Ten dots round a circle, joined in the order of the digitsUses the first 30 digits. Number ten dots 0 to 9. Rule a line from 3 to 1, from 1 to 4, from 4 to 1, and on.
A pi symbol dressed as a baker, holding a rolling pinDraw the symbol tall. Add a puffed hat on the top bar, two stick arms and a rolling pin in one hand.
A string wrapped round a circle, then laid across it three timesDraw round a lid. Cut a string as long as the edge and lay it across the middle: three widths and a little more.
A bookmark lettered with as many digits as will fitUses up to 30 digits. Start with 3 and a point, write down the strip and turn the point into a tiny pie.
A clock face with the first twelve digits in place of the hoursUses 3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2, 6, 5, 3, 5, 8. Draw the circle, mark twelve ticks and write the digits round it.
A color-by-digit grid of thirty squares, six to a rowUses the first 30 digits. Rule a 6 by 5 grid, key ten colors to 0 to 9 and fill the squares in reading order.
A digit garden: 3 trees, 1 pond, 4 birds, 1 sun, 5 flowers, 9 beesUses the first 6 digits. Draw the things in that order and hide the numerals somewhere in the picture.
A giant pi symbol filled with its own digits in tiny writingUses the first 30 digits, repeated. Outline a hollow pi, then write the digits in rows until it is full.
A hopscotch court numbered 3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2, 6Uses the first 8 digits. Draw eight boxes, single then double in turn, and write one digit in each.
A mountain range whose peaks rise and fall with the digitsUses the first 20 digits. On graph paper mark a dot at each digit's height and join the dots into peaks.
A paper chain with one color for each digit, 0 to 9Uses as many digits as you have strips. Pick ten colors, then loop the links in the order 3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9.
A skyline of thirty towers, each as many floors tall as its digitUses the first 30 digits. Rule a ground line on graph paper and build 3, 1, 4, 1 and 5 floors, then carry on.
A spiral of the digits themselves, shrinking toward the middleUses the first 30 digits. Start at the outside with a big 3 and a point, and write smaller with every turn.
A tune on a staff where each digit is a step of the scaleUses the first 10 digits. Rule five lines. Count each digit up from the bottom line and draw a note head there.
Bunting hung in groups of flags: 3, then 1, then 4, then 1Uses the first 8 digits. Draw a sagging line, hang three triangles, leave a gap and go on: 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2, 6.
Rings of dots round a center: 3 dots, then 1, 4, 1, 5 and 9Uses the first 6 digits. Draw six light rings. Put three dots on the inner ring and work outward.
Ten clouds, each raining as many drops as its digitUses the first 10 digits. Draw ten small clouds in two rows and count 3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2, 6, 5, 3 drops under them.
Ten dots round a circle, joined in the order of the digitsUses the first 30 digits. Number ten dots 0 to 9. Rule a line from 3 to 1, from 1 to 4, from 4 to 1, and on.
Ten flowers in a line, each with as many petals as its digitUses the first 10 digits: 3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2, 6, 5, 3. Draw ten stems, then count the petals onto each.
Circles 16
A chart of three round things: the way round and the way acrossMeasure round a cup, a lid and a plate with string, then across each. Draw the two lengths side by side.
A circle and the square that just fits round it, corners colored inDraw round a lid, then rule a square that touches it on four sides. Color the four leftover corners.
A circle cut by its diameter, one half patterned and one half plainDraw a circle and rule a line through its center. Fill one half with pattern and label the line and the curve.
A circle rolled along a line for one full turnMark a dot on the edge of a lid. Roll it along a ruled line until the dot comes down again and mark how far it went.
A circle with one hexagon inside it and one hexagon outsideStep a compass round the circle six times and join the marks. Rule the outer hexagon to touch the circle.
A face, a wheel, a clock and a cookie from four identical circlesTrace the same lid four times. Turn each circle into a different round thing.
A flower from one coin traced again and again round a dotMark a center dot. Trace a coin with its edge on the dot, turn it a little and trace again, all the way round.
A paper circle cut into eight wedges and laid out in a lineCut the circle like a pie. Lay the wedges point up, point down in a row and see what shape they make.
A paper plate with thirty digits marching round its rimUses the first 30 digits. Start at the top with 3 and a point and letter clockwise, turning the plate as you go.
A picture made only of circles: a caterpillar, a snowman, grapesTrace round coins and lids. Use nothing but circles and see how much of the page you can fill.
