the one-storey a, a circle and a line, so that is the shape on the sheet and the one your child should copy.

Why only four words on the A words sheet?

Every word on it has to start with an a sound and have a picture a four year old can name. Apple, ant, alligator and acorn pass. Each print puts the same four in a new order.

Is acorn a fair word for the letter A?

Yes. A has two sounds at the start of a word: the short one in apple and its own name in acorn. Hearing both early saves confusion later, when your child meets words like apron and baby.

Letter A worksheets for preschool, free printable PDF

Letter A worksheets

Letter A tracing worksheet for preschool, capital and small letter on penmanship guides — The picture follows the options you pick. Tap to see another version.

Letter A worksheets for ages three to five, in preschool or starting kindergarten. One sheet traces capital A and small a as dotted outlines on alternate rows. The other has four pictures to trace: an apple, an ant, an alligator and an acorn.

Free printable PDF worksheet.

One page for every letter

Each letter has its own page, with its strokes in words, its sounds and, for most letters, a sheet of words that start with it.

The words you'll trace

Say each picture's name. Listen for the first sound. Then trace the word beside it.

apple
ant
alligator
acorn

Every picture's name starts with the letter's sound, and beside it the word is printed as a dotted outline on a writing guide. The key page writes the words out in ink.

These are every picture the sheet has for this letter, so all 4 print each time, in a new order.

What's on each sheet

Letter tracing. Trace the letter on each line. Then write it yourself on the rest of the line. 6 rows per page.
Words that start with the letter. Say each picture's name. Listen for the first sound. Then trace the word beside it. All 4 words, in a new order every time you print.

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

Every other letter prints from one form on Preschool letter tracing.

How to teach this

Capital A is two slanted lines and a bridge. Start at the top, slide down to the left, go back to the same top point and slide down to the right, then cross the middle. Small a in this print is the one with a single round part, the way children write it, not the two-storey a in books. Start just under the middle line, go back and around like a c, close the circle, then pull a straight line down on the right side. A has two sounds a child should hear: the short a at the start of apple and ant, and its own name at the start of acorn. Say each picture's word slowly before your child traces it, so the sound and the letter go together.

Watch for: Children often start capital A at the bottom left and climb up, which works but makes a wobbly peak. Both slanted lines start from the top point and go down. Small a written as a circle with the line on the left, or with a gap between them, can read as d or o later. The circle comes first and the line hugs its right side.

Common questions about letter A

Why does the small a look different from the a in books?: Most books print a two-storey a, with a little hook on top. Children write the one-storey a, a circle and a line, so that is the shape on the sheet and the one your child should copy.
Why only four words on the A words sheet?: Every word on it has to start with an a sound and have a picture a four year old can name. Apple, ant, alligator and acorn pass. Each print puts the same four in a new order.
Is acorn a fair word for the letter A?: Yes. A has two sounds at the start of a word: the short one in apple and its own name in acorn. Hearing both early saves confusion later, when your child meets words like apron and baby.