Celebrate International Dot Day with these 20 creative art projects for kids inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ picture book The Dot. From fingerprint painting and watercolor dots to pom-pom art, circle collages and famous-artist projects, these activities are perfect for preschool, elementary classrooms and homeschool art lessons.

International Dot Day is celebrated on or around September 15 each year. Inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ picture book The Dot, the day encourages children and adults around the world to celebrate creativity, courage and collaboration — and to make their mark.

For more classroom-ready art ideas, browse our Teacher Resources and Famous Artists for Kids.

Contents show

20 International Dot Day Activities & Art Projects for Kids

International Dot Day at a Glance

Date: On or around September 15
Inspired by: The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
Best for: Preschool through Grade 5
Subjects: Art, literacy and social-emotional learning
Themes: Creativity, courage, confidence, growth mindset and self-expression
Materials: Paint, Q-tips, markers, pom-poms, paper, stickers, corks and sponges

What Is International Dot Day?

International Dot Day is a global celebration inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot. The celebration began when teacher Terry Shay introduced the book to his class on September 15, 2009. Today, children, teachers and creative communities around the world use Dot Day to celebrate creativity, courage and collaboration.

What Is The Dot About?

The Dot tells the story of Vashti, a child who believes she cannot draw. Her teacher encourages her to make just one mark — a dot — and see where it takes her. That simple beginning helps Vashti discover confidence in her own creativity. It is a wonderful read-aloud for children who say, “I can’t draw” or worry about making art the “right” way.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Find The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds on Amazon.com →

What Can Kids Learn from Dot Day?

Dot Day is about much more than making circles. It can help children develop creative confidence, experiment without fear of mistakes, practice fine-motor skills, explore color and pattern, and understand that every artwork can begin with one simple mark.

Dot Day and Growth Mindset

The Dot reminds children that creativity does not begin with getting something perfect. It begins with trying. Ask children what they would like to try even if they are not sure they can do it yet. Then let them create one dot as their own “starting mark.”

What Can You Use to Make Dots?

Fingertips and thumbs
Q-tips
Markers and felt-tip pens
Pencil erasers
Wine corks
Sponge pouncers
Pom-poms
Round stickers
Bubble wrap
LEGO bricks
Circle punches
Buttons and googly eyes

How to Celebrate International Dot Day in the Classroom

Read The Dot aloud: Talk about why Vashti thought she could not draw.
Ask children to make one mark: Give every child a paper circle and let them decorate it any way they like.
Create a class mural: Combine all the finished dots under the title Make Your Mark.
Add a writing prompt: Ask, “What is something you would like to be brave enough to try?”
Explore famous artists: Compare how different artists use dots, circles, repetition and pattern.
Finish with a gallery walk: Let children notice how every dot is different even though everyone began with the same shape.

Artists Who Use Dots and Circles

Yayoi Kusama — Dots and Repetition

Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama is famous for repeated dots in paintings, sculptures and immersive installations. Her work is a natural extension for Dot Day because children can explore how one simple shape can be repeated, enlarged and arranged in completely different ways.

Explore 15 Yayoi Kusama Art Projects for Kids →

Roy Lichtenstein — Ben-Day Dots

Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein used repeated dots inspired by commercial printing and comic books. His bright colors, speech bubbles and dot patterns make a fun contrast to Kusama’s repeated polka dots.

Explore Roy Lichtenstein Art Projects for Kids →

Wassily Kandinsky — Circles and Abstract Color

Wassily Kandinsky used circles, color and abstract shapes to create expressive compositions. His concentric circle art is especially easy to adapt for younger children.

Explore Wassily Kandinsky Art Projects for Kids →

Georges Seurat — Pointillism

Georges Seurat is closely associated with Pointillism, a painting technique that builds images from many tiny dots of color. Older children can experiment with Q-tips or markers to see how separate dots can create a larger image.

20 International Dot Day Art Projects for Kids

1. Thumbprint Dandelion

Start with one of the easiest dot-making tools — your fingers. Thumbprints create the soft seeds of a dandelion while giving younger children an easy introduction to printmaking.

2. Melted Crayon Dot Art Card

Create colorful dot patterns with crayons and turn the artwork into a card or keepsake.

3. Q-Tip Watercolor Dot Art

Use Q-tips to build watercolor dots around a letter or shape. This works well as a simple resist-art project and looks beautiful framed.

4. Polka Dot Garland

Punch colorful paper circles and string them together to decorate your Dot Day classroom or reading corner.

5. Neon Dotted Photo Frame

Transform a plain frame with repeated dots. Let children experiment with dot size, spacing and color combinations.

