What age should my child start?

From about 2. Little Scribbler is for ages 2 to 3, with wide roads to follow with a finger or a crayon; Line Explorer is for 3 to 4; Ready to Write is for 4 to 5. The ages are only a guide: the pages never show an age, and you can make the pack at any band.

Which pencil or crayon?

Chunky crayons or a thick pencil for 2-3s; a pencil from about 4.

Use child-safe scissors with a grown-up. Every cutting page says so.

Does my child need to read?

No. Every page starts at a green dot and ends at a picture, so the pictures do the explaining. The short line at the bottom of each page is for the grown-up to say.

Why lines before letters?

Straight lines, slants, curves, zigzags and loops are the strokes that letters are made of. Practising them, left to right and top to bottom, builds the hand control writing needs.

Can I make it for more than one child?

Yes. You buy Pen Control once, then make it for any child, at any age band, as often as you like.

Is there a black and white version?

Yes, with every pack: every picture in outline to colour, and much less ink. The paths stay a clear grey.

What do you keep about my child?

Their first name and favourite animal, so you can make the next pack in one tap. You can delete a saved child any time in My Printables.

Is it free for members?

Yes: members make Pen Control for every child, every band and every set at no extra cost.

Personalised pack

Pen Control, starring your child

Type your child's name and pick an age band. Their favourite animal travels along roads, lines, waves, zigzags, loops and spirals to things it loves, then round shapes, through road mazes and along cutting lines, all the way to their own name. New paths and pictures whenever you like (999 sets).

Start on the green dot and zoom to the picture!

Hi, I'm Yogi! Type the star's name and I'll draw them roads to follow.

Who's the star?

That's all we need. We've picked the rest, and you can change anything below.

Save this child: the child's details for next timeFill in future packs in one tap. You can delete them any time in My Printables.

What's inside (20 pages)

✓ Dashed lines: straight, slanting, waves and mountains
✓ Hills, loops and spirals, and four shapes to trace
✓ Road mazes, a dot-to-dot (1 to 10) and a picture to finish
✓ Wavy and zigzag lines to cut
✓ Numbers 1 to 5, their name and a certificate

Make it theirs

12 ways to make it theirs

What you add is only used to make this pack, and to fill in the next one if you save the child.

One payment buys Pen Control for good: any child, any age band, and new paths and pictures whenever you like (999 sets), on A4 or US Letter. Free for members. By buying you agree to our terms.

A look inside (for “Mia”)

The cover: their name in big letters to colour, and a star for every page they finish

Little Scribbler: wide roads, from the green dot to the picture

Little Scribbler: over the rainbow, one arch at a time

Line Explorer: dashed waves, left to right

Ready to Write: dotted loops, like joined-up writing

Line Explorer: draw round each shape to see what is inside

Little Scribbler: first snips with scissors, each one to a picture

Ready to Write: cut round and round to free the snake

Ready to Write: join the dots from 1 to 20, with the answer to fold under

Line Explorer: finish the picture so both sides are the same

Ready to Write: their name, big, then smaller

Black and white: the same pack in outline, with much less ink

What is inside, for each age

Little Scribbler · ages 2-3 · 16 pages

Wide roads (16 mm) to drive along with a finger, then a chunky crayon
Straight roads, slides, waves, mountains, a rainbow and a snail spiral
A big circle and a big square, and two winding roads
First snips with scissors, then long strips to cut
Their name, big, to trace, a picture to colour and a certificate

Line Explorer · ages 3-4 · 20 pages

Grey dashed lines: straight, slanting, waves and mountains
Hills, loops and spirals, then circles, squares, triangles and hearts
Two road mazes, a dot-to-dot from 1 to 10 and a picture to finish
Wavy and zigzag lines to cut
Numbers 1 to 5, their name and a certificate

Ready to Write · ages 4-5 · 22 pages

Grey dotted lines: straight, slanting, waves and mountains
Hills, two pages of loops, spirals, and five shapes to trace
Two road mazes, two dot-to-dots from 1 to 20, a picture to finish
A spiral snake and curvy lines to cut
Numbers 1 to 10, their name big then smaller, and a certificate

New paths and pictures whenever you like (999 sets)

Finished the pack? Print set 2: new waves, new mountains, new shapes and new pictures, on the next trip (space, the jungle or the sea). You can make it for a brother or sister too, or for the same child a band up when they are ready. Find all your packs again in My Printables.

Questions

What age should my child start?: From about 2. Little Scribbler is for ages 2 to 3, with wide roads to follow with a finger or a crayon; Line Explorer is for 3 to 4; Ready to Write is for 4 to 5. The ages are only a guide: the pages never show an age, and you can make the pack at any band.
Which pencil or crayon?: Chunky crayons or a thick pencil for 2-3s; a pencil from about 4.
Are scissors safe?: Use child-safe scissors with a grown-up. Every cutting page says so.
Does my child need to read?: No. Every page starts at a green dot and ends at a picture, so the pictures do the explaining. The short line at the bottom of each page is for the grown-up to say.
Why lines before letters?: Straight lines, slants, curves, zigzags and loops are the strokes that letters are made of. Practising them, left to right and top to bottom, builds the hand control writing needs.
Can I make it for more than one child?: Yes. You buy Pen Control once, then make it for any child, at any age band, as often as you like.
Is there a black and white version?: Yes, with every pack: every picture in outline to colour, and much less ink. The paths stay a clear grey.
What do you keep about my child?: Their first name and favourite animal, so you can make the next pack in one tap. You can delete a saved child any time in My Printables.
Is it free for members?: Yes: members make Pen Control for every child, every band and every set at no extra cost.

Want something to try first? Make a free name tracing sheet, or browse the free worksheets. Ready for letters? Try Phonics Sound Hunt.

More packs made for them

See all 7 personalised packs