Three-line handwriting paper with dashed midline: for primary writing practice.

Free three-line handwriting practice paper with dashed midline. Print-ready PDF for primary writing.

Handwriting Practice Paper | Free Printable PDF

Handwriting Practice Paper

Three-line paper works because the lines give a child the answer to 'how tall should this letter be?', but until the child sees a teacher form a 'b' that reaches the top line and an 'a' that reaches the midline, the lines are abstract. Demonstrate every letter at least once before practice.

Demonstrate, don't just describe

Lowercase letters can overshoot the midline slightly without looking wrong. The goal is consistent height, not perfect height. Reserve correction for letters that miss the midline by a wide margin or vary wildly between repetitions.

Use the dashed midline as a check, not a constraint

Triangular grip pencils and 2B+ leads suit beginners on this paper. Fine pens (anything below 0.7 mm) make the strokes look thin against the bold guide lines and reward unrealistic precision.

Start with chunky pencils

Three-line paper is scaffolding. Once a child consistently produces letters of correct height, the midline becomes unnecessary. Transitioning to college ruled (one line per baseline) is a natural progression around third or fourth grade.