Are you looking for creative ways to celebrate Dot Day in the classroom? You’re in the right spot!
Over the years, International Dot Day has become increasingly popular as a way to teach students about social-emotional learning and to inspire creative and innovative thinking. Read on to discover a variety of teacher-approved ideas for International Dot Day that will help children explore the opportunities that arise when they start to ‘make their mark’ on the world.
The Book That Inspired International Dot Day
International Dot Day celebrations started on 15 September, 2009, when teacher Terry Shay introduced the students in his class to Peter H. Reynolds’ picture book The Dot. The Dot was originally written and illustrated by Reynolds back on 15 September 2003. Now, each year, International Dot Day is celebrated on 15 September! Additionally, 2025 marks the 16th anniversary of the event, making it the perfect year to start celebrating Dot Day in the classroom.
The Dot, (the International Dot Day Book), is a story about an empathetic teacher who dares a doubting student to believe in her own abilities, and encourages her to bravely ‘make her mark.’ By making a start – a small dot on a piece of paper – the student begins to gain confidence and develop courage. The inspiring tale has continued to inspire countless children around the world. You can view a read-aloud of The Dot here:
On International Dot Day, teachers and students share the beautiful and inspirational story and celebrate creativity through engaging classroom experiences.
How to Celebrate International Dot Day at School
Celebrating International Dot Day at school provides an opportunity to teach children that they should all ‘make their mark’ on the world! Dot Day can be celebrated in the classroom with simple, dot-themed activities, which can be integrated into your curriculum areas for seamless planning.
You’ll find all of our International Dot Day resources in our dedicated collection.
Explore Pointillism & Dot Art Painting Techniques
If you’ve never heard of Pointillism, that’s okay! As you may have guessed, it’s an artwork style that entails using small dots to form intricate masterpieces. You can start by introducing the dot art painting style to your students with some examples of famous artists, such as Georges Seurat.
Once your students have grasped the style, invite them to experiment with it on their own! All you need to get started is some acrylic paint and cotton buds (or the pointed end of a paintbrush). Select a reference image for the class to follow—something like a landscape, portrait, or abstract design could work perfectly.
To enhance their artistic experience, you could also check out our Starry Night Dot Day Pointillism Art Activity Template! Click the link below to download it and provide your students with an exciting opportunity to create their own dot-style masterpiece.
Once finished, hang your students’ dot art painting masterpieces to create a beautiful gallery wall celebrating their unique work!
Learn About Famous Artists and Their Painting Styles
What better way to explore Dot Day than with artists from around the world who created some of the most famous works using dot painting styles?
Combine history and art by introducing your students to the likes of Van Gogh, Wassily Kandinsky and Yayoi Kusama, just to name a few. You can take the lesson a step further by encouraging students to choose an artist and go away to do some research of their own. Your class can then compile their research in a poster or brochure to present in front of the classroom.
Create Kandinsky-inspired Artwork
Did you know that Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian artist who is considered one of the pioneers of abstract art? He often used circles and dots in his work, famously stating, “Everything starts with a dot.”
Kandinsky is one of many artists who utilised dots and circles in their artwork, making him an excellent source of inspiration for introducing your students to International Dot Day. You could use Kandinsky-inspired coloring pages or create your own Kandinsky-style artwork with an engaging Roll-to-Create Activity.
Design a Dot Day Shirt!
With creativity a central theme for International Dot Day, our Design a Dot Day T-Shirt Challenge is an exciting way to teach students about art and design. Encourage creativity by having students use their artistic talents do design their own Dot Day Shirt! Students will use the template, crayons, and a pencil to create a unique dot design that they can use as the basis of their very own t-shirt design for International Dot Day! This Dot Day Shirt drawing activity is perfect for students who enjoy a challenge while creating something eye-catching and creative!
Make an International Dot Day Hat
Art that you can wear? Yes, please!
The perfect wearable artwork, our International Dot Day Hat Craft will excite your little learners. This one’s perfect for early years classrooms. Students colour, cut, and glue to make their dotty hat, which will spark conversations at home, too.
Dot Day STEAM Challenge Task Cards
Our STEAM Dot Day activity cards encourage students to work creatively in teams to construct three-dimensional shapes in a competitive environment. Students are guided through the construction of eight different three-dimensional shapes (using sticky tack or gumdrop lollies) and toothpicks. What a great way to celebrate International Dot Day in a hands-on way!
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