Trace the Letter R
Preschool · 3–5Dashed guides and a practice row for the uppercase R and lowercase r. A short line, back up it, then a shoulder that stops rather than curving back down — a shoulder that carries on becomes an n, and at writing speed r and n blur together more than any other pair. Slowing down specifically on the shoulder is what keeps them apart. R is for rabbit, ring and rainbow — say the sound rather than the letter name as your child traces. Print on A4 or US Letter.
Stroke order for R
Lowercase r is a short line down, back up the same line, and out into a small shoulder that stops rather than curving back down. The stopping is the whole letter — a shoulder that continues round becomes an n.
Capital R is a spine, a bowl at the top, and a diagonal leg kicking out from the middle. The diagonal puts it with K and X in the later-developing group.
What to watch for
At writing speed, r and n blur into each other more than any other pair. Slowing down specifically on the shoulder — making it visibly a shoulder rather than a hump — is what keeps them apart in a child's own handwriting.
Frequently asked questions
- Why do r and n look alike in my child's writing?
- At speed the shoulder on r rounds into a hump. Slowing down specifically on that stroke, and making it visibly stop rather than curve, is what keeps them apart.
- My five-year-old says wabbit. Should I worry?
- Almost certainly not. R is the latest-developing English consonant and often is not clear until six or seven. Model the word correctly rather than asking for a repeat.