Dot to Dot Worksheets for Preschool & Kindergarten

More than a drawing game

Connecting numbered dots looks like play, and it is, but it quietly practices several things at once: counting forward in order, recognizing numerals or letters, moving the pencil steadily from one point to the next and keeping track of “where am I up to?”. The finished picture is a reward for the effort, and then there is something to color.

Choose how the dots are labeled

• 1, 2, 3 labels the dots with numbers in order. Start with 10 dots, then move to 15 or 20.
• A, B, C labels the dots with letters in alphabet order. With 26 dots the picture goes from A to Z, which is good practice for letter order.
• 2, 4, 6, 5, 10, 15 and 10, 20, 30 label each dot with the next number in a skip count. They suit kindergarten and first grade, and they pair well with our skip counting worksheets.

Choose the shapes and the dots

You can pick from a star, heart, circle, house, fish, rocket, triangle and square. With fewer dots the picture is simple and pointy. With more dots the outline gets smoother and the picture is easier to recognize. Some shapes need a minimum number of dots to look right: a house needs 9, a star or a fish 10 and a rocket 13. If a shape is missing from your sheet, add more dots. The green dot is where to start, and the last line goes back to it.

How to use the generator

1. Choose how the dots are labeled and how many dots you want.
2. Tap the shapes you would like. The sheet uses your chosen shapes in turn.
3. Choose how many pictures you need. One fills a page, two share a page.
4. Press Generate new worksheet, then print or save a PDF. The answer key shows each finished outline in green.

Tips for connecting dots

• Say each label out loud while drawing: “seven… eight…”. For skip counts, say the whole count aloud first: “2, 4, 6, 8”.
• Trace the route with a finger before using a pencil. It shows where the line will go.
• Use a thick pencil or a crayon for little hands, and a ruler only if an older child wants straight lines.
• Do not forget the last line. The final dot connects back to the green start dot.
• Color the picture afterwards. It adds more pencil practice and gives a reason to finish.

Holding a crayon or pencil between the fingers and thumb, rather than in a fist, appears among the CDC’s milestones for age four (CDC milestones for age 4). Dot to dot pages are one gentle way to practice, but children reach this at different times and there is no need to hurry. If you are worried about your child’s hand skills, talk to their teacher or doctor.