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Number Tracing Worksheets — Trace Numbers 1–5, 1–10, 1–20 & Number Words

Free printable number tracing worksheets for pre-K, kindergarten and first grade. Build your own sheet below, or print one of four ready-made pages — each numeral has a bold model and a row of dotted guides to trace, with counting dots that show how many each number stands for.

Aligned to CCSS K.CC.A.3 & 1.NBT.A.1 · Write numbers 0–20 & match a numeral to a count

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Number Tracing — 1 to 10

Aligned to CCSS K.CC.A.3

Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________

Trace each dotted number. Start from the top and follow the bold model.

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1
1
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Ready-made number tracing sheets

Four fixed sheets you can print as they are, arranged from easiest to hardest. Each one is a full US Letter page with its own Common Core standard — use the print button on a sheet to send just that page to the printer (or save it as a PDF from the print dialog).

Trace Numbers 1–5 Pre-K

Builds toward CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.3

Five oversized numerals, one per line, with counting dots beside each. The extra-large size suits a first tracing sheet: a pre-K hand can follow the stroke without the fine motor control that smaller numerals demand. Trace one number a day and count the dots aloud before writing.

Number Tracing — 1 to 5

Builds toward CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.3

Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________

Count the dots, say the number, then trace it. Start at the top.

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1
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Trace Numbers 1–10 Kindergarten

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.3

The core kindergarten sheet: all ten numerals with counting dots, dotted copies to trace, and a blank box at the end of every row for writing the number from memory. That last box is the point — writing numerals 0–20 and matching them to a count is exactly what CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.3 asks for.

Number Tracing — 1 to 10

Aligned to CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.3

Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________

Trace each number, then write it yourself in the empty box.

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1
1
1
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Trace Numbers 1–20 Grade 1

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.NBT.A.1

All twenty numerals on one page in two columns. The teens are where reversals show up — children who can write 1 and 3 still write 31 for 13 — so this sheet keeps 11 through 20 in order right under the single digits they reuse. Reading and writing numerals in this range is part of CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.NBT.A.1.

Number Tracing — 1 to 20

Aligned to CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.NBT.A.1

Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________

Trace each number. For the teens, write the 1 first, then the second digit.

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1
1
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Trace Number Words (one–ten) Kindergarten–Grade 1

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.C

Each row pairs the numeral with its word — 1 one, 2 two — then gives dotted copies of the word to trace. Number words are high-frequency sight words, so this sheet builds reading and handwriting at once (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.C). Use it once a child can already form the numerals.

Number Word Tracing — One to Ten

Aligned to CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.C

Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________

Read the number, say the word, then trace the word three times.

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one
one
one
one
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two
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How to teach number formation

Children write numbers best when they say the strokes out loud while they trace. Use the say it, trace it, write it routine: name the number, trace the dotted guide a few times while you read the cue below, then cover the model and write it once from memory. Keep every numeral starting from the top — top-down starts prevent the reversals (like a backward 3 or 7) that are common in pre-K and kindergarten.

Verbal cues for each numeral

  • 0 — Start at the top, curve left all the way around — like an egg.
  • 1 — Pull straight down from top to bottom. One quick line.
  • 2 — Curve over to the right, slide down and around, then straight across the bottom.
  • 3 — Curve to the right, in to the middle, then curve to the right again.
  • 4 — Down, across to the right, then a tall line straight down through it.
  • 5 — Down, then a big belly curve to the right, and a flag across the top.
  • 6 — Curve down to the left and loop a circle back up at the bottom.
  • 7 — Straight across the top, then slant down to the left.
  • 8 — Make an S curving down, then close it back up — two stacked circles.
  • 9 — Make a circle at the top, then a straight line down the right side.
  • 10–20 — write a 1 first, then add each second digit you already practiced (1 and 3 makes 13).

A few habits that help the most:

  • Practice a few numbers a day rather than the whole sheet at once — short, daily reps beat one long session.
  • Pair the numeral with a count. With the counting dots on, have the child touch each dot and say the number before tracing.
  • Slip the printed page into a clear dry-erase pocket so a child can trace, wipe, and reuse the same sheet for repeated practice.
  • Move from tracing to copying to writing from memory as soon as the strokes look steady.

Numbers are only half of early handwriting. Run the same routine on the alphabet with our letter tracing worksheets, put the letters together with name tracing worksheets, or browse the whole kindergarten worksheets collection for counting, letters and early reading.

Supplies for Tracing Practice

As an Amazon Associate, Printable Polly earns from qualifying purchases. Prices are approximate and set by Amazon.

  • Primary pencils

    Jumbo Primary Pencils for Beginners (triangular barrel)

    A fat, triangular pencil is far easier for a 4- or 5-year-old to hold steady than a standard #2 — the wide barrel stops fingers sliding onto the point halfway down a row of numerals. Use the search link for current brands and pack sizes.

    ~$10Check price on Amazon →
  • Everyday pencil

    Ticonderoga Wood-Cased #2 HB Pencils, Pre-Sharpened (30-Count)

    Once a child has outgrown jumbo pencils, this is the classroom standard: soft, dark graphite that shows up clearly over the dotted guides and erases clean off printer paper when a numeral comes out backward.

    ~$8Check price on Amazon →
  • Tracing workbook

    Number Tracing Workbook for Preschool & Kindergarten (0–20)

    A bound workbook gives you a page a day without reprinting, and most add counting and number-word pages that extend the same skill. Use the search link to compare current titles and page counts.

    ~$7Check price on Amazon →
  • Pencil grips

    Firesara Pencil Grips for Kids (Owl, 3-Finger Set)

    A soft silicone grip seats a young child's thumb and two fingers in the right spot, easing the pencil-grasp struggle that stalls early tracing — and it slips onto both jumbo primary and standard pencils.

    ~$7Check price on Amazon →

Every sheet on this page prints free and works with whatever pencil is already in the house — these are simply what holds up best with young tracers.

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FAQ

What age are number tracing worksheets for?

Number tracing suits children ages 3–6 (pre-K through kindergarten) who can already hold a pencil and make basic strokes. Writing numerals 0–20 from a model is a kindergarten standard (CCSS K.CC.A.3), so these sheets bridge pre-K readiness and the kindergarten goal of writing every number to 20.

Which number tracing sheet should I print for my child?

Start pre-K writers on the Trace Numbers 1–5 sheet — five giant numerals with counting dots. Kindergarten works on Trace Numbers 1–10, which adds a blank box for writing each numeral from memory. First graders use Trace Numbers 1–20, since writing numerals in that range is part of CCSS 1.NBT.A.1. The Trace Number Words sheet pairs each numeral with its spelled-out word for children who are already reading.

Should children trace 1–10 or 1–20 first?

Start with the 1–10 set (or 1–5 for a first-timer). Single-digit formation is the foundation, and most children master 0–10 before moving on. Once they can write those from memory, switch to the 1–20 set, which reuses the same strokes for the teens (a 1 plus each digit).

How do the counting dots help?

The optional dots show the quantity each numeral stands for — five dots beside the 5. This connects the written symbol to a real count, which is the second half of CCSS K.CC.A.3: represent a number of objects with a written numeral. Turn them off for a cleaner pure-tracing page.

Do you have number word tracing worksheets?

Yes. The Trace Number Words sheet on this page shows the numeral, the word spelled out as a bold model, and dotted copies of one through ten to trace. Number words are common sight words, so tracing them supports reading high-frequency words on sight (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.C) as well as handwriting.

Are these number tracing worksheets free?

Yes — 100% free, no signup. Build a sheet with the generator or print any of the four ready-made sheets, then print it or save it as a PDF instantly.