Free Letter O Tracing Worksheet (Printable PDF)

What is on this worksheet

About the letter O — sound, shape, and words

Letter O makes two main sounds: the short /ɒ/ sound as in orange, odd, and on — and the long /əʊ/ sound as in over and open. O is also a vowel — along with A, E, I, U — and appears in an enormous number of English words.

How to form the letter O

Uppercase O: draw a closed oval — start at the top and curve left and down, continuing all the way around back to the start. Think of drawing an egg shape. Lowercase o: same shape as uppercase but smaller — a small closed oval sitting between the mid-line and the baseline.

Words that start with O

Use these words while tracing to connect the letter shape to a sound: Orange, Odd, Oven, Owl, Ocean, Octopus, Olive, Open. Say O — Orange while tracing. O is a rounded sound — children can make a circle with their mouth when they say it, matching the shape of the letter.

The Todpoles Letter O flash card

The Todpoles Alphabet flash card for Letter O pairs Oo with a Orange illustration — the same word-letter connection used on this worksheet. When children see the card, trace the letter, and hear the word together, they form a much stronger memory than any single activity alone.

In the Todpoles app, scanning the Letter O card unlocks interactive letter games — children hear the letter sound, see the letter animate, and match it in a game. The card and worksheet work together: paper builds the motor skill, the app reinforces the sound.

How to use this worksheet

Ages 3–4

Do one tracing row per sitting — uppercase first, lowercase in a later session. Trace slowly, saying “O — Orange” aloud with each stroke. Do not rush to the free-write lines; tracing builds the motor memory that makes free writing possible. Three to five sessions spread over a week is ideal for this age group.

Ages 5–6

Complete the full sheet — uppercase, lowercase, and the free-write lines — in one sitting. Aim for consistent size and letters sitting on the baseline. Once free-writing feels confident, try writing the letter without looking at the model at all.

Common mistake to avoid

Many parents skip straight to the free-write section. This feels faster but skips the motor-learning phase — children end up with shaky, inconsistent letterforms. Let the tracing rows do their job first. The free-write section is the reward, not the shortcut.

Frequently asked questions

What age is this worksheet for?

Ages 3–6. Children aged 3–4 typically work one row at a time over several sessions. Children aged 5–6 can complete the full sheet — uppercase, lowercase, and free-write — in one sitting.

What does the letter O sound like?

Letter O makes a short /ɒ/ sound as in orange and odd, and a long /əʊ/ sound as in open. As a vowel, O appears in nearly every line of text — strong O recognition is crucial for reading fluency.

Is this worksheet free to download?

Yes — completely free. Click the download button and the PDF opens directly. No email, no account, no watermark. Print as many copies as you need.

Can I print more than one copy?

Yes. We recommend printing 2–3 copies and using a pencil so your child can erase and repeat. Most children need 3–5 practice sessions before writing a letter confidently from memory.

What comes after Letter O?

Move on to Letter P once your child can write O from memory with consistent size and shape. You can also browse all 26 letters and download the full A–Z bundle.