Christmas Dot to Dot Printables for Preschool and Kindergarten
These Christmas dot to dot pages turn counting into a bow, a candy cane, a sugar cookie, a stocking and eight more holiday pictures. Kids start at 1, draw a line to the next number, and keep going until the picture appears. Each page ends with a sentence like “I can make a star.”
There are 12 pictures, and each one comes two ways: a black-and-white page kids can color when they finish, and a color page where the picture is already filled in and the dots run around its edge.
What Dot to Dot Practices
Dot to dot looks simple, but kids are doing three things at once. They are saying the numbers in order, finding each number on a busy page, and drawing a straight line that stops right on the next dot.
That last part is real pencil control. Kids have to aim, pull the pencil in a straight line and stop on time, over and over. It is the same start-and-stop control they need later for letters.
The pictures count to different numbers. The gift, ornament, star and stocking stop at 20. The bow, candy cane and reindeer go to 30. The Christmas tree, gingerbread man and Santa’s beard go all the way to 40.
Part of the Picture Is Already There
On many pages, part of the picture is already drawn. The gift has its lid and bow, the ornament has its cap, and Santa and the reindeer already have their faces. Kids connect the dots to finish the outline.
That gives kids a clue about what they are making before they start, which keeps them going on the longer pages.
Setting Kids Up to Succeed
- Say the numbers out loud. Counting along keeps kids from skipping a number.
- Find the next dot before drawing. Pointing to it first means fewer lines to nowhere.
- Hold the paper with the helper hand so the page does not slide.
- Stop and check. If the line went to the wrong number, kids can find their place and keep going.
For kids who are still learning numbers past 10, count together and let them do the drawing.
Making It Easier or Harder
Start with the 20-dot pages. The star has big dots spaced far apart, and the color pages show the shape kids are making, so it is easy to see where the line should go.
When counting to 20 feels easy, move to the 30-dot pictures, then the 40-dot ones. The black-and-white pages are a step harder, since kids only see the dots and the numbers.
For kids who need more of a challenge, have them color the black-and-white pictures when they finish, or read the sentence at the bottom on their own.
Ways to Use Them in December
- A math or fine motor center during the weeks before winter break.
- Morning work. The 20-dot pages take just a few minutes.
- A reusable center. Slide a page into a sheet protector and use a dry-erase marker.
- A quiet table activity during a holiday party.
What’s in the Set
- 12 pictures: bow, candy cane, Christmas tree, sugar cookie, gift, gingerbread man, ornament, reindeer, Santa’s beard, Santa hat, star and stocking
- A black-and-white page and a color page for each picture (24 pages)
- Pictures that count to 20, 30 or 40
- An “I can make a ___” sentence on every page
Grab the Printable
All 24 Christmas dot to dot pages come in one printable PDF.
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