Letter S Handwriting Practice

Start at the top right, curve left and down through the middle, then curve right and finish at the bottom left. Say the word snake while tracing slowly. A Large row with a finger first is helpful, then the pencil. The first few tries may look wobbly, and that is normal. Finish with a drawing of a sun, sock or star on the page. Three or four good S shapes in a session is plenty, since the wrist tires quickly.

S requires two opposite curves in one stroke, which is why it is slower to learn than letters made of lines. Children often reverse it into a backward S, flatten the middle into a Z-like shape or make the two curves the same size. Capital and lowercase S have the same shape at different heights, so practice transfers directly. Reversal of S is among the most frequent in kindergarten writing, and it usually fades.

Start with Large so the middle of the S has room. If the child's curves are sharp, ask them to draw a gentle snake. A common trick is to give the top curve a slightly smaller size than the bottom. Drop to Medium after several steady rows. If the S is flipped, trace a model rather than correcting every time.

Why does the S keep facing the wrong way?

S has no vertical line to show direction, so reversal is common up to about age seven. Start at the top right, and trace over a model with a finger.

Is S hard to learn?

It is one of the trickiest early letters because it has two opposite curves and no straight line to steady the hand. Expect several short sessions before it looks smooth.

What helps a child learn the curve?

Drawing a snake in the air, then in sand or on a tray of salt. The big motion trains the hand before the pencil shrinks it.