What is a tracing lines and shapes worksheet?

A pre-writing sheet: straight lines, zigzags, waves, loops and simple shapes drawn as dotted paths from a start dot. The child traces each one three times and then draws it once alone. It is the sheet before letters.

Two to four. A child who can hold a crayon can start on the straight lines; a child who can trace the wave and the zigzag in one stroke is ready for the letter tracing sheets.

How many should a preschooler do in one sitting?

One or two rows, slowly. Six rows fit on the page so the sheet lasts a week, not a morning. Stop when the hand tires.

A crayon or a fat pencil at three; a regular pencil at four or five once the grip is steady. The dotted lines are dark enough for either.

How young can a child start?

Three, with a crayon and a finger on the dot. The sheet asks for control, not neatness, so a wobbly line traced in one go is a success.

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.

Preschool tracing lines and shapes

Preschool tracing lines and shapes worksheets

Tracing lines and shapes is pre-writing practice for two, three and four year olds: 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. It is the first sheet for a child who can hold a crayon.

Free printable PDF worksheet.

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 has its own 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 preschool 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

A crayon or a fat pencil, a finger on the start dot, and one row at a time. Say the stroke as it happens, "down, across". Straight lines first; a preschooler who can do the zigzag and the wave is ready for the letter sheets, whatever their age.

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 preschool tracing lines and shapes

What is a tracing lines and shapes worksheet?: A pre-writing sheet: straight lines, zigzags, waves, loops and simple shapes drawn as dotted paths from a start dot. The child traces each one three times and then draws it once alone. It is the sheet before letters.
What age is it for?: Two to four. A child who can hold a crayon can start on the straight lines; a child who can trace the wave and the zigzag in one stroke is ready for the letter tracing sheets.
How many should a preschooler do in one sitting?: One or two rows, slowly. Six rows fit on the page so the sheet lasts a week, not a morning. Stop when the hand tires.
Crayon or pencil?: A crayon or a fat pencil at three; a regular pencil at four or five once the grip is steady. The dotted lines are dark enough for either.
How young can a child start?: Three, with a crayon and a finger on the dot. The sheet asks for control, not neatness, so a wobbly line traced in one go is a success.
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.