Made for little discoveries

Little hands at work

Paths to trace, pictures to match and simple cutting activities. Take breaks, make big movements first and give children room to explore at their own pace.

Find an activityChallenge11 activities

Choose by the skill already learned, not a birthday deadline. Change the starting point whenever useful.

Little hands at work · Challenge 1

Tracing lines and pencil paths

Straight, curved, wavy and zigzag paths with room to move. Trace with a finger first, then try a drawing tool.

3–4 · 4–5 years · FreeExplore activity

Little hands at work · Challenge 1

Dot marker activities

Large dot targets for dabbing, pointing and pattern play, using a selection of familiar shape outlines.

3–4 · 4–5 years · FreeExplore activity

Little hands at work · Challenge 1

Cut-and-paste picture activities

Match familiar picture pairs, then cut and glue with an adult. Pre-cut pieces keep the matching game open to everyone.

3–4 · 4–5 years · FreeExplore activity

Little hands at work · Challenge 1

First cutting practice

Short straight and curved paper routes for supervised cutting practice, with simpler ways to join in.

3–4 · 4–5 years · FreeExplore activity

Little hands at work · Challenge 1

First picture sorting activities

A real cut-and-place sorting board: put clothing and food pictures into two groups, then explain your choices.

2–3 · 3–4 · 4–5 years · FreeExplore activity

Little hands at work · Challenge 2

First letter forms: look, trace, try

Notice a familiar lowercase letter, trace its form and try a mark on an empty line. Spacious pages with clear examples and room to try.

3–4 · 4–5 years · FreeExplore activity

Little hands at work · Challenge 2

Number tracing 0–10

Connect a numeral with an example, then trace and try writing it with adult support. Spacious pages with clear examples and room to try.

3–4 · 4–5 years · FreeExplore activity

Little hands at work · Challenge 2

Pencil journeys: lines, bends and loops

Follow a generous route with a finger, then explore a similar pencil movement. Spacious pages with clear examples and room to try.

3–4 · 4–5 years · FreeExplore activity

Little hands at work · Challenge 1

Pencil trails: straight routes and corners

Pencil trails: straight routes and corners. Three pages with six different trail missions, three tracing routes per mission and open space for a route of your own.

3–4 · 4–5 years · FreeExplore activity

Little hands at work · Challenge 2

Pencil trails: bends, waves and arches

Pencil trails: bends, waves and arches. Three pages with six different trail missions, three tracing routes per mission and open space for a route of your own.

3–4 · 4–5 years · FreeExplore activity

Little hands at work · Challenge 3

Pencil trails: loops and mixed journeys

Pencil trails: loops and mixed journeys. Three pages with six different trail missions, three tracing routes per mission and open space for a route of your own.

3–4 · 4–5 years · FreeExplore activity

A little guidance before you begin

Does a child need to hold a pencil yet?

No. A finger can follow a path, a toy can travel along it, or you can make marks on a large sheet together. Choose an activity that feels comfortable.

Can I use these at home or in a classroom?

Yes. Download and print copies for your household or your own teaching group. The core resources are free, with no registration. Please share the resource link rather than uploading the files elsewhere.

Can I show these without printing?

Picture-card packs have a picture-play view with names or answers to reveal. Stories can be read on screen. Crafts show a finished example to discuss together; print the scene and pieces for the hands-on activity.