Back to School Lacing Cards

Getting little hands ready for writing doesn’t have to mean worksheets. These Back to School Lacing Cards give preschoolers a simple hands-on activity that builds fine motor skills while introducing familiar school-themed pictures.

See more Back to School Worksheets for kids for more ideas.

If you’re planning your preschool activities for the beginning of the school year, these lacing cards are an easy addition to your learning time. Children can lace around each picture, strengthening the small muscles they’ll use for writing, cutting, and other everyday tasks.

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Who Is This Printable For?

These lacing cards work well for preschoolers and kindergarten students who are developing fine motor skills. They can be used at home, in classrooms, libraries, tutoring sessions, or learning centers.

Why Are Fine Motor Skills Important?

Strong fine motor skills help children complete many everyday tasks, from holding a pencil to buttoning clothes and using scissors. Lacing activities encourage children to use both hands together while carefully guiding the lace through each hole, helping improve coordination and control.

Recommended Back to School Books

Help your child get ready to go back to school with these fun back to school books. It’s hard to transition from their summer schedule back into school mode so it’s best to get started early.

We love to sit down together and dive into books each and every day. Books are such a simple way to ease back into a routine and allow your child to use their mind and imagination to have creativity and fun. 

First Day Jitters (The Jitters Series)How I Spent My Summer Vacation (Dragonfly Books)This School Year Will Be the BEST!What If Everybody Did That?The Recess QueenSplat the Cat: Back to School, Splat!

 

What Will Kids Learn?

Fine Motor Skills – Children strengthen the muscles in their hands and fingers as they thread a lace through each hole.

Hand-Eye Coordination – They practice matching hand movements with what they see, helping improve accuracy.

Bilateral Coordination – Using one hand to hold the card while the other guides the lace encourages both sides of the body to work together.

Focus and Patience – Completing each lacing card encourages children to slow down and finish a task from beginning to end.

Back to School Lacing Cards Supplies

• Paper or cardstock
• One hole puncher
• Laminator or contact paper
• Scissors
• Laces or string

I have the HP printer 8710 but it’s not available anymore. It’s still running well for years now. Look for another HP Instant Ink-ready printer so that you can use their program to send you ink cartridges whenever your printer gets low on ink.

Recommended Back to School Supplies

Before the school year starts, make sure your kids have the necessary supplies they need for learning. You can check out these back to school shopping list, and you can also check these recommended school supplies for your kids below!

ECOTREE Pencils #2 Pre-sharpened Pencils Number 2 Pencils School Pencils Kids Pencils with Erasers Rainbow Pencils Eco Pencils Recycled Paper Pencils 12 PackHandwriting Practice Paper for kids ages 5-11, created by teachers, dotted and lined, blank notebook: 123+ pages with dotted linesCra-Z-Art 96ct Crayons in Flip-Top Box with SharpenerCardinal Economy 3 Ring Binder, 1 Inch, Presentation View, White, Holds 225 Sheets, Nonstick, PVC Free, 4 Pack of Binders (79510)EXPO 80074 Low-Odor Dry Erase Markers, Chisel Tip, Assorted Colors, 4-CountFiskars Kids Scissors, Scissors for School, Safety Scissors, Blunt Tip Scissors, 5 Inch, 3 Pack, Red, Blue, Turquoise

 

What’s included in the printable?

Creating back-to-school lacing cards is a delightful way to combine fun and learning, helping What Is Included in the Printable?

The printable includes six school-themed lacing cards.

Apple Lacing Card

Children lace around a large apple while practicing careful hand movements.

School Monster Lacing Card

A friendly monster carrying a backpack gives children another fun design to complete.

Owl Reading Lacing Card

Children lace around an owl sitting on an open book while strengthening hand control.

Backpack Lacing Card

This backpack design is a familiar school object that works well during back-to-school lessons.

School Bus Lacing Card

Children practice threading around a classic yellow school bus.

Pencil Monster Lacing Card

The final card features a cheerful monster holding a large pencil for even more lacing practice.

How Can You Extend the Activity?

• Sort the cards by school supplies and school characters.
• Practice naming the colors on each card before lacing.
• Count the holes around each design.
• Create simple stories using the school-themed pictures.
• Use the cards as prompts for beginning-of-school conversations.

What Other Free Activities Can You Try?

Here are some printables that you can grab to help you prepare your kids for the school year.

• Back to School Addition Puzzles
• Back to School Counting Mats
• Back to School Counting Cards
• Back to School Kindergarten Math Worksheets
• Pencil Names by A Dab of Glue Will Do
• School Bus Discovery Bottle by Moms and Crafters

If you are looking for more practice with fine motor skills, check out these printable lacing cards. I have lots of themes to choose from.

These Back to School Lacing Cards are an easy way to build fine motor skills while introducing familiar school-themed pictures. They’re simple to prepare, reusable, and make a helpful addition to your preschool learning activities.

Download the lacing cards below

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

Whether you’re homeschooling one child or several, curriculum costs can add up quickly. That’s why a group of homeschool bloggers has come together once again for our 13th Annual Back to Homeschool Giveaway!

This year, three homeschool families will each win a $200 gift card to the homeschool curriculum company of their choice. Whether your family uses The Good & the Beautiful, Gather Round, Notgrass, My Father’s World, Rainbow Resource, or another favorite publisher, you get to decide where to use your prize.

The giveaway runs July 15 through July 24, so be sure to enter before it closes.

Simply complete the entries in the SweepWidget form below. Every participating blogger has helped make this giveaway possible, and each completed entry gives you another opportunity to win.

We hope this giveaway is a blessing to your family and helps make your homeschool year a little more affordable.

Giveaway ends July 24, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. Three winners will each receive a $200 gift card to the homeschool curriculum company of their choice. Winners will be selected and notified by email shortly after the giveaway ends and will have 48 hours to claim their prize.

By entering this giveaway, you agree to be added to the email lists of the participating homeschool bloggers. Please review the official Terms & Conditions before entering.

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