★Trace Lines and Curves
Preschool Writing Worksheet - Challenge Me
Trace the lines.
PencilGoPreschool · Writing · Pre-writing
Preschool Trace Lines and Curves worksheets
6 printable versionsChallenge MeAbout 5 minutes eachFree · no account
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About this worksheet
Before letters come strokes. Every capital in the alphabet is built from a straight line, a slant, a curve or a circle, so a child who can steer a pencil through those four movements has already done most of the work of writing an L, a C or an A. On this page each path is drawn as a dotted model with a dot where the pencil goes down and a star where it stops, and the last space on the line is left blank for a try of their own.
Preschoolers usually stare at the pencil tip rather than looking ahead, and they tend to swing straight through a bend instead of slowing for it. Both smooth out with repetition, not with erasing. A wobbly first trace is normal and worth keeping. Say the movement out loud while it happens (across for a line, around for a curve, up and across for a slant) because words give the hand something to follow when the eyes get tired.
What your child will learn
- Put the pencil down on the marked start dot
- Follow straight, slanted, curved, wavy and zigzag paths
- Slow the hand at a bend instead of swinging past it
- Say the way a path goes while tracing it
Head Start ELOF standard: P-PMP 2, L.K.1.A
Worked example
Put the pencil on the dot at the left of the wave. Move slowly along the dotted path, looking a little ahead of the point, and lift the pencil when you reach the star.
Common mistake
Racing from the dot to the star in one swipe, so the pencil leaves the path at the first bend.
Helpful hint
Look just ahead of your pencil point, not at the pencil itself.
Questions parents ask
What is the most common mistake with trace lines and curves?
Racing from the dot to the star in one swipe, so the pencil leaves the path at the first bend.
How can I help my child with trace lines and curves?
Look just ahead of your pencil point, not at the pencil itself.
Are these preschool writing worksheets free to print?
Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.
Similar: Hold the Pencil · Read and Write Left to Right
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