Grades K–2
Cutting Practice Strips
Five cutting strips that get harder: straight, slanted, zigzag, wavy and step lines across the page.
Special education printable · Fine motor practice
Trace Curves and Loops
Five rows of harder tracing: arches, loops, tight waves, tall peaks and steps, from picture to picture.
- Grade level
- Grades K–2
- Time
- About 10 minutes
- Topic
- Fine motor practice
- Answer key
- Not needed: answers vary
- Kids practice
- Pencil control, Hand strength, Eye-hand coordination, Scissor skills
What kids do
“Start at the dot. Trace slowly and stay on the gray line.”
Teacher tip
Trace the gray line in the air with a whole arm first, then with one finger on the page, then with a crayon. Big movements come before small ones.
How to use it
- Tape the page to the table or a slant board so it does not slide.
- Keep sessions short: five good minutes beat fifteen tired ones.
- Give help quietly and fade it fast: point before you speak, and speak before you move a hand.
Watch for
Frustration with the hardest lines. Stop at the last line the student can do well.
Talk about it
- Which line was the trickiest?
- Show me what you want.
Take it further
Warm up hands first with play dough, clothespins or tearing paper.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More fine motor practice
Grades K–1
Dot-to-Dot 1 to 10
Two big dot-to-dots that count from 1 to 10: a star and a sailboat, then color them in.
Grades K–2
Wide Path Mazes
Two small mazes with wide paths for steady pencil control: a 4 by 4 maze and a 5 by 5 maze.
Grades K–1
Trace the Lines
Five tracing paths from picture to picture: straight, slanted, zigzag, wavy and bumpy lines.
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