Dot to Dot Puzzles for Teachers
Bring the fun (and learning) of dot to dot puzzles and games into your classroom with printable connect the dots for kids created especially for the primary classroom by the Teach Starter team of teachers!
This collection of dot to dot printables will help students practise a variety of skills from skip counting to letters of the alphabet and more. Best of all, many of these teaching resources can be used online with students in Google Classroom and the classroom.
Looking for fresh ways to use dot to dot puzzles in the classroom? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is a Dot to Dot? A Kid-Friendly Definition
The name says it all, doesn't it? But how do you explain a dot to dot puzzle to your class?
A dot to dot puzzle is a game or activity with a series of labeled dots. The player or student, then draws lines between the dots to create a drawing or picture. The objective is to connect the dots in the correct order to reveal the hidden image.
Dot to dot puzzles are also known by various other names such as connect the dots, join the dots, dot puzzles or even follow the dots.
What Kids Learn from Connect the Dots
Not only do these puzzles improve student concentration, but they reinforce basic maths skills and literacy skills and plenty more. Here are just a few things that can come out of dot to dots.
- Number Recognition — Recognising and sequencing numbers takes a lot of practise. When students connect the dots in numerical order, it reinforces their understanding of number progression.
- Hand-Eye Coordination — As students connect the dots on one of these puzzles, they're developing both their hand-eye coordination and their fine motor skills. This activity requires precision and control, helping kids refine their pencil control.
- Following Instructions — There's a very specific order to connect the dots, and if you don't follow it, the hidden picture will never be revealed! In this way, dot to dot puzzles teach kids the importance of following instructions and sequencing. They learn to read and interpret the numerical cues to complete the puzzle accurately.
- Spatial Awareness — Connecting the dots in the correct order requires spatial awareness. Students develop a sense of how objects are positioned in relation to each other as they draw lines to connect the little spots on the page.
- Object Recognition — This classic puzzle typically forms pictures of familiar objects or animals. Because of this, teachers can use these puzzles to reinforce object recognition and vocabulary development.
How to Use Dot to Dot Worksheets in the Classroom
Looking for some fun ways to add them to your lesson plans? Browse the collection for ideas, or check out a few ways our teacher team suggests using dot-to-dot activities in your classroom:
- Pair off students to practise listening and speaking skills as one student guides the other in completing the connect the dots worksheet.
- Print out dot-to-dot worksheets to add to your substitute teacher folder for a backup activity that can be completed at any time.
- Use these printables to fill in that extra time right before the end of term with low-stakes content that keeps the curriculum coming.
