Letter Tracing: learn to write uppercase letters stroke by stroke
Age range: 2-4 years
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Letter Tracing shows one uppercase letter at a time and guides your child's finger along it, stroke by stroke. It is for children who are ready to move from recognising letters to forming them, and it works best on a tablet.
Each stroke is drawn as a pale guide with a numbered blue dot where it starts and a small ring where it ends. Your child drags a finger from the dot to the ring; sparkles follow along, and a counter shows which stroke they are on. If the finger drifts too far from the line, the stroke flashes red and simply starts again. When the last stroke is done the letter turns green, is spoken aloud, and confetti falls before the next letter appears. Letters come in alphabetical order from A to Z.
Use it in short bursts: three or four letters, then stop. Sit next to your child and say the letter's name as they trace. A stylus works, but a finger is fine and is what most small children prefer.
What kids learn
- The stroke order of the uppercase letters A to Z
- Fine motor control: starting, steering and stopping a line
- Connecting a letter's shape with its name, since each letter is spoken
- Finishing a multi-step task one stroke at a time
Tips for parents
- Trace the first stroke together, hand over hand, then let your child try alone.
- Three to five letters per sitting is plenty; stop before the hand gets tired.
- Too hard? Go back to Find the Letter to build recognition first. Too easy? Ask your child to say the letter's sound and a word that starts with it while tracing.
Common questions
Is Letter Tracing really free, and are there ads?
Yes. Letter Tracing, like every ABC4Kids game, is free with no ads, no in-app purchases and no account. It runs in the browser on a tablet, phone or computer, and nothing about your child is tracked.
What age is Letter Tracing for?
It is designed for children aged two to four. The youngest will need a hand over theirs for the first strokes; by four, most children can trace a whole letter on their own.
Does it teach stroke order, and can I use a stylus?
Yes. Each letter is broken into numbered strokes in a fixed, conventional order, and the game only accepts a stroke that starts at the numbered dot and follows the guide. A finger, a touch-screen stylus or, on a laptop, a mouse or trackpad all work. Only uppercase A to Z is included for now; lowercase letters and letters such as Å, Ä, Ö, Æ and Ø are not yet traceable.