Celebrate International Dot Day 2026 with printable Dot Day activities, Dot Day-themed math worksheets, bookmarks kids can color and more teaching resources to boost your students' creativity and help encourage bravery and courage! These International Dot Day activities for kids were all created by teachers to help make your celebration a success.

Maybe you're wondering "what is Dot Day" and when will this international event be celebrated in American classrooms? Or maybe you're just looking for fresh ideas and activities for your classroom. Get to know more about this event with a primer from the Teach Starter team of teachers!

What Is International Dot Day All About?

The story of International Dot Day begins with a children's storybook called "The Dot." It was written and illustrated by Massachusetts author Peter H. Reynolds and released on September 15, 2003. The book tells the story of Vashti, a little girl who is struggling with her art. Vashti's art teacher comes to the rescue, and the little girl in the picture book learns to believe in herself and her abilities and discovers that even a simple dot can be a work of art. The now world-famous book encourages kids to embrace their creativity and never give up on their dreams. Reynolds' writing literally encourages kids to "make their mark" on the world!

Who Started Dot Day?

Peter Reynold's The Dot book inspired Iowa teacher Terry Shay so much that he created the event we now know as Dot Day back in 2009 to inspire his own students to be more creative and to express themselves through art. Shay shared the idea with other teachers, and the celebration began to spread — very, very quickly! Schools worldwide now celebrate International Dot Day by reading the story about Vashti and her dot and then getting creative with fun Dot Day activities. An orange bubble is seen with text that reads Teach Starter teacher tip Download the Dot Day activities and Dot Day ideas, and you may find you can use them again on National Polka Dot Day on January 22!

An orange bubble is seen with text that reads Teach Starter teacher tip Download the Dot Day activities and Dot Day ideas, and you may find you can use them again on National Polka Dot Day on January 22!

When Is International Dot Day 2026?

International Dot Day will be held on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 here in the US and all around the world. This global celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration is typically held around the 15th of September to celebrate the book's publication. The exact day depends on whether or not that day occurs during the school week. a dot day easy circle art sheet is seen on a student's desk in a classroom

a dot day easy circle art sheet is seen on a student's desk in a classroom

Fun Dot Day Activities for Kids

Looking for some fun Dot Day activities to do alongside the resources featured in this collection? Here are some ideas from our teacher team to inspire you and your class!

Have your students transform a collection of blank dots into a creative masterpiece.
Set up an International Dot Day bulletin board in your classroom with your students' very own masterpieces.
Organize a Dot Day STEM challenge, Students can use gumdrops and toothpicks to create different 3D shapes.
Create a Dot Day Hat.
Design a Dot Day t-shirt.

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