How to make it
- Choose a number rangePick 0 to 9, 1 to 10, 1 to 20, 11 to 20, 1 to 30, 1 to 50 or 1 to 100 from the Numbers menu.
- Adjust size and helpSet the digit size, how many tracing and empty rows each number gets, and arrows on the first row, the first digit, every digit or none.
- Print or downloadPrint with Actual size selected so the rows keep their height, or press Download PDF for a file to copy or send home.
Digits drawn the way children write them
Each digit on the sheet is drawn from our own stroke data rather than a font, so the tracing dots follow the middle of the stroke and the start dot sits where a child should put the pencil down. The 0 begins at the top and travels counter-clockwise, just like the letter o. The 1 is a single straight line pulled down from the top, with no flag, the plain form most US classrooms teach. The 8 is a single stroke that starts at the top right like an s and then climbs back up to close.
Only two digits are written in two strokes, and the sheet numbers them. The 4 starts with a line down and across, and the second stroke is the tall line down through it. The 5 starts with its short line down and the round belly, and the flat top is added last. The 9 is one movement: a small counter-clockwise circle, then, without lifting, a straight line down its right side. Those are the forms many US kindergarten teachers model, and the stroke numbers on the 4 and 5 make the order visible instead of leaving it to guesswork.
Which range to print
Small ranges get room to breathe: up to 20 numbers, each number has its own line, repeated across the row. Larger ranges switch to groups of ten, so 1 to 100 is written as ten lines of ten numbers, one line for each ten. Two-digit numbers are wide, so each group of ten wraps over two rows on the page, but it stays together as one block with its own tracing rows. A preschooler working on 1 to 10 gets a short, generous page; a first grader writing to 100 gets a longer set that is best spread over several days.
Writing numerals from 0 to 20 is part of kindergarten work in many US schools, listed in the Common Core as CCSS K.CC.A.3, and the 0 to 9, 1 to 10 and 1 to 20 sets practice exactly that.
| Numbers menu | Layout on the sheet | Often used for |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 9 | One digit per line, repeated across the row | Learning each digit's formation |
| 1 to 10 | One number per line, repeated | Preschool counting and first numerals |
| 1 to 20 | One number per line, repeated | Kindergarten numeral writing |
| 11 to 20 | One number per line, repeated | Teen numbers on their own |
| 1 to 30 | Groups of ten numbers, one group per line | Counting on past 20 |
| 1 to 50 | Groups of ten numbers, one group per line | First grade counting practice |
| 1 to 100 | Groups of ten numbers, one group per line | Writing to 100, seeing the tens |
When numbers come out backward
Reversed digits are very common in the early years. The 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9 are the usual suspects, along with the s-shaped 2 that turns into a z. Most children sort them out as they see and use numbers more, and steady formation practice helps them along.
Start each problem digit on its own. Choose 0 to 9 with arrows on every digit and two or three tracing rows, then watch which direction the child travels rather than only checking the finished shape. A child who starts the 3 at the bottom will keep reversing it; one who starts at the green dot at the top left rarely does. A number strip taped to the desk gives a reference for the moments when there is no sheet. If a digit keeps flipping after weeks of practice, mention it to the child's teacher, who sees how the child writes across the whole day and can judge whether more support would help.
Teen numbers and bigger numbers
The numbers 11 to 20 have their own set because they trip children up in a particular way. We say seventeen with the seven first, but write the 1 first. Practicing 11 to 20 on their own, left to right, with the tens digit traced first, gives that order a chance to settle before the child moves on to 21 and beyond.
The groups of ten in the 1 to 50 and 1 to 100 sets turn tracing into a counting exercise: every group starts a new ten, and the child sees the same ones digits come round again and again. After that, the hundreds chart worksheets hide some of the numbers for children to fill in, and number line worksheets practice counting on and skip counting.
Tracing number words
This generator traces numerals. For number words such as one, two and three, type the words into the word tracing sheets, one per line, where each word gets its own tracing rows with the same start dots and arrows. Pairing the two, a row of 7s followed by the word seven, is a simple way to connect the symbol and its name.
Making number practice mean something
Tracing a 6 is more memorable when there are six of something on the table. A short routine that works at home and in a preschool group: count out a handful of buttons or blocks, say the number, trace one row of it, then write it once in an empty row. Five minutes, one or two numbers a day, and the digit is tied to an amount rather than just a shape.
In a classroom, a number of the day on the board pairs well with a single-number sheet. Print the 0 to 9 set, cut the page into strips, and each child gets the strip for today's number, who then draws that many dots beside it. A dice game, where the child traces whatever number they roll, turns a full 1 to 10 page into a game that lasts the week.
Size, rows and paper
The preset prints 1 in digits with a dark model and one tracing row, repeated across the line, which suits preschool and kindergarten; at that size 1 to 10 runs to about five pages, two numbers a page. The Letter size menu runs from 2 in for first marks down to 3/8 in for older students. For children who are new to a digit, raise the tracing rows to three and switch on Fade the later tracing rows; add an empty row once they can manage alone.
Paper is US Letter or A4, chosen from your browser settings and changeable in the Paper menu. When printing, pick Actual size or 100% and turn off headers and footers, so a row that should be an inch tall comes out an inch tall. Once digits are steady, simple addition worksheets give them something to write about.
Questions
Can I print number tracing 1-20 on one sheet?
Not on a single page at the preset size. Each number gets its own line with a dark model and a tracing row, so 1 to 20 runs to about ten pages at 1 in and three or four at 3/8 in, which the preview shows. To fit the most on a page, choose 3/8 in and untick Start each line with a dark example: 1 to 10 then fits on one page and 1 to 20 on two.
Do the numbers have arrows showing how to write them?
Yes. Every digit has a green start dot and a pink arrow along each stroke, and the 4 and 5, which take two strokes, show small stroke numbers; the 9 is drawn in one movement, circle first and then down. By default the first tracing row shows arrows on every digit and later rows on the first one; you can also choose First letter, Every letter or None as the child gets confident. The dark model row has no marks.
Is number tracing 1-100 too much for one child?
Usually, yes, in one sitting. The 1 to 100 set is better split over several days, a row or two at a time, or used by first and second graders who already form digits well and are practicing counting and place value. For younger children, 1 to 10 or 1 to 20 is a more realistic page.
What age should children start tracing numbers?
Many children enjoy tracing large numbers at four, often alongside counting objects, and most kindergarten classes practice writing numerals to 20. Children vary widely, so follow interest and pencil control rather than a birthday. Large sizes and one or two tracing rows keep early sheets short and successful.
Should my child trace or copy numbers?
Start with tracing, so the movement is learned correctly from the green dot, and add copying as soon as possible. A simple progression is three tracing rows, then one tracing row and one empty row, then empty rows with only the dark model to copy. The empty row is where you can see whether the formation has really stuck.
Can I make number tracing sheets in another country's style?
Yes. The Handwriting style menu includes school-style fonts for the UK, Australia, New Zealand and other countries, and the digits change to that style. Fonts are traced as a dashed outline with no arrows or start dots. The two print styles keep the arrows on every digit.
Does it cost anything or need an account?
No. Number tracing sheets are free to make, print and download, with no account and no watermark, and nothing you type is uploaded. The page remembers your last settings on this device, and once you have opened it, it keeps working without an internet connection.