How to Trace the Letters of the Alphabet

Before Commencing With Alphabet Letters

• 1

  Ensure your child is able to draw circles and straight lines in various directions. If necessary, spend a few sessions practicing circles and other shapes on the chalkboard or paper. Draw the picture for him and then have him trace over your lines many times with different colors. You could make houses from squares and triangles, rockets from rectangles and triangles etc. This activity ensures that he will be ready to make the basic shapes of the letters.

• 2

  Have your child practice making handwriting patterns on the paper and chalkboard. Draw the pattern for her and then have her trace over your line with different colors. This activity strengthens visual-motor integration, which is a vital prehandwriting skill.

• 3

  Use a different writing medium every time to hold your child's attention. Try chalk on a chalkboard, crayons on paper or wipe-off markers on a whiteboard. You could also try putting sand on a tray and tracing letters in the sand, or write on the sidewalk with the chalk. Using fat chalk, crayons and markers is easier for little hands.

Tracing the Letters of the Alphabet

• 4

  Teach one letter at a time: lower case "c" is a good one to start with, and can be followed by "a," "d," "g," "o" and "q," which are all formed in the same way: starting at 2 o'clock and turning counter-clockwise before completing the letter shape. Draw the letter for your child, emphasizing the starting point and ending point. Make up a little sentence or rhyme that will help to reinforce learning, and have your child trace over your letter multiple times with different colors.

• 5

  Teach "b," "h," "p," "n," "m" and "r." Doing only one letter in a session, start each letter at the top then move down, up and over until the letter is complete. Again, try to reinforce learning of the letter shape with a little rhyme or sentence, and have your child trace over your letter with different colors.

• 6

  Teach the other letters of the alphabet in the same way: by making up a verse or a rhyme to emphasize the starting points and ending points, and by having your child trace over the letter multiple times. The Letterland CD and Little Giraffe's Teaching Ideas are good sources of rhymes and songs to teach correct letter formation.

• 7

  Progress to practicing on printed worksheets only once your child is confident about making letters on informal materials.