A poster of circles traced from every round thing in the roomCollect lids, cups, coins and tape rolls. Trace each one and label it with what it was.
A round maze of four rings with one way to the middleDraw four nested circles. Erase a gap in each and add a wall between rings so only one path gets through.
A string wrapped round a circle, then laid across it three timesDraw round a lid. Cut a string as long as the edge and lay it across the middle: three widths and a little more.
Circles inside circles, each half as wide as the one beforeStart with the biggest lid you have. Find its center, halve the radius and draw again until you run out of room.
The pi symbol on a round badgeDraw a circle. Inside it lay one wavy bar across the top and two legs below, the right leg kicking out.
Thirty-six dots round a circle, joined by straight lines into a curveMark the dots evenly. With a ruler join each dot to the one ten places on, all the way round.
Pies and puns 16
A badge that says I ate some pi round a pie with a bite goneDraw two circles for the badge edge. Put a small pie in the middle, bite a curve from it and letter round the ring.
A bake-sale sign with every pie priced at 3.14Draw a table of four pies. Stand a small card by each and letter the same price on all of them.
A banner that spells PI DAY, each letter on its own paper pieDraw five circles with crimped rims and put one letter on each. Leave a gap between PI and DAY.
A card that says Cutie pi under a small pie with a bow on topDraw the pie as a dome on a dish. Tie a bow on its crust and letter the two words underneath.
A card that says Have a slice of pi, with one wedge lifted outDraw a pie from above with one wedge pulled away. Letter the words in the gap it leaves.
A cherry pie whose lattice strips are written in digitsUses the first 30 digits. Draw the lattice strips first, then write the digits along each strip.
A clock stopped at 1:59 beside a calendar page for March 14Draw a round clock with hands at 1:59 and a tear-off page reading 3/14. Together they read 3.14159.
A pi symbol dressed as a baker, holding a rolling pinDraw the symbol tall. Add a puffed hat on the top bar, two stick arms and a rolling pin in one hand.
A pie box with a round window and Pi Day Special on the lidDraw a square box with a round window. Show a lattice crust through it and letter the lid.
A pie chart of how much pie is left: noneDraw an empty pie dish with a few crumbs. Label it as a chart with one slice: 100 percent eaten.
A pie chart with slices of 3, 1, 4, 1 and 5 partsUses the first 5 digits, which add up to 14. Mark 14 equal steps round a circle and cut slices of 3, 1, 4, 1 and 5.
A pizza pi: three big slices with 3, 1 and 4 toppingsUses the first 3 digits. Cut a circle into three slices and count the toppings onto each.
A poster of round foods: pie, pizza, pancake and cookieDraw four circles in a row, turn each into a food and write the Greek letter in the middle of every one.
A recipe card for apple pi: 3 apples, 1 crust, 4 spoons of sugarUses the first 3 digits. Rule a card, draw each ingredient and write its digit beside it.
The letter pi built from three slices of pieDraw three long wedges with crimped ends. Lay one across the top and stand two under it.
Steam rising off a pie and bending into the Greek letterDraw the pie side on. Let two wisps rise and bend the third into a bar with two legs.
How it works
Pi Day art project ideas for March 14, a date chosen because pi begins 3, 1, 4. Each of the 48 projects uses the digits or a circle and says how to start.
Read the full guide
The digits the projects use
3.14159 26535 89793 23846 26433 8327. Those are the first 30 digits, and no zero appears among them. A digit picture turns each digit into a height, a count or a color, in order.
Circle projects with a lid and a string
Pi is the distance round a circle divided by the distance across it. A string wrapped round a circle, then laid across it three times shows it: the string crosses three times with a little left over.
Graph paper makes skylines, grids and graphs quick to rule.
Agree the ten colors for 0 to 9 before a class starts, so every chain matches.
Questions and answers
What is a Pi Day art project for a whole class?
A paper chain with one color for each digit, 0 to 9: every child adds links in digit order and the chain grows along the wall. A skyline of thirty towers, each as many floors tall as its digit suits graph paper.
Which Pi Day projects are easy?
Press once, then choose Easy in the list under the button. Ten clouds, each raining as many drops as its digit and A banner that spells PI DAY, each letter on its own paper pie need only counting and round shapes.
When is Pi Day?
March 14, written 3/14 in the United States, after the first three digits of pi. The first large celebration was held in 1988.
How many digits of pi do I need?
Thirty cover every project here, and many use ten or fewer: 3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2, 6, 5, 3. The digits never end, so stop where your paper does.