Embedded Files
Connect the dots: count to 100 [online image]. https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au
Connecting the dots puzzle is a fun way for children/students to practice their counting skills with the objective being that the simple line work will create an image/artwork that is of interest to the child.
The puzzle can easily be adjusted to suit current knowledge and progression by changing the quantity number of dots, starting from a higher number or skip counting. The image can also have a theme that can be altered to suit current interests/teaching programs.
The puzzle can be played online through FUSE (Victorian Government Resource for Education) or with print outs found online, or puzzle books.
How does this Activity promote learning and 21st Century Skills?
How does this Activity promote learning and 21st Century Skills?
Communication and Comprehension
Communication and Comprehension
Puzzles like connect the dots, are a perfect resource for helping your child develop critical cognitive skills, but also memory skills, hand eye coordination, picture concepts and number comprehension.
As they progress through their school years and to life beyond, they will be expected to follow a set of instructions to complete projects and tasks.
Playing with puzzles while they are young teaches them not to get ahead of themselves and to complete these tasks one step at a time just as they would with connect the dots.
Collaboration and Inclusion
Collaboration and Inclusion
While connect the dots can be completed as an individual exercise, it can also be a team exercise, especially when the puzzle is more complex. Working as part of a team provides the opportunity for children to develop and fine tune their social networking skills, develop collective intelligence, and learn from and contribute to the learning of others.
As an activity, the students can take turns in complete a sequence of number connections before passing to the next team member.
Creativity and Curiosity
Creativity and Curiosity
In the 21st century there are new ways to engage, solve and even create puzzles. As a parent or co educator, we should be empowering children to think creatively, work creatively with others and encourage the desire to learn more.
As many puzzles like connect the dots, the students are creating or uncovering an image which can spark their curiosity and keep them going even when they are struggling to find the next dot.
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
The puzzle work sheets can be arranged into skill levels but also theme categories which make solving the puzzles more entertaining and enjoyable.
Either the computer generated or hand drawn picture in the end resembles the example image or not. The picture cannot be accurately completed or won by cheating. The only way to finish and conquer the puzzle is to be persistent, understand and process information already known to correctly locate the next number in the puzzle.
Likewise, as a fun alternative, the students could even design their own connect the dots puzzle for their friends and family to complete.
Challenge
Challenge
To make the puzzle a little more challenging, there a few options available:
1. Skip counting ( by 2, 5 10, etc.)
2. Chose a more detailed image where the dots are closer together
3. Chose an image that is slightly more vague in appearance making it harder for them to decipher at first
4. As an extreme version of the activity, there could be mathematical equation which the children need to calculate first before being able to connect the dots.
https://www.abcya.com/games/connect_the_dots
Connect the dots: count to 50 [online image] https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au
Printable Work Sheets
Worksheets sourced from Pinterest
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