The Best Free Handwriting Font for Kindergarten

When we teach handwriting or how to form letters in kindergarten – it’s easy to focus on the wrong things.

Let me help you teach handwriting more simply with the best handwriting font for kindergarten.

In kindergarten, teaching handwriting is super simple.

Think that’s a loaded statement? I’ll break it down and show you what I mean and then I’ll teach you how to use the best handwriting font to your advantage.

And the neat part — you can pretty much kiss those handwriting books and stacks of worksheets goodbye.

Why it works

Here is a free font that I created just for kindergarten. I used it mainly to teach how to form the letters.

It’s unique since it shows students where to start their handwriting strokes and gives them a pathway to trace within instead of a dotted line to trace on top of.

There is a dot to show students where to start.

If there is more than one stroke (they have to lift their pencil off the paper) then there is more than one dot.

Think of it like driving – they have to stay within the boundaries of the road. Don’t drive on the grass!

Here are some introducing letter strokes posters and worksheets that cover the basics made with this style of font. So many letters are formed similarly it makes grouping them together easy.

This font is the best for teaching students how to properly write their names (check out this name sheet). I’d consider it a tracing font that will remind you of a Handwriting Without Tears style based on the fact that the letters show beginning dots.

Download the Starting Dots Outline Font

Now, if that simple font combined with understanding how letters are formed doesn’t make handwriting easy… then we may just not understand what handwriting is in kindergarten.

Let me explain.

Handwriting in kindergarten

What it isn’t

Let me start with sharing what I think handwriting in kindergarten isn’t. I start here because I said earlier it’s easy to focus on the wrong things.

• Handwriting in kindergarten isn’t about writing in the traditional “lines” – you know the ones I’m talking about. The solid top and bottom line with a dotted line in the middle. Those lines have their place – but not in kindergarten.
• Handwriting isn’t about worksheets.
• Handwriting isn’t about neatness. Well, not entirely.
• Handwriting does not effectively teach letter identification or sound production.

And I don’t care if you don’t agree – or the handwriting curriculum company doesn’t agree. I’m the one who has to teach it to these young people – a skill they will use for their ENTIRE life. How I teach this – matters.

Plus, I learned from personal experience how easy it is to over-work this area of the curriculum and make some kids hate school “work.” {sigh}

What it is

So, now I’ve cleared up what handwriting isn’t – let me share the simple beauty in what it is in kindergarten.

Handwriting is teaching kids how to form letters with correct directions of pencil strokes so it leads to writing letters fluidly now and later in life.

That’s it.

It’s about the formation.

The cool thing is that it helps strengthen writers in kindergarten when they are ready to write with letter strings, phonetically spelled words, sight words and more.

What is developmentally appropriate

I’ve got an opinion about what is developmentally appropriate for 5-6 year olds in regards to handwriting. Here’s my list:

• The proper hand grip is appropriate for kindergartners to learn.
• Understanding that each letter has a specific way it’s formed – is appropriate.
• Understanding that many letters have a pattern in the way they are formed – is appropriate.
• Using a rectangular box versus the traditional “handwriting lines” is appropriate to help teach space definition as needed. But not all students need this. It’s why you see me use a rectangle in place of the “name” line on the top of any paperwork.
• Using tools to practice letter formations (pencil, crayon, markers, dry-erase, playdough, wikki stix) are age appropriate.

If we take all that is appropriate about handwriting in kindergarten – then our instruction becomes pretty simple.

Making it work for you

Let’s put that together and make it work for you with this handy-dandy new font you’re armed with now.

I want to share that I have written more on how I teach handwriting in kindergarten – it mainly boils down to focus on the strokes and group like letters together.

To support them in learning those strokes – give students a visual starting place. This way they will know where to form the letters until it comes naturally – and it will! The beauty in this handwriting font is that it has the starting dots to support teaching those strokes.

It is the most simple and yet effective tweak to teaching handwriting. It’s not designed to use forever – it’s a tool to support them until they do it on their own.

When they know where to start – creating or following the path to form the letter becomes simplified and routine.

Remember I said earlier you could pretty much ditch the handwriting curriculum and worksheets? Well, that doesn’t mean this will teach itself. Students still need to practice – but they won’t need to practice in the same traditional ways we’ve come to learn as “handwriting.”

I did use a small set of “worksheets.”

We practiced:

• names (everyone had their own sheet… and if they were proficient they worked on their last name)
• rainbow book (letters from A-Z… think of this as replacing the traditional “workbooks” and it teaches the order of strokes/dots)
• forming letters (using these free pages I made… there’s only 3!)
• small group testing sheet (laminated and used with dry erase markers… students only worked on the letters they needed to master)

And we even worked on forming letters using playdough work cards in the playdough literacy center.

Then the rest was all application and helping students whenever they were writing as needed. But, you know, we already do that naturally. When handwriting isn’t a separate thing and just part of “how we write” then you’re using your time and talents as the teacher most effectively.

Conclusion

I hope this free tracing font and understanding how to teach forming letters by their strokes can help you teach your best.

Not sure what to do after you download? Here’s How to Install a Font

Want this font without the starting dots? Then grab this handwriting outline font for your teaching arsenal.

Let’s continue breaking this down and find out how to teach handwriting in kindergarten.

If you like what I do here on KindergartenWorks, then be sure to subscribe today. I look forward to sharing ideas with you weekly.

More handwriting and tonts

• 2 Free Teacher Fonts and a Ten Frame Font
• Breaking Handwriting Down: Free Handwriting Strokes Posters
• 5 Quick Tips for Teaching Handwriting in Kindergarten
• Tracking Handwriting Progress: The Simple System that Works