Dots, Spots, & Fur

Can you tell an animal by its spots, dots, or stripes? Use your imagination to invent creatures with interesting patterns!

1. Choose your animals. Find pictures of animals with dots, spots, stripes, or other interesting skin or fur patterns. From alligators to zebras, animal skin and fur patterns are often dramatic. You might even do human freckles!

2. Color their coats. Using Crayola® Construction Paper™ Crayons and Multicultural Crayons, color your favorite spotty, dotty or striped animals on construction paper. Make sure they have eyes, noses, mouths, and tails. Use your imagination to create real or pretend patterns.

3. Tear out your animals. The torn paper gives them a realistic look. Display them on a border, on a treasure box, or wherever you wish.

Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project. Observe children closely and intervene as necessary to prevent potential safety problems and ensure appropriate use of arts and crafts materials. Some craft items, particularly beads and buttons, are potential choking hazards for young children. Avoid use of such small parts with children younger than 3 years. Craft items such as scissors, push pins and chenille sticks may have sharp points or edges. Avoid use of materials with sharp points by children younger than 4 years. Read all manufacturers' safety warnings before using arts and craft supplies.

Crafts

crayola supplies

• Multicultural Crayons
• Construction Paper™ Crayons
• Construction Paper

"Our Brownies made this craft on an overnight camping trip. The girls were working on animal badges so they used their observation skills. All we needed to bring were crayons and paper."
Margaret M., scout leader.

"This is a good craft for summer camp because it can be done outside easily. We made animals along with other patterned things found in nature."
AnnaBeth J., camp counselor.

A Holstein cow’s spots are like fingerprints or snowflakes. No two cows have exactly the same pattern of spots. Leopards and jaguars don’t really have spots; their black patterns are called “rosettes.”