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September 1, 2015

Ten Black Dots Art Prompts

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Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews is the perfect book to inspire some art prompts. In the book, you’ll find black dots on each page. With one dot, you can make a sun or a moon. With three dots, you can make a snowman. You’ll find boats and coats, marbles and rocks, seeds, trains, and balloons. Use the book to practice counting from 1 to 10. Then, create your own pictures with dots as inspiration.

Ten Black Dots Art Activity. Fun drawing prompts for kids!

Ten Black Dots Art Prompts

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Paper
  • Markers (or crayons, etc.)
  • Black dots (I colored white dots with a Sharpie.)
  • Ten Black Dots (affiliate link) book for inspiration

There are two ways that you can create the art prompts. You can simply set out the black dots next to some paper and markers.

Art prompts inspired by Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews

This allows for open creativity. Your child can make whatever she wants using the dots. Reading the book before the art activity is a good idea. It will help kids visualize what the dots might become. My son started by imitating the sun and moon from the book.

Dot Art inspired by Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews

The second art prompt idea is to put a few dots already on the paper. What will your child create from these dots? Hang the paper on an easel for a fun easel starter.

Art prompts inspired by Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews

My son turned this line of dots into a snake. He says that this is his favorite dot picture.

Dot Art inspired by Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews

And these dots became a garden and a radio. The garden is my personal favorite.

Dot Art inspired by Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews

My son didn’t deviate from the pictures in the book very much. He added a few things here and there or did his own version of the same concepts. I almost wonder what he would have created had we not read the book. Although I have a feeling he would have had a hard time thinking of what to make. Reading the book helps with this issue.

What will your black dots become?

More Art and Craft Ideas Inspired by Books

  • Perfect Square Art – what can a square become?
  • Weaving for Kids inspired by Maya Angelou’s Kofi and His Magic.
  • Mouse House Craft – make a cute little house for a mouse.
  • Make a Gruffalo puppet and act out scenes from the book.

About Trisha Stanley

Trisha is an educator with a passion for science literacy and mom to Aiden and Lily. She's the creator of Inspiration Laboratories, a blog dedicated to encouraging learning through creativity and play, and Read Science, a blog that showcases science activities inspired by children's books.

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