Trace the Letter D
Preschool · 3–5Dashed guides and a practice row for the uppercase D and lowercase d. Circle first, then the tall line. Built in that order a d has only one place the line can go, which is what stops it arriving as a b. D is for dog, duck and drum — say the sound rather than the letter name as your child traces. Print on A4 or US Letter.
Stroke order for D
Lowercase d is built backwards from how it looks: the circle first, anticlockwise and fully closed, then up the right-hand side to full height and straight back down. Two strokes, circle before line.
Capital D is the opposite order — the straight spine down the left first, then the bulge out and back from top to bottom. Capitals rarely reverse, which is why some teachers stay with them longer for children who find b and d exhausting.
What to watch for
A d that arrives as a b nearly always means the tall line went down first. Circle, then line — insist on that order here and the reversal largely takes care of itself, because once the circle exists there is only one side left for the line to go on.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I stop d coming out as b?
- Start with the circle, not the line. Once the circle exists there is only one side left for the tall line, which removes the decision children get wrong.
- Is capital D easier than lowercase?
- Considerably, and children rarely reverse it. Some teachers stay with capitals longer for children who find b and d exhausting.