Letter I Handwriting Practice

Begin with a plain vertical line, saying: straight down. Then add the top bar and the bottom bar, which turns the stick into a printed capital I. Many classrooms teach it with the bars so that I looks different from lowercase l. Trace one Large row, then a Medium row. Finish by saying the word igloo, ink or itch, then draw a picture of whichever one the child picks. The whole sitting should take about six minutes, and a second round later in the day is fine.

The capital I can be as simple as a stick, but the bars matter in print, where I and l and 1 can all look the same. Lowercase i is a short stick with a dot above it, and the dot is the lesson: children forget it, put it far away or turn it into a circle. The letter also stands alone as a word, I, so it gets used from the first sentence a child writes.

Use Large rows for a child who forgets the dot or draws the stick crooked. For a very young child, trace only the stick and add the bars in a second pass. Medium is right once the top and bottom bars are the same width. Practicing the dot with a bingo marker can be a fun reward after the page.

Does capital I need top and bottom bars?

Many programs teach it with them so it cannot be mistaken for lowercase l. Others accept a plain line. Check your child's school and match their model so the child does not get conflicting advice.

Why does my child keep forgetting the dot on i?

The dot is a second step after the stick. Add it right away, before the next letter, and say dot out loud each time. Within a week or two it usually becomes automatic.

Is I easy enough for two year olds?

Drawing a vertical line is a skill most children have by about two and a half, but a printed letter with bars is more suitable at three or four.