Dot-to-Dot: Star
Preschool · 3–5Join the dots from 1 to 10 and a star appears. The first one where following the numbers means crossing the middle rather than going round the outside, so the nearest dot is repeatedly the wrong dot. Say each number out loud before drawing to it rather than after — finding the next numeral is the work, and the line is only the reward. Print it on A4 or US Letter.
Where the dots are not adjacent
A star is the first dot-to-dot where following the numbers means crossing the middle rather than going round the outside, and that is what makes it genuinely instructive. The nearest dot is repeatedly the wrong dot.
Children who have been joining by proximity rather than by number find this one confusing, which is exactly the misconception worth surfacing.
Trust the numbers
The instruction that matters here is to go to the next number even when it looks wrong. Once the star appears, the lesson lands on its own — following the sequence produced something that guessing would not have.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is the star harder than the square?
- Following the numbers means crossing the middle rather than going round the outside, so the nearest dot is repeatedly the wrong dot — which is exactly the misconception worth surfacing.
- My child keeps joining the closest dot. What do I say?
- Go to the next number even when it looks wrong. Once the star appears the point makes itself: following the sequence produced something guessing would not have.