Z is for Zebra! Letter Z Tracing Worksheet for Preschoolers
Z is made of three connected strokes — across, diagonal, across — that must flow into each other without lifting the pencil too many times, which challenges the same multi-stroke coordination as letters like N and M but in a horizontal rather than vertical pattern. As the final letter of the alphabet, tracing Z alongside a zebra picture also gives a satisfying, memorable close to alphabet practice.
Curriculum
How to use this worksheet
Point out the dotted letter Z and trace the pattern with a finger first — straight across, diagonal down, straight across again — starting at the top and following any arrows shown. Have your child trace the dotted letters on the page, keeping the three strokes connected. Let them practice writing Z on their own on the provided lines. Finish by coloring the zebra picture and talking about its black-and-white stripes.
Materials needed
- Pencil
- Crayons
Extension activities
- •Find Z objects or words around the house, like a zipper or a zoo animal toy.
- •Draw a zebra and count how many stripes you can fit before running out of room.
- •Practice writing Z on a whiteboard or in sand, saying 'across, down, across' as you go.
- •Visit a zoo, or look at zoo animal pictures, and talk about the zebra's stripes.
- •Color a picture of a zebra and compare its pattern to other striped animals, like a tiger.
Tips for parents and teachers
Since Z has three connected strokes, it's common for children to lift the pencil and lose the straight, level lines partway through — a little extra guidance on keeping the top and bottom strokes parallel goes a long way. Celebrating this as the last letter of the alphabet is a nice moment to look back at how far their tracing has come since letter A. The zebra's stripe pattern is also a fun, low-pressure way to talk about repeating patterns more broadly.
Written by
Hemsweta Jain · Teacher Cheena
MBA and Early Childhood Educator, teaching since 2014 · Founder of RaisoActive, Mumbai
Every RaisoActive worksheet is designed and checked by the founder before publishing.
Published · Last reviewed
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