Every year on September 15, parents and educators around the world celebrate International Dot Day by taking time to encourage children’s creativity. This year, even more kids and grown-up kids are encouraged to “make their mark” in new and exciting ways!
This amazing celebration of encouraging creativity all started with a book by Peter H. Reynolds entitled “The Dot”, published by Candlewick Press in September of 2003. Peter’s words and wonderfully fluid pen and ink drawings weave an inspiring modern day fable.
The following write up from Booklist sets the stage for little Vashti’s story to unfold. “Vashti doesn’t like her art class. She can’t draw. So when her teacher tells her just to make a mark, Vashti belligerently hands in her paper with a single dot. But what a wise teacher Vashti has. She makes Vashti sign the paper, and then she frames it.”
That is just the starting point, and from here we get to see little Vashti’s art and ideas begin to develop and blossom, as well as how her art and ideas influence other children around her.
“My journey has been dedicated to helping kids, especially the “off the path” kids. I was one of them myself. Not every student is lucky enough to have a teacher, or adult, see his or her potential.” Peter H. Reynolds, author of “The Dot”, writes in his Mission Statement.
In 2009, somewhere in Iowa, at a birthday celebration for Peter H. Reynold’s book “the Dot”, International Dot Day was born.
“This book not only teaches that anyone can be artistic but it teaches that creativity is not something only some of us are born with – it is something we all have inside of us, we just need to find a little bit of inspiration to bring it out.” writes George Eliot in his Amazon review for the “The Dot”.
And that is what International Dot Day is all about. Encouraging creativity in our children! Go to Peter’s website and participate in this inspirational celebration! Design you own dot! See all the dots children have designed, including authors and celebrities. Create and enjoy the journey!
As Peter say, “Make your mark and see where it takes you.”