In 2018, my children and I played spider web dots, and the world went wild. So, this year, we are bringing the preschool Halloween activity back. The game has been going strong for three years, and we aren’t close to stopping. Spider web dots for the win.
Grab your dot stickers because spider web dots are the bomb!
When should my child play?
Spider Dots makes a simple Breakfast Invitation – You know the drill! (If you don’t, read What is a Breakfast Invitation to learn more.)
- Set an activity up the night before.
- The following day, your children are invited to create.
- Hang out and drink your morning coffee. (HOT!)
If you have busy mornings, many families use Breakfast Invitations for after-school or dinner prep. Make them work for you!
Seasonal Activity Cards
Better than a spice latte, you’ll love these 20 low-prep activities for the changing seasons.
- 5 fall activities
- 5 Halloween activities
- 5 winter activities
- 5 celebration ideas (Hello, New Year!)
Plus, a PDF calendar that has everything organized.
What is my child learning?
This preschool activity develops fine motor skills – using one hand to hold the paper, and another to peel off the stickers using their fingertips helps pincer grip.
It’s a skill children require for zipping coats, tying shoelaces, reading, and writing.
Spider Dots also enhance gross motor skills. You can tape this activity to the table or the wall for vertical space.
When games like this are hung on the wall, preschoolers use their upper arm strength to help with climbing, throwing, and catching, improving gross motor skills!
This preschool activity also encourages spatial awareness – kids need to be aware of their bodies and how near or far they are from objects and people.
Spider-dot stickers help by creating a visual cue. They can use them to hang up coats, stop at the right place, and start writing on a page.
It’s great for children of all ages – peeling off stickers and placing them helps strengthen tiny fingers.
RELATED: Do you have a child who isn’t ready for Halloween? Here are my best tips for helping prepare kids for the holiday.
My experience doing Spider Dots with my preschooler
In the early years, my two-year-old spent the morning trying to match the color on the stickers to the colors of the spiders. We continued to play again and again over the years.
In the image above, you see my four-year-old preparing the stickers by peeling off the backing. We do this to help little fingers grab the stickers with more ease.
RELATED: Looking for outdoor Halloween decor or a cute Halloween sweatshirt? I have everything in this post featuring the best Halloween decorations.
Supplies
Like many Days with Grey activities supplies, our supply list is simple. Here are the three items you will need to play.
Days with Grey participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
Markers
Nothing beats a fresh pack of markers. If you don’t have a set yet, get this pack of washable markers.
Dot Stickers
Ah, dot stickers. You are so much more than colored circles on paper.
White Paper Roll
The white paper roll is the staple to most Days with Grey activities. I suggest a 17″ or 18″ width.
Let’s set it up!
What are we waiting for? Let’s get this preschool Halloween activity set up!
- Take a look at the web I drew above. Notice that each swoop goes in towards the center. One year, I forgot that, and my web was pretty awful.
- Next, color circles to make dots on the web.
- Add eight legs to each dot on the web.
- Make faces on the dot stickers.
- Put the dots aside and wait until morning for your child to play!
Notice that the web doesn’t have the swoops in the picture below. Guess what? My kids still enjoyed it! Your web drawing does not have to be perfect.
There are a few more perks that come with playing
The activity is an incredible way to develop children’s fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination while they have a blast! Try it with children of all ages and make it a go-to Halloween activity.
Playing with spider web dots is used by Occupational Therapists because it encourages essential development skills while bringing them joy! Holding the sheet and peeling the stickers requires a solid pincer grip. Use stickers of different sizes and experiment with placing them on multiple surface areas for wrist placement.
Stickers improve visual scanning.
Visual scanning is a skill children require to efficiently search their surroundings, seek out objects, and enhance reading and writing. Kids use the same tactic to find a sticker they want. Develop this ability by asking your child to find a particular sticker.
RELATED: Looking for more fall activities for fall? You must check out this list.
Halloween Activity Supplies
Love ideas for Halloween? Use this list of activity supplies to get what you need to have a great time.
Frequently Asked Questions
To play, your child will peel off the dot stickers with spider faces and place them on the matching color in the spider web. Peeling stickers is excellent for fine motor development, and color matching is a fun way to practice hand-eye coordination.
For this game, the adult makes the spider web. Begin with one vertical and one horizontal line through the middle. Next, add diagonal lines crossing through the middle. Add curves going inward to bring the spider web to life!
Years ago, spider dots put Days with Grey on the map! We had hundreds of families sharing this activity through social media tags. Color matching is a hit with young children, and the spider characters added to the excitement. This Halloween activity gets a five-star review!
