Letter tracing sheets kindergarten teachers and parents use give five and six year olds the practice they need to print every letter neatly. Each page has uppercase and lowercase rows that start dark and fade, on blue, dashed and red handwriting lines, with a picture word such as A is for apple. Choose the whole alphabet or a smaller group of letters, and print on US Letter or A4.
Quick answer: Letter tracing sheets for kindergarten are printable pages where a child traces gray letters on handwriting lines, with a picture word for each letter. Kindergarten children are expected to print many upper- and lowercase letters (standard L.K.1.a). This page has 8 free letter tracing PDFs: uppercase A to Z, lowercase a to z, both cases, and letter groups by stroke. Updated October 2026.
Ready-to-print samples
A few of the ready PDFs on this page. The full list is under Ready-to-print worksheets.
Uppercase A to Z26 pages with picture words.PDFStraight-line lettersL F E H T I.PDFCurved lettersC O Q G S.PDFThe vowelsA E I O U.PDF
Letter tracing sheets kindergarten: teach letters in groups
Teaching letters by their strokes is easier than teaching them in alphabet order, because each new letter in a group uses a movement the child already knows. The sheets on this page follow these groups:
Group
Letters
How many
Why teach them together
Straight lines
L, F, E, H, T, I
6
Only vertical and horizontal strokes
Curves
C, O, Q, G, S
5
Round strokes, starting at the top
Slants
V, W, X, Y, Z, A, K, N, M
9
Diagonal strokes
c-letters (lowercase)
c, a, d, g, o, q
6
All begin with the same curve
Vowels
A, E, I, O, U
5
Needed to read almost every word
All capitals
A to Z
26
The full alphabet
Letter tracing kindergarten teachers and parents use
You will find this page searched as letter tracing sheets kindergarten, kindergarten letter tracing, letter tracing kindergarten, letters for tracing kindergarten, kindergarten trace letters and tracing letters for pre-kindergarten. All are the free PDFs above. For children who are not yet in kindergarten, the preschool letter tracing page uses extra large letters and fewer on a page.
How many weeks does it take to trace the alphabet?
The time depends on the pace. This table shows three common plans for the 26 letters, which each fit inside a kindergarten year:
Pace
Letters
Weeks for A to Z
One letter a day
5 letters a week
6 weeks (26 school days)
Two letters a week
2 letters a week
13 weeks
Letter of the week
1 letter a week
26 weeks
Letters that children mix up
Some letters look alike, and kindergartners often reverse them. This is normal and usually fades with practice. These are the pairs to watch, with a trick for each:
Confusing pair
Why it is confusing
A trick
b and d
Mirror images of each other
Make a bed with your two hands: b on the left, d on the right
p and q
Mirror images, with tails below the line
p points the way you read; q has a tail like a q-tip
m and w
One is the other turned upside down
m has mountains; w has valleys
n and u
One is the other turned upside down
n has a bridge; u is a cup
Capital and lowercase letters that look the same
Seven letters have lowercase forms that are the same shape as the capital, only smaller: C, O, S, V, W, X and Z. Children can learn these 7 pairs quickly, which leaves 19 letters whose two forms look different. The both-cases sheets practice them together, so a child sees that c and C are the same letter.
Choosing letter tracing sheets kindergarten children enjoy
The best letter tracing sheets kindergarten children enjoy have a picture, a clear start, and a short task. Choose letter tracing sheets kindergarten teachers can use in a center, such as the vowels or the straight-line letters, for a quick win. For children who need more challenge, choose the full A to Z letter tracing sheets kindergarten pages, and ask the child to write a word that starts with each letter. Letter tracing sheets kindergarten families print at home work well in short, daily sessions.
Printing letter tracing sheets kindergarten families can reuse
Print on US Letter or A4 at 100% scale, in black and white. The sheets with 26 pages are best printed double-sided, or in groups of five or six pages a week. Put finished pages in a folder to show progress, and use a sheet protector with a dry-erase marker for extra practice on tricky letters.
Why start with uppercase letters?
Uppercase letters use only straight lines and simple curves, and all of them have the same height, so they are easier to write than lowercase letters. They also appear on signs, in names and on packages. That is why many programs, including several well-known handwriting programs, start with capitals and add lowercase letters soon after. The letter groups on this page, by stroke, help you choose the order.
Letter tracing and reading: the link
Tracing a letter while saying its name and sound links writing to reading. The picture on each page, such as an apple for A, supports the sound. When children trace, say the letter name, the sound and the picture word, for example A, a, apple. This three-part habit is one of the best ways to learn letter-sound links.
Frequently asked questions
7 quick answers
Where can I download free letter tracing sheets for kindergarten?
Open any worksheet in the Ready-to-print list on this page, choose US Letter or A4, then print or save the PDF. They are free, and no account is needed.
Should kindergarten tracing start with uppercase or lowercase?
Many teachers start with uppercase, because the strokes are simpler, and add lowercase soon after, since most reading uses lowercase. The both-cases sheet practices the two together.
How can I make a letter tracing sheet for one letter?
Use the maker at the top of the page: choose Letter A (or any letter), pick the case and the size, and download the PDF.
Should kindergartners learn uppercase or lowercase letters first?
Both are taught in kindergarten. Many teachers start with uppercase and add lowercase soon after, since most reading uses lowercase.
How do I teach b and d?
Teach them separately at first, and use a memory trick, such as making a bed with two fists, thumbs up. Trace the b and the d on different days, and always say the stroke aloud.
How long does it take to learn to write all the letters?
Most children take most of the kindergarten year to print all 26 letters well. The pace in the table above, from 6 to 26 weeks, is a guide.
Can I print only a few letters?
Yes. Use the letter group sheets, or the maker to choose one letter or all 26.
