Word Tracing Worksheets
Updated November 2026 · 16 free printables
Free printable word tracing worksheets for kindergarten and first grade. Each page is a word list on its own theme: short-vowel CVC words like cat, bed, pig, dog and bug, animals, fruits and vegetables, family members, weather and feelings, Thanksgiving, Christmas and winter, color words, number words, sight words, the days of the week and the months of the year.
Most lists come with a small picture next to every word (a face for each feeling, a cloud or a sun for the weather), so children who cannot read yet still know which word they are writing. Every word is traced once in dark dashes from green start dots, once in light gray, and then written alone in the space left on the line.
At a glance
- Pages
- 16 free printables, one PDF each
- Ages
- 5 to 7
- Levels
- Kindergarten, Grade 1
- Paper
- US Letter and A4
- Price
- free, no sign-up needed to download
All 16 Word Tracing Worksheets, One by One
Here is a closer look at every page in this collection, with who it's best for and a coloring idea for each one. 3 of them belong to a smaller theme and are described there instead.
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1. CVC Words Tracing Worksheet: Short a, e and i
Twelve three-letter CVC words to trace next to their pictures: cat, fan, map and van (short a), bed, hen, net and web (short e), pig, six, wig and fin (short i). The vowel in each word is dashed in color so kids hear and see it. It suits ages 4 to 6, and little ones can count the pictures with a finger.
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2. CVC Words Tracing Worksheet: Short o and u
Twelve CVC picture words to trace: dog, fox, box, mop, pot and log with short o, then bug, cup, sun, bus, rug and tub with short u. Each word has a colored vowel, a dashed copy and a light copy on handwriting lines. It suits ages 4 to 6, and little ones can count the pictures with a finger.
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3. Animal Words Handwriting Practice
Ten animal words to trace next to colorful pictures: bear, cow, duck, frog, mouse, owl, penguin, rabbit, sheep and whale. Each word has a dark dashed copy with start dots and a light copy on 4-line paper. Big pictures and only a few tasks per page make it a gentle start for kindergartners.
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4. Fruits and Vegetables Words Handwriting Practice
Trace ten food words beside their pictures: apple, banana, cherries, grapes, lemon, orange, pear, watermelon, carrot and corn. Short and long words on handwriting lines, from three letters up to ten. Big pictures and only a few tasks per page make it a gentle start for kindergartners.
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5. Family Words Handwriting Practice
Eight family words to trace: mom, dad, baby, sister, brother, grandma, grandpa and cousin, each with a heart to color, a dashed word with start dots and a light copy. Nice for an all-about-me or family unit. Big pictures and only a few tasks per page make it a gentle start for kindergartners.
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6. Weather Words Handwriting Practice
Trace eight weather words next to simple weather pictures: sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy, windy, stormy, foggy and rainbow. Good for morning weather talk and a first science unit. It matches first grade goals, roughly ages 6 to 7.
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7. Feelings Words Handwriting Practice
Eight feelings words with matching faces to trace: happy, sad, angry, scared, surprised, sleepy, silly and calm. A gentle start for talking about emotions while practicing handwriting. First graders can do it on their own once they know the strategy at the top of the page.
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8. Thanksgiving Words Handwriting Practice
Eight Thanksgiving words to trace on handwriting lines: turkey, pumpkin, pie, corn, leaves, feast, family and thankful, under a strip of fall pictures to color (turkey, pumpkin, corn, leaf, apple). First graders can do it on their own once they know the strategy at the top of the page.
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9. Christmas Words Handwriting Practice
Trace eight Christmas words (Santa, tree, star, gift, bell, elf, cookie and reindeer) with start dots and a light copy, below a strip of a Christmas tree, star, gift, bell and stocking to color. It matches first grade goals, roughly ages 6 to 7. Add white for snow.
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10. Winter Words Handwriting Practice
Eight cozy winter words to trace: snow, cold, ice, scarf, mitten, sled, snowman and hot cocoa, with a picture strip of a snowman, mitten, sled, igloo and penguin to color. First graders can do it on their own once they know the strategy at the top of the page.
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11. Color Words Handwriting Practice
Nine color words (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, brown and black) to trace, each next to a crayon in that color, with a start-dot copy to write on your own. It suits ages 4 to 6, and little ones can count the pictures with a finger.
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12. Number Words Handwriting Practice
Number words from one to ten next to their numerals, to trace on handwriting lines and write again. Connects counting with reading and spelling the words. It suits ages 4 to 6, and little ones can count the pictures with a finger. Say the number out loud each time you trace it.
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13. Sight Words Handwriting Practice
Twelve common kindergarten sight words (the, and, see, can, you, like, my, we, go, is, look, play) to read, trace and write, in two columns on handwriting lines. It suits ages 4 to 6, and little ones can count the pictures with a finger.
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14. Days of the Week Handwriting Practice
Download PDF · View page · More in Days of the Week Worksheets
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15. Months of the Year Handwriting Practice (January to June)
Download PDF · View page · More in Months of the Year Worksheets
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16. Months of the Year Handwriting Practice (July to December)
Download PDF · View page · More in Months of the Year Worksheets
Tips for coloring Word Tracing Worksheets
- Say the word out loud before tracing it, then sound it out slowly while the pencil moves.
- Point to the picture first: naming the picture tells a pre-reader which word is on the line.
- Long words like watermelon take more time: trace one and take a short break before the next.
Fun facts about Word Tracing Worksheets
- CVC stands for consonant-vowel-consonant, the pattern of short words like cat, pig and sun.
- English has five vowel letters, a, e, i, o and u, and every CVC word has one of them in the middle.
- Many first words kids learn to write are names of animals and family members.
Fun ways to use your printables
- After tracing the animal words, act out each animal and let your child guess which word you are.
- Cut the finished weather page into strips and pin today's weather word on the fridge each morning.
- Use the Thanksgiving or Christmas words to write labels for place cards at the holiday table.
How to print
Click Download PDF on any page and print it at 100% on US Letter or A4 paper. Use regular printer paper for crayons and pencils, or cardstock for markers and paint. Every page here is free for home, classroom and party use, so feel free to print as many copies as you need.
Frequently asked questions
When are kids ready to trace whole words?
Once they can trace most single letters from the right start dot, usually in the second half of pre-K or at the start of kindergarten. Three-letter CVC words like cat and sun are the easiest first words.
Why is the vowel in color on the CVC pages?
The colored vowel shows the sound that changes the word: cat, cot and cut differ only in the middle letter. Saying the word slowly while tracing (c-a-t) links handwriting with reading.
How many words should my child trace at a time?
One page, or even half a page, is enough for a 5-year-old. Stop while it is still fun and come back to the rest of the list the next day.