6. Recycled CD Ladybug

Turn a recycled CD into a spotted ladybug. This is a simple option for preschoolers who want to combine dots with an animal craft.

7. Dotted Mug Art

Older children can explore repeated dot patterns on a mug or, for a classroom-friendly version, use the same idea on cardstock mug templates.

8. Pom-Pom Dot Art

Pom-poms are dots with texture. Arrange them in a simple symbol, name initial or abstract design.

9. Painted Dot Coasters

Use this idea as inspiration for older kids to design repeated dot patterns. In class, substitute cardboard circles for wooden coasters.

10. Do-A-Dot Heart Art

Dot markers make this an easy project for younger children. Change the heart to a large circle for a more direct Dot Day version.

11. Four Seasons Q-Tip Tree

Use handprints for tree trunks and Q-tip dots for leaves. This combines Dot Day with a seasons lesson.

12. Yayoi Kusama-Inspired Dot Art

Kusama’s repeated polka dots are a perfect artist-study extension for International Dot Day. Let children cover a paper object, pumpkin, flower or simple shape with dots of different sizes and colors.

13. Polka Dot Mini Hats

Decorate a simple paper hat with repeating circles and dots. This is a playful wearable-art extension.

14. Dot-Decorated Tote Bag

Use circle stencils and fabric paint to create repeated dot designs. For classrooms, use the same method on paper rather than fabric.

15. Roy Lichtenstein Ben-Day Dot Art

Explore Pop Art by creating a portrait, speech bubble or comic-style image filled with repeated dots. Bubble wrap is another fun way to print Lichtenstein-inspired dot patterns.

16. Paper Plate Turtle Dot Art

Decorate a turtle shell with punched circles or painted dots while practicing color and fine-motor skills.

17. Sponge Pouncer Dot Art

Sponge pouncers make crisp circles and are great for experimenting with overlapping color, pattern and scale.

18. Kandinsky-Inspired Circle Art

Create concentric circles in bright colors inspired by Wassily Kandinsky. This works beautifully as an individual project or as a collaborative class display.

19. Collaborative “Make Your Mark” Dot Mural

Give every child one large paper circle. Ask them to decorate it however they wish — paint, collage, markers, patterns, words or mixed media. Combine all the finished circles on a bulletin board titled Make Your Mark. This is one of the simplest ways to connect the art activity directly to the message of The Dot.

20. Circle Punch Collage Art

Use watercolor or colored-paper circles to build an abstract collage. Children can experiment with overlapping, repetition, balance and negative space.

Best Dot Day Activities by Age

Preschool & Kindergarten

Thumbprint Dandelion
Do-A-Dot Art
Pom-Pom Dot Art
Paper Plate Turtle

Grades 1–2

Q-Tip Watercolor Dots
Circle Punch Collage
Four Seasons Dot Tree
Kandinsky-Inspired Circles

Grades 3–5

Yayoi Kusama Dot Art
Roy Lichtenstein Ben-Day Dots
Collaborative Dot Mural
Dot Pattern Design

Free International Dot Day Resources for Teachers

The official International Dot Day website offers free educator resources, including classroom guides, activity ideas, library and museum resources, posters and the Dot Song. These are useful if you are planning a full Dot Day lesson or school-wide celebration.

Explore the official International Dot Day resources →

Frequently Asked Questions About International Dot Day

When is International Dot Day?

International Dot Day is celebrated on or around September 15 each year. The official celebration often refers to it as “September 15-ish” so schools and communities can celebrate on a date that works for them.

Why is International Dot Day celebrated?

Dot Day celebrates creativity, courage and collaboration. It encourages children and adults to try something creative, make their mark and build confidence in their own ideas.

What book inspired International Dot Day?

International Dot Day was inspired by The Dot, a picture book by Peter H. Reynolds about a child named Vashti who discovers her creative confidence after beginning with one simple dot.

What are some easy Dot Day art projects?

Easy Dot Day projects include fingerprint painting, Q-tip dots, dot-marker art, circle collages, pom-pom art, Kandinsky-inspired circles and a collaborative class dot mural.

Which famous artists are good for a Dot Day lesson?

Yayoi Kusama, Roy Lichtenstein, Wassily Kandinsky and Georges Seurat are excellent choices because their work offers different ways to explore dots, circles, repetition, color and pattern.

How can teachers celebrate Dot Day in class?

Read The Dot, discuss creative confidence, let every student create an individual dot artwork, combine the dots into a class mural and finish with a gallery walk or short reflection.

More Art Ideas for Kids

Continue your art lesson with our Famous Artists for Kids, Yayoi Kusama Art Projects, Roy Lichtenstein Art Projects, Kandinsky Art Projects and our Teacher Resources.