The strokes inside every letter
Every printed letter is made of a few strokes: a line down, a line across, a slant, a curve. Children who can draw those strokes smoothly find letters much easier to learn. Tracing lines lets them practise the strokes on their own, before letters ask them to remember shapes as well.
A good order
- Straight lines, across and then up and down.
- Slanted lines and zigzags, for letters like v, w and z.
- Waves and bumps, the curves in letters like n, m and s.
- Loops, a first taste of joined handwriting.
- Shapes, closing a line back where it started.
Next steps
When lines feel easy, move on to alphabet tracing with start dots and stroke arrows, and toname tracing for each child’s own name. Easy mazes practise the same pencil control.
Curriculum links in England
- Fine motorBy the end of Reception children hold a pencil with a tripod grip in almost all cases and show accuracy and care when drawing.
- EYFS physicalThe physical development programme links fine motor control and precision to hand-eye coordination and early literacy.
- Writing guideThe DfE writing framework suggests early handwriting lessons practise the movements of letters at different sizes.
In England most pre-writing work happens in Nursery and the first weeks of Reception. The EYFS physical development programme starts with core strength, stability and balance, built through play indoors and outdoors, so a child who finds tracing hard may need more of that alongside the sheets.
The loops page is a taste of joining strokes, but DfE guidance suggests waiting until print letters are secure before teaching joined handwriting.
Summarised in our own words from the EYFS statutory framework and the DfE writing framework (2025).
