Free Letter A Prewriting Practice for Preschooler

Is your preschooler eager to write but not quite ready to form letters independently? These free Letter A prewriting practice strips give young children a simple way to work on the basic strokes used to write uppercase and lowercase A.

Instead of asking children to copy complete letters immediately, the printable breaks letter formation into manageable steps. Preschoolers practice diagonal lines, vertical lines, and circles before tracing the complete letter.

The strips are quick to prepare, easy to laminate, and perfect for preschool classrooms, home daycare programs, writing centers, morning work, or quiet learning time at home.

This post contains affiliate links provided for your convenience. Post updated October 2026

Why I Made These Letter A Prewriting Strips

I’m not usually a big fan of traditional worksheets for young children, but my daughter became fascinated with writing after one of her kindergarten friends shared her homework with her.

After that, she constantly asked for her own “word work” and “homework.” I wanted to give her something that felt special while still being developmentally appropriate for a preschooler, so I created these simple Letter A prewriting strips.

Letter A was an easy place to begin because it is the first letter of the alphabet. It was also personally meaningful because my daughter and every child in my daycare at the time had the letter A somewhere in their name.

That connection made the activity even more interesting to them. After I added the laminated strips to our writing center, my daughter and the daycare children returned to them several times throughout the day.

What Is Included in the Free Letter A Printable?

The free printable contains four prewriting strips that help children practice the individual strokes needed to form uppercase and lowercase A.

Children will practice:

• Diagonal lines moving upward
• Diagonal lines moving downward
• Circular strokes
• Straight vertical lines
• Uppercase letter A formation
• Lowercase letter a formation

Each strip includes directional arrows, broken lines to trace, and a complete outlined letter at the end.

Breaking the letters into smaller movements helps preschoolers become familiar with their shapes without expecting them to write a perfect A right away.

Supplies for Letter A Prewriting Practice

You will need:

• Free Letter A prewriting printable (below)
• Printer paper or white cardstock
• Scissors
• Laminator and laminating sheets
• Dry-erase markers (we prefer fine tip for these)
• Small cloth or eraser

Laminating is optional, but it allows children to erase the lines and practice repeatedly. It also makes the strips more durable for classroom and home daycare use.

How to Prepare the Prewriting Strips

1. Download and print the free Letter A printable.
2. Cut apart the four practice strips.
3. Laminate each strip.
4. Trim around the laminated edges, leaving a small sealed border.
5. Place the strips in your writing center with dry-erase markers and an eraser.

If you do not have a laminator, place the strips inside a dry-erase pocket or clear page protector.

How to Use the Letter A Tracing Strips

Begin by showing your child the large letter at the beginning of each strip. Name the letter and briefly talk about its sound.

Next, point out the directional arrows and demonstrate how to follow the first line. Children can trace the line with their finger before trying it with a marker.

Invite your child to:

1. Start at the arrow.
2. Slowly trace each broken line.
3. Continue across the strip.
4. Trace the complete outlined letter at the end.
5. Erase the strip and try again.

Keep the activity relaxed and brief. Some preschoolers may complete all four strips, while others may only want to practice one or two. Both are perfectly fine.

What Skills Does Prewriting Practice Build?

Prewriting activities help children develop the control and coordination they will eventually use for handwriting.

These Letter A tracing strips encourage:

• Fine motor development
• Pencil and marker control
• Hand-eye coordination
• Visual-motor coordination
• Directional awareness
• Recognition of uppercase and lowercase A
• Familiarity with basic letter-forming strokes
• Confidence with early writing activities

The goal is not perfect handwriting. Young children are still developing the muscles, coordination, and attention needed for writing.

When we first used these strips, I was more interested in helping the daycare children understand the structure of the letter than in making every line perfect. With repeated practice, I noticed improvements in their marker control, coordination, and confidence.

Tips for Using Prewriting Strips in a Preschool or Home Daycare

Demonstrate One Strip at a Time

Too many choices can feel overwhelming. Introduce one movement first and add the remaining strips as children become comfortable.

Practice With a Finger First

Finger tracing allows children to learn the movement without also having to control a marker.

Use Short Dry-Erase Markers

Short markers can be easier for small hands to control and may encourage a more natural grasp.

Keep Practice Sessions Brief

A few minutes of interested practice is more valuable than asking a reluctant child to finish every strip.

Follow Each Child’s Readiness

Some preschoolers are eager to trace letters, while others still prefer drawing, sensory play, and larger arm movements. Avoid requiring perfect lines or insisting that every child complete the activity.

Make Extra Copies

If you are using the printable in a daycare or preschool classroom, consider preparing more than one set. The writing center became very popular when I first introduced these strips to my group.

Ways to Extend the Letter A Activity

Try one of these simple ideas after children become familiar with the strips:

• Rainbow-trace the lines with several marker colors.
• Say the short A sound while tracing.
• Think of words that begin with A.
• Find the letter A in children’s names.
• Search for uppercase and lowercase A in books.
• Build A with craft sticks or play dough.
• Practice the same movements in sand, salt, or shaving cream.
• Place magnetic letters beside the strips for matching.

For a larger sensory writing experience, try this rainbow salt tray prewriting activity.

You can also reinforce alphabet learning with these research-backed strategies for teaching letter recognition or our letter recognition activity with rocks.

Download the Free Letter A Prewriting Printable

Click below to download your free printable below:

Download the Free Letter A Prewriting Practice Strips

You can also download the coordinating Letter B activity:

Download the Free Letter B Prewriting Practice Strips

Print at 100% or actual size for the intended strip dimensions.

Need Prewriting Practice for the Entire Alphabet?

After receiving so many requests for the remaining letters, a complete alphabet set was created!

The Prewriting Letter Practice A–Z Pack includes uppercase and lowercase letter practice for the entire alphabet. Children work on the foundational strokes used to form each letter before tracing the complete letter.

The full pack is useful for:

• Preschool and pre-K writing centers
• Home daycare activities
• Homeschool learning
• Morning work
• Small-group instruction
• Fine motor centers
• Kindergarten readiness
• Reusable quiet-time activities

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this Letter A activity for?

The strips are designed primarily for preschool and pre-K children. However, readiness matters more than a specific age. They work best for children who are showing an interest in drawing, letters, or early writing.

Do I need to laminate the printable?

No. Children can use crayons, pencils, or markers on regular paper. Laminating simply makes the strips reusable and more durable.

Should preschoolers already know how to write Letter A?

No. These strips are intended to introduce the movements used to form A. Children can begin with finger tracing and basic lines before attempting the complete letter.

What if my child does not trace the lines perfectly?

That is completely normal. Focus on participation, effort, and gradually improving control rather than perfect letter formation.

Can I use these strips in a classroom or home daycare?

Yes. They work well in preschool classrooms, home daycare programs, writing centers, small groups, or individual learning activities.

More Preschool Letter Activities

Continue practicing early literacy skills with these activities:

• Spin and Stamp Alphabet Letter Recognition Game
• Letter Matching Sensory Bin
• Free Preschool Printables for Learning at Home
• More Letter Recognition Activities

Simple, reusable activities like these Letter A prewriting strips give children the repetition they need without turning early writing into a stressful task. Add them to your writing center and let children revisit them whenever they are interested in practicing.

 

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