Strand A: Foundations of Language and Mathematics · Talking, Listening, Reading and Writing

Forming Letters the Right Way

A2.2 A2.1About 20 minutes

Learning goals

I can start most letters at the top.
I can make round letters by starting with a c.
I can make tall letters, short letters and tail letters the right size.
I can make b and d the right way.

Words to know

tall letter
A lowercase letter that reaches up to the top line, like l, b, d, h and t.

short letter
A lowercase letter that only goes up to the middle line, like a, c, o, m and n.

tail letter
A lowercase letter that hangs below the bottom line, like g, j, p, q and y.

starting point
The place where you put your pencil down to begin a letter. For most letters, it is at the top.

Every letter has a path

(Grown-up: read aloud. Have lined paper or draw three lines on plain paper: a top line, a dotted middle line and a bottom line.)

A letter is like a little road. It has a starting point and a path to follow.

When we make each letter the same way every time, our hand learns the path. Then writing gets faster and easier to read.

A yellow pencil and a pink eraser lie on a blank sheet of lined writing paper. — Lined paper helps us make letters the right size. Tall letters reach the top line, and short letters stay low. AI-generated image

Start at the top

Most letters start at the top and go down, like rain falling. 🌧️

Lowercase letters come in three sizes:

Tall letters reach the top line: b, d, f, h, k, l, t.
Short letters stay under the middle line: a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, x, z. (The dot on i floats above.)
Tail letters hang below the bottom line: g, j, p, q, y.

Three lines help us size letters. Tall l reaches the top line. Short o stays under the middle line. Tail g hangs below the bottom line. The dots show where to start.

Letter family	Letters	How to start
Magic c letters	c, a, d, g, o, q	Start a little below the middle line and curve back, like making a c.
Stick letters	l, i, t	Start at the top and pull straight down.
Hump letters	n, m, h, r	Pull down, go back up the same line, then curve over like a hill.
Slant letters	v, w, x	Start at the top and slant down.

Letters in the same family start the same way.

Worked example

Let's make lowercase a

Make a lowercase a on the lines.

Put your crayon just under the middle line, a little to the right.
Curve back and around, like making a c. Up, over, down and around.
Without lifting, go straight up to the middle line to close the circle.
Then pull straight down to the bottom line. Say the path: "c, up, down."

a is a magic c letter: make a c, then go up and pull down.

Worked example

Let's make b and d

b and d look alike. How can we make each one the right way?

b starts with a stick. Start at the top line and pull down to the bottom line. Go back up a little and make a round bump to the right: "stick, then ball."
d starts with a c. Make a magic c first. Then go up high to the top line and pull straight down: "c, up high, down."
Check: In the word bed, the b's stick comes first and the d's stick comes last. The two sticks are like the ends of a bed! 🛏️

b = stick first, then the round part. d = c first, then the tall stick.

In the word bed, the b starts with its stick and the d ends with its stick. The two sticks look like the ends of a bed!

Uppercase letters

Uppercase letters are all tall. They go from the top line to the bottom line. Most of them start at the top, too.

Uppercase L: start at the top, pull down, then go across the bottom line. Your name starts with an uppercase letter, so practise that one a lot!

Say the path out loud

Say the path while you write: "down, up and over" for n, or "c, up, down" for a. Your mouth helps your hand remember. Neat is nice, but the right starting point and right direction matter most.

Just for fun

Why did the letter o feel dizzy?

It goes around and around every time someone writes it! 😵‍💫

Hands-on activity

Big to small

Practise one letter family at a time, from big moves to small ones:

Sky writing: make the letter in the air with your whole arm, saying the path.
Back writing: a grown-up writes the letter on your back with a finger. Can you guess it? Switch!
Tray writing: write it with your finger in a tray of salt, flour or sand.
Paper: a grown-up puts a green dot where the letter starts. You write it with a crayon on lines.
Rainbow letter: trace over it with 3 different colours, starting at the dot each time.

Your turn

Show me where you start the letter l.

Make a lowercase c in the air.

Write a lowercase o.

Is t a tall, short or tail letter?

Is g a tall, short or tail letter?

Write a lowercase a. Say the path as you go.

Write b and d. What does each one start with?

More practice: warm-up

Where do most letters start: at the top or at the bottom?

Draw a straight line from top to bottom.

Draw a magic c.

Which letter hangs below the line: p or n?

Is o a tall, short or tail letter?

More practice: on your own

Write a lowercase m. Say the path.

Which of these start like c: d, l, g?

Write the letters of your first name. Start each letter at the top.

Is k a tall, short or tail letter?

Write an uppercase L.

Challenge

Write d without mixing it up with b. What do you say to help?

A friend makes an o by starting at the bottom. What tip would you give?

Write the word dog on lines. Which letter is tall, which is short and which has a tail?

Check your understanding

Quiz

Where do most letters start?

Which letter starts like a c?

Which one is a tall letter?

Which letter has a tail below the line?

How do we start a b?

For parents and teachers

What the curriculum asks: The Kindergarten Curriculum (2026) asks children to form letters correctly (A2.2) as well as name uppercase and lowercase letters (A2.1). Forming letters the same way every time makes writing automatic, so children can think about their ideas instead of the shapes.

How to help at home:

Focus on starting point and direction more than neatness. Most letters start at the top.
Teach letters in families (magic c letters, stick letters, hump letters). Many children learn a, d, g much more easily once c is solid.
Go from big movements (air, back, tray) to small ones (crayon on paper).
Use short crayons or broken chalk to encourage a pinch grip.
Schools use different handwriting programs, and small details can differ. If your child's teacher shows a different path for a letter, follow the school's way.

Common difficulties:

Starting letters at the bottom or drawing o in the wrong direction. Put a dot where the letter starts.
Mixing up b and d. Very common until about age 7. Use "b starts with a stick, d starts with a c" and the bed picture.
Writing everything in uppercase. Uppercase is easier, but most of what we read is lowercase. Praise the effort, then model lowercase.
Tired hands. Keep practice to a few minutes, and build hand strength with playdough, stickers and tongs.