Sun Dot to Dot

Allow ten to fifteen minutes to connect and a few more to color. The rays make the line zigzag, so offer a sharpened pencil or a fine marker. The answer key lets a parent check the finished sun, and 5 versions gives a classroom of children different pages. Hang the colored suns in a window for a weather chart. Practice online lets a child connect dots by finger.

Counting to 36 in order is the main skill, and the pointed rays train a child to change direction at each dot. Children often rush the zigzag and overshoot a number. Keeping a finger at the next dot slows them down. It follows the shorter shapes naturally and leads into skip-counting pages where the numbers jump by 5 or 10. Pairing it with a talk about daytime and seasons gives the page a purpose beyond counting.

Use Fewer for a kindergartner or a child who gets tired, as it makes a chunkier sun. Normal fits first grade, and More gives a smoother, larger count. Set Count by to 2s for a child learning even numbers, since the sun's dots become 2, 4, 6 and so on. Press New version to get a rotated sun.

How long is the count on the sun page?

At the normal setting there are 36 dots. Fewer gives a sun with fewer numbers, and More gives a smoother one with a longer count. Pick by how high your child counts without help.

Why does the sun line zigzag?

The rays stick out from the circle, so the numbers go out to a tip and back in. That makes the outline look like a real sun and gives the pencil practice at turning corners.

Can the sun sheet teach even numbers?

Yes. With Count by set to 2s, the dots read 2, 4, 6 and keep going. Children see the even numbers in order, and the sun still appears when they finish.