Last year my daughter went to school on spotty day wearing a T-shirt we’d covered in fingerprint dots the night before. Half of them were still wet. She didn’t care one bit, and neither did her teacher. It’s still her favorite top.
That’s the thing about spots. Anyone can do them, they don’t have to be neat, and they look cheerful even when they’re wonky. So these are our favorite Children in Need activities for kids, all built around spots and dots, sorted by age and with a free template pack. There are also a few easy ways for kids to raise money at the end.
A quick note: CraftifyBud is an independent craft site. We’re not connected to the BBC or BBC Children in Need, and every craft and template here is our own design.
When Is Children in Need 2026?
The BBC Children in Need Appeal Show is on Friday 13 November 2026, live on BBC One and iPlayer. Most schools hold their spotty day on that Friday or a day or two before. BBC Children in Need is a UK charity that funds projects helping children and young people all over the country, and the money raised on the day goes to that work.
Children in Need Activities for Ages 3 to 5
1. Bubble Wrap Spot Prints
Paint a square of bubble wrap with two or three colors, press a sheet of paper on top, and peel it off. You get dozens of little spots at once. Little ones think it’s magic. Honestly, I do too. And it’s over in five minutes, which is about right for a three-year-old.
2. Cotton Bud Dot Painting
Print one of the big shapes from our template (a heart, a star or a circle) and let kids fill it with dots using cotton buds dipped in paint. Use a clean bud for each color. Or don’t, and enjoy the brown. We’ve all been there.
3. Spotty Monster Mask
Our mask template is a friendly round monster with big eyes and lots of empty spots to color. Cut out the eye holes (grown-up job), punch the sides, and tie on some elastic or string. It’s a nice one for the walk to school, and if your child decides halfway there that they’d rather wear it on the back of their head like a hat, that’s fine too.
4. Dot Sticker Pictures
Give kids a sheet of dot stickers and one of our outline pages. Peeling stickers is great for little fingers, and there’s no drying time. We’ve used this one in waiting rooms too.
Ages 6 to 8
5. Spotty Bunting
Our template has bunting flags with spots to color and a fold line along the top. Kids color them, cut them out, and fold them over a long piece of string with a dab of glue. A class of 30 can make enough bunting for a whole corridor in one afternoon. Easy.
6. Fingerprint Spot T-Shirt
This is the one for spotty day itself. Slip a piece of card inside an old T-shirt, then let kids press fingertip spots all over it with fabric paint. Follow the paint’s instructions for drying and fixing, and wash it inside out. Pick a T-shirt you don’t mind about, obviously. You’ll see why.
7. Spotty Crown
Cut out the crown strip from our template, color the spots, and tape the ends to fit. It’s quick, and it gives kids who don’t own anything spotty a way to join in.
8. Guess the Spots Jar
Fill a clean jar with dot stickers, pom-poms or buttons and count them as you go. Write the number on a piece of paper, fold it, and hide it. Then use our label and guessing sheet to run a little stall (there’s more on this in the fundraising section).
Ages 9 to 12
9. Dot Mandala
Draw a circle on card or a paper plate, then build rings of dots outward from the middle using cotton buds, the end of a pencil and a paintbrush handle. Older kids love how calm this gets. It’s slow, and that’s sort of the point. Don’t rush it.
10. Spotty Bookmarks to Sell
Our template has six bookmarks per page with spot patterns to color. Kids color them, cut them out, and laminate them or cover them with clear tape. They sell well at a school stall. They’re light enough to post, too, so grandparents who live far away can’t say no.
11. Dot Art Cards
Fold card in half and decorate the front with dot patterns: a spotty tree, a dotted rainbow, a field of polka-dot flowers. Older kids can sell packs of three alongside the bookmarks, and if they’ve got a steady hand, a dotted name on the front for whoever’s buying makes them feel a lot more special than anything from a shop.
12. Spotty Cookies for a Bake Sale
Bake a plain batch of cookies and top them with colored icing spots or chocolate buttons. If you’re selling them, label every bag with what’s in it. A lot of kids have allergies, and nobody wants to guess what’s in a cookie that’s covered in spots. Our pack has a simple label you can fill in.
Spotty Day Ideas for School
You don’t need to buy anything new for spotty day. Honestly, it’s more fun when you don’t, because the kids who’ve made their own spots out of paper and tape are always the ones who get asked about their outfit at the school gate.
- Stick paper spots onto an old top with double-sided tape.
- Draw spots on your hands or cheeks with face paint or washable markers.
- Wear the spotty crown or the monster mask from our pack.
- Borrow something spotty from a grown-up: a scarf, a tie, socks.
- Teachers can run a quick “spot the spots” count of the whole class at registration.
Easy Ways for Kids to Raise Money
- Guess the spots: charge a small amount per guess, and the closest guess wins the jar.
- Sponsored silence: an hour of silence is harder than kids think. Much harder. Family members sponsor them for each 10 minutes they manage.
- Bookmark and card stall: sell the spotty bookmarks and dot art cards at school or to neighbors.
- Spotty bake sale: cookies with spots, labeled properly.
- Spotty non-uniform day: many schools ask for a small donation to come in something spotty.
Kids under 18 should do this with a grown-up, and the grown-up should pay the money in through the official BBC Children in Need website. Keep a list of who sponsored what, so nothing gets missed.
Download the Free Templates
Download the Free Printable
⬇ Download PDF (Free)The free PDF has everything for these Children in Need activities: big dot-painting shapes, the spotty monster mask, the bunting flags, the crown, the guess-the-spots label and guessing sheet, bookmarks, a sponsor form and bake sale labels. It prints on A4 and US Letter.
More Seasonal Crafts
Frequently Asked Questoins
When is Children in Need 2026?
The BBC Children in Need Appeal Show is on Friday 13 November 2026, on BBC One and iPlayer. Schools usually hold their spotty day on the Friday itself or earlier that week. Check with your school if you’re not sure which day they’ve picked.
What can kids do for Children in Need?
They can dress up in spots, make spotty crafts, and help raise money with a grown-up. The easiest ideas are a guess-the-spots jar, a sponsored silence and a bookmark stall. Even very young kids can join in with bubble wrap prints or dot stickers. It’s less about the amount raised and more about taking part.
What should my child wear for spotty day?
Anything with spots works, and it doesn’t need to be new. A plain top with paper spots stuck on, a T-shirt with fingerprint dots, or a few face-paint spots are all fine. Our free pack has a spotty crown and a monster mask too. Check the school’s letter in case they’ve asked for a donation.
How do you make a spotty T-shirt?
Put a piece of card inside an old T-shirt so the paint doesn’t soak through. Press fingertip spots all over the front with fabric paint, then leave it flat to dry. Follow the paint’s instructions for fixing it, which is often ironing on the back. Wash it inside out afterwards.
How can kids raise money for Children in Need?
Simple ideas work best: a guess-the-spots jar, a sponsored silence, a spotty bake sale, or selling handmade bookmarks and cards. Children under 18 should always fundraise with a grown-up. The grown-up then pays the money in through the official BBC Children in Need website. Our free pack includes a sponsor form to keep track.
Are these Children in Need activities free?
Yes. The templates are in one free PDF with no sign-up and no email form. Print as many as you like for home or a classroom. The crafts and designs are our own, so you won’t find any official characters or logos in it.
Leave a Reply