Help for no spaces between words
Your child writes sentences like “Ilikemydog”. The letters are fine, but the words run together. Children who do this usually do not yet see a sentence as separate words; spacing comes once they do.
For: Kindergarten and 1st grade teachers and parents
A cover page with the plan, then 6 worksheets in order (7 pages). Free, no sign-up.
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Save to PinterestWhy it happens
- When we speak, words run together. Children who write what they hear have no reason to leave gaps until they learn that words are separate units.
- While a child concentrates on forming letters, there is no attention left for spacing.
- Some children space too much instead: the letters of one word drift apart. The same practice helps.
What helps
- Count the words in a sentence out loud before writing it.
- Put a finger (or a craft stick) after each word before writing the next one.
- Show the problem: reading a stuck-together sentence makes it obvious why spaces matter.
- Praise every space; it is a new habit, not a correction.
The planstep by step.
1Days 1–3: see the spaces
Read stuck-together sentences and rewrite them with finger spaces.
2Days 4–6: trace and copy
Trace sentences with clear spaces, then copy them. Use a finger after every word.
3Day 7: fix it yourself
Spot the missing capital letters, spaces and periods.
Questions
Questions about spacing between words
Still have questions? Visit our Help Center or get in touch.
How big should a finger space be?
When should children start leaving spaces?
Related packs
The LetterSchool app
Between worksheets: practise in the app
The same letter shapes as this sheet, with instant feedback on every line, animations and stars. Children play, and learn the right formation.