Cursive name practice
Type a name and it is written in traditional US cursive, the joined style taught in most American schools, sitting on handwriting lines with a dashed midline. The first line shows the name in solid ink; the lines below are for tracing, and the last line is left empty for writing it alone.
Choose Light gray for letters to trace over, or Dotted outline for a lighter guide that leaves more of the work to the child.
Why start with their own name
A name is the word a child writes most often and cares about most. Practicing cursive with their own name gives them a reason to get it right, and it covers the joins between real letters instead of isolated shapes. After the name, move on to short words they use every day.
Several US states have recently passed laws that require cursive to be taught in elementary school, usually by the end of third or fifth grade, so many families are practicing at home again.
Tips for tracing cursive
- Keep the pencil on the paper through each word. Lift only at the end, then go back to dot the i, cross the t and add accents.
- Lowercase letters sit between the baseline and the dashed midline; tall letters reach the top line; letters like g, j, p, y and z drop below the baseline.
- Use the large lines at first. Smaller lines come later, once the joins are smooth.
- Print the same sheet a few days in a row rather than many different ones.
About the letters
The cursive letters use Playwrite US Traditional, an open-source typeface designed for teaching handwriting in US schools. Print letters on the other pages are drawn as single strokes made for tracing.