Letter of the week

Trace and Find Letter S

Let's Play with the Letter S

Trace S and s, find the letters, and color pictures of things that start with S.

About this activity

On this page, children explore uppercase S and lowercase s, look for the letters, and color familiar pictures.

With an adult's help, they listen for the beginning sound in words and practice early writing movements. There is no need to make everything perfect.

Learning objectives

  • Recognize S and s among other letters, with support when needed.
  • Follow the shapes of S and s with a finger or crayon.
  • Name pictures whose words begin with the S sound.

The printable

Print
Trace and Find Letter S Worksheet for Preschool, Age 3 — page 1 Trace and Find Letter S Worksheet for Preschool, Age 3 — page 2

What you need

  • Printed page
  • Thick crayons or colored pencils

Safety notes

Use age-appropriate crayons and discard small or broken pieces. Supervise the child during the activity.

How to do it

  1. Print the page and gather the materials.
  2. Show the child S and s and name the letters.
  3. Run your finger over the letters to show how to follow their shapes.
  4. Invite the child to trace the letters with a finger or crayon.
  5. Look for and circle S and s in the grid together.
  6. Name the pictures and let the child color them.
  7. Finish by saying the words again, emphasizing the sound at the beginning.

Teaching suggestions

  • Say slowly, “S is for sun. Can you hear the sound at the beginning?”
  • If tracing is difficult, let the child follow the letters with a finger.
  • Cover part of the letter grid to make searching easier.
  • Look for S on packages, in books, or in familiar names.
  • In a group, give each child time to point to a letter or picture.

Variations

Make it easier

Find one letter at a time together and help the child circle it.

Make it harder

Invite the child to look for S and s in a book and point to both forms.

Extend the play

Draw another thing together whose name begins with S.

Talk about it

  • What do you notice about the two shapes of S?
  • Which picture would you like to color first? Why?
  • What sound do you hear at the beginning of sun and sock?
  • Where else have you seen the letter S?

What to look for

  • Notice whether the child points to or circles at least one S or s in the grid.
  • Watch whether the child follows part of a letter with a finger or crayon.
  • Notice whether the child names a picture and hears its beginning sound with support.