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Kindergarten – 1st · Reading & Language Arts

Handwriting: Letters & Numbers

Proper letter formation, spacing, and holding a pencil comfortably.

Practice sets

Read the teaching notes, then let them practice on screen or print a sheet. Every set makes fresh problems each time, and you can change the numbers to match where your child is.

Forming letters in simple words

Say this to your child first

Watch how they start each letter, not just how it ends up. A letter drawn from the bottom up looks fine on the page today and slows their writing down for years. Write these words on paper together — the words matter less than the pencil grip and the stroke order.

Watch out for

Gripping the pencil too tightly, and starting letters from the bottom. Loosen the fingers, slow right down, and check where each stroke begins.

How this works

  1. 1. Read the notes above and do one problem together.
  2. 2. Open Practice and let them work on screen. Anything with one right answer is marked instantly; written answers are shown to you side by side with a good one, for you to judge.
  3. 3. Or open Print a sheet for a paper worksheet with an answer key for you.

Writing the sight words

Say this to your child first

These are the words that appear on nearly every page they will read this year. Write each one on paper as well as typing it — the hand movement is doing half the learning.

Watch out for

Reversing letters, especially b and d. It is completely normal at this age; correct it gently and move on rather than making it a thing.

How this works

  1. 1. Read the notes above and do one problem together.
  2. 2. Open Practice and let them work on screen. Anything with one right answer is marked instantly; written answers are shown to you side by side with a good one, for you to judge.
  3. 3. Or open Print a sheet for a paper worksheet with an answer key for you.

Which letter comes next?

Say this to your child first

Knowing the alphabet in order matters more than it looks: it is how they will use a dictionary, an index and a contact list for the rest of their life. Sing it first, then ask.

Watch out for

The l-m-n-o-p run, which the alphabet song blurs into one sound. Say those five slowly and separately.

How this works

  1. 1. Read the notes above and do one problem together.
  2. 2. Open Practice and let them work on screen. Anything with one right answer is marked instantly; written answers are shown to you side by side with a good one, for you to judge.
  3. 3. Or open Print a sheet for a paper worksheet with an answer key for you.

Finding the letters on a keyboard

Say this to your child first

Handwriting and typing are both about knowing where a letter lives — on the page or on the keys. Keep this short and playful.

Watch out for

Frustration when they cannot find a key. Point at the row rather than the key itself so they still do the finding.

How this works

  1. 1. Read the notes above and do one problem together.
  2. 2. Open Practice and let them work on screen. Anything with one right answer is marked instantly; written answers are shown to you side by side with a good one, for you to judge.
  3. 3. Or open Print a sheet for a paper worksheet with an answer key for you.