These animal dot to dots printables give kids a reason to count all the way to the end of the page: a rabbit, a tiger, a dinosaur, or another animal hiding behind the numbers, ready to appear once the last line is drawn. Unlike a plain shape, an animal picture gives your child something to guess at while they’re still working through the dots.
Nine animals are included in this set, from easy, wide-spaced pages for a child just learning to count to busier ones with more dots for kids who are ready for a longer page. Working through the whole set in order is a simple way to see counting skills improve over a few weeks, since the later pages naturally ask for a bit more patience and number recognition than the first ones.
Farm and forest animals to start with
These first few pages use bigger dots and simpler outlines, so they’re a good starting point if your child hasn’t done a dot-to-dot animal page before.
This rabbit page is one of the easier ones in the set, which makes it a nice first try for a preschooler who is still learning to count to 10.
Once your child finishes drawing the tiger, our 10 free preschool snowman worksheets make a good next activity.
Dinosaurs, bears, and other favorites
Dinosaurs tend to be a hit with this age group, so this page usually gets asked for again once it’s finished and colored in. If your child is into dinosaurs, let them name the dinosaur once the outline is complete, even if it’s not a scientifically accurate guess; the goal here is finishing the counting task, not a biology lesson.
This polar bear page has a few more dots than the rabbit and tiger pages, so it suits a child who has already had some practice.
For more printable maze and puzzle-style pages after the panda, try our free printable maze coloring pages for kids.
A few more animals to connect and color
The unicorn page is one of the more detailed ones here, so it works well as a slightly longer activity for a kindergartner. Pair it with our 10 easy spring crafts for preschoolers for a longer craft session.
Download all the pages in one PDF
The shark page rounds out the set and tends to be a favorite for kids who like ocean animals. Its dots are a little closer together than the rabbit or tiger pages, so it’s a good pick once your child has had some practice with the easier animals earlier in this set.
Tips for using these with your child
Toddlers age 2 to 3 can join in if you point to each number as you count together, preschoolers age 3 to 5 can usually manage a page on their own once they know their numbers to 10, and kindergartners age 5 to 6 can try the busier pages like the unicorn or panda. Let your child guess which animal is hiding before they start; getting it right (or wrong) is half the fun. Keep crayons nearby so coloring the finished animal becomes part of the activity instead of a separate task later. If a page feels too easy, cover the picture in your mind and have your child describe the animal out loud once it’s done, which adds a little vocabulary practice on top of the counting.
In a classroom setting, these animal dot to dots printables also work well as a quiet transition activity between lessons, since kids can start and finish one on their own without much instruction once they understand the basic pattern of following the numbers in order.
More free printables to try
If your child likes these animal dot to dots printables, our full connect the dots printable preschool collection has even more pages to work through, and our printable tracing numbers worksheets are a good pairing for extra number practice.
- Free Summer Color by Number Printables for Preschoolers
- Drawing Animals: Connect The Dots Game Printable
- 10 Free Printable Coloring Pages for Toddler Boys to Enjoy
Browse all our free coloring pages for kids.
Frequently asked questions
What animals are included in this set?
Nine pages in all: a rabbit, a tiger, a dinosaur, a polar bear, a panda, a unicorn, a frog, a shark, and one more numbered animal outline.
What age are these animal dot to dots printables for?
Preschoolers age 3 to 5 are the best fit. Toddlers age 2 to 3 can join in with help, and kindergartners age 5 to 6 can handle the busier pages like the unicorn on their own.
How do I print a page?
Tap or click any image above to open it at full size, then print it from your browser on regular paper. No download or sign-up is needed.
Do I need to know which animal it is before starting?
No. Part of the fun is guessing along the way. Let your child connect the dots first and see what animal appears at the end.
