Circle tracing worksheets
A circle tracing worksheet for ages three to five. It prints five rows of circles as dotted outlines, each with a dot at the top to start from and an arrow pointing left, plus a box on every row to draw a circle alone. The circle has no corners and no straight lines, just one curve that ends where it began.
Free printable PDF worksheet.
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.
What's on each sheet
- One shape. Start at the dot and go the way the arrow points. Trace each shape, then draw one yourself. 5 rows per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
A mixed sheet of lines, waves, zigzags and shapes prints from Preschool tracing lines and shapes.
How to teach this
Start on the dot at the top. Go round to the left, down the side, along the bottom and up the other side, and stop when you get back to the dot. Round to the left is the way the letters c, o, a, d and g go, so a child who learns the circle this way already has the start of five letters. Trace with a finger first, slowly, then with a crayon. The line should close at the top without a gap or a tail.
Watch for: Going round to the right. It still makes a circle, but it is backwards for c, o, a, d and g, so steer the hand left from the start. Starting at the bottom or the side. The dot is at the top because letters start at the top, and circles are practice for letters. Stopping short, or overshooting into a spiral. Finish exactly at the dot, where you began.
Common questions about circle tracing
- Which way should a child draw a circle?
- From the top, round to the left, the way the hands of a clock go backwards. It is the same direction as the letters c, o, a, d and g, so learning it this way carries straight over to those letters.
- My child's circles look like eggs. Is that okay?
- Yes, at three or four. What counts is a closed, roundish shape drawn in one go. Tracing over the dotted circle a few times a day rounds it out with practice.
- When can a child draw a circle alone?
- Most children copy a circle around age three, after they can draw a straight line down. The empty box on each row of this sheet shows you where your child is.
Related worksheets
- Preschool tracing lines and shapes Lines, waves, zigzags and shapes on one sheet
- Loops tracing worksheets The one before it in the set
- Square tracing worksheets The next one in the set
- Shapes chart Every shape with its name on one page
- Kindergarten tracing lines and shapes A step harder, same skill
- Preschool color words Same grade, nearby skill
- Preschool cutting practice Same grade, nearby skill
- Preschool letter tracing Same grade, nearby skill
- Preschool name tracing generator Same grade, nearby skill
- Tracing lines and shapes, all grades The full progression
- All preschool English worksheets Every skill at this level
- All preschool worksheets Everything at this level
Ready to print one?
Need more copies? Print it again. It comes out the same.
Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 240, updated October 2026.
Spot a mistake on this sheet? Tell us. · About these worksheets