Trace the Triangle
Toddler · 2–3A free tracing sheet with one big triangle and three smaller ones to follow. Two of the three strokes are diagonals meeting at a point, and diagonals develop after vertical and horizontal lines — so this one usually follows the square. Name the shape as your child traces and go looking for triangles afterwards — finding one in a real object is what makes the name stick, far more than repeating it. Print it on A4 or US Letter.
Two diagonals and a base
Three strokes, two of them diagonal, meeting at a point at the top. Diagonals develop after vertical and horizontal lines, which is why a triangle usually comes after the square — somewhere between four and five for most children.
Starting at the peak and coming down each side, then joining along the bottom, gives the cleanest point.
What to look for
Whether the apex is a point or a small flat. A blunted top means the two diagonals are not quite meeting, which is a judgement problem rather than a control problem and improves on its own with age.
Frequently asked questions
- When can children draw a triangle?
- Usually between four and five, after the square. It needs two diagonal strokes and a point at the top, and diagonals develop after vertical and horizontal lines.
- Why is the top of my child's triangle flat?
- The two diagonals are not quite meeting. It is a judgement problem rather than a control problem and it improves on its own with age.