Free printable tracing worksheets as PDF

Tracing Lines Worksheets

Pick the kinds of lines and how big they are — the line tracing sheet is ready to print or save as a PDF.

Tracing lines worksheets are printable sheets with lines that a child follows with a pencil, which builds the hand control needed for writing. This free line tracing generator makes them in your web browser, with no sign-up. Nothing you make is uploaded or sent to a server.

You choose the line types, the number of rows, and the tracing style, and the preview updates as you change each setting. You can then print the sheets or download them as a PDF. The pages are black and grey line art, so they are cheap to print and can be coloured in.

How to make tracing lines worksheets

  1. Open the Line types setting and pick any of the 14 types. The default selection is straight, standing, slanted , zigzag, waves and bumps.
  2. Set Rows per page from 3 to 8. Fewer rows give bigger lines.
  3. Under Pages, choose One line type per page (each type gets its own page) or Mixed lines on one page (one row of each type).
  4. Pick a Tracing style: Dots, Dashes, Grey line or Solid black.
  5. Keep Green start dots and Direction arrows on (the default) to show where each line begins and which way to go, or switch them off for confident children.
  6. Set Page direction to Portrait or Landscape. Landscape gives longer rows.
  7. Edit the title, and keep or switch off the Name and Date lines.
  8. Check the preview. It updates as soon as a setting changes, and the status line shows how many pages are ready (one per line type with One line type per page).

Under the preview, Print opens your browser’s print dialog with only the worksheet pages. Download PDF builds a PDF that prints at true size. Copy link copies a link that reopens the same settings. You can choose US Letter or A4 paper.

What order should children practise lines in?

Start with straight horizontal and vertical lines, then move to slanted lines and zigzags, then curves, waves and arches, and finish with loops and spirals. This order goes from the simplest strokes to the most complex ones, so each step builds on the last.

Each line type matches a stroke that letters are made from. Straight lines practise the strokes in l, t and i. Slanted lines practise v, w, x and k. Curves and waves practise c and s. Arches practise n, m and h. Loops practise the cursive e and l. A child who has traced straight horizontal line tracing and vertical line tracing sheets will find the strokes in these letters much easier to form.

Why do line tracing worksheets help with handwriting?

They help because a child repeats the same movements that letters need, but without the pressure of forming a letter correctly. The child has one simple job: keep the pencil on the line and move it from the start to the end. Repeating this many times builds control of the wrist and fingers.

The way the child traces matters as much as the line. Hold the paper steady with the other hand. Trace slowly from the green dot without lifting the pencil. For small children, use a thick pencil or crayon, which is easier to grip than a thin one. Tracing the same page again in a different colour is a simple way to repeat the practice without making a new sheet.

Which line types should you start with?

The 14 line types fall into four groups, from easiest to hardest:

  • Straight lines: Straight lines (left to right) and Standing lines (top to bottom). Start here, with 3 or 4 rows per page.
  • Slanted and angled lines: Slanted lines \ and /, Zigzag, Mountains, Castle and Stairs. These add a change of direction at each corner, which the child makes without lifting the pencil.
  • Curves: Waves, Bumps and Cups. Bumps (arches) prepare n, m and h; cups prepare u.
  • Loops and spirals: Loops, Spirals and Coils. These are the hardest and lead towards cursive.

A free line tracing worksheet from each group, one group a week, makes a simple plan for preschool line tracing practice. When a row is easy, switch on the last-row option so the child draws the same line freehand between the dot and the star.

Frequently asked questions

How big should the lines be for a preschooler?

Start with 3 or 4 rows per page, which gives large lines that are easier to follow. As the child improves, raise the number of rows to 6 or 8 to make the lines smaller. Landscape pages give each row more length, which also helps.

Can I make a page with only zigzag or only curved lines?

Yes. In Line types, select only the type you want, such as zigzag, or only the curved types, such as waves, bumps, cups and loops. With One line type per page selected, each chosen type gets its own page with all rows in the same pattern.

How do I print line tracing worksheets as a PDF?

Click Download PDF under the preview. The file is a vector PDF that prints at true size, so the lines keep their size on paper. If you want to print straight from the browser instead, click Print, which opens the print dialog with only the worksheet pages.

Is it free?

Yes. The generator is free and needs no sign-up. It runs in your web browser, and nothing you create is uploaded or sent to a server.

Where does each row start and finish?

Every row starts at a green dot on the left and ends at a small outlined star on the right. The sheet tells the child to start at the green dot and trace the line to the star. If you select the option for the last row to show only the start and end points, the child draws that row freehand.