Use craft sticks and fall candy to make a fun pumpkin patch version of the dot game!

This would be fun for a fall party, Halloween party, or class activity. It’s also fun to just do at home with family!

Have you ever played the dot game? This classic pencil and paper game is great fun for kids. Basically, you draw a grid of dots on a piece of paper, usually 10 x 10. Then the two players take turns drawing horizontal or vertical lines that connect two dots. If you draw a line that completes a square, then that becomes “your” square. Write your initial in the box. Whoever has the most squares at the end of the game wins!

We decided to use a poster board to create a full fall-themed dot game. The best part (other than the fun pumpkin theme) is that it’s reusable! Kids can play over and over again!

Supplies Needed for a Pumpkin Patch Dot Game

  • A poster board – we used green
  • Mini craft sticks (2.5″ long)
  • A pencil
  • A black marker
  • A ruler
  • Fall items for game markers – we used candy corn and candy pumpkins

We bought our mini craft sticks at Hobby Lobby, but I have also seen them at Walmart and Michael’s. If you don’t have mini craft sticks, another great option is to use toothpicks. They are the same length!

Another idea is to use green, brown, or orange pipe cleaner segments.

You may want to use a non-candy game marker, especially if you’re doing this in a classroom or public setting. Here are some ideas: buttons in fall colors (one color for each player), fall “table scatter” (our Hobby Lobby has bags with both pumpkins and fall leaves), mini erasers, plastic bottle caps.

How to Play the Pumpkin Patch Dot Game

First, prepare you game board. Our poster board was 22 inches x 28 inches. I cut it so that it is now 22 inches x 16 inches.

Then I drew dots in a 6 x 8 configuration. This will result in 5 boxes x 7 boxes, or 35 total boxes. Since there are an odd number of boxes, there will always be a clear winner.

I did use a ruler, but my dots aren’t in perfectly straight lines. And it’s fine! I used the mini craft sticks to help with the spacing.

Now it’s time to play!

This is a two-player game. The players will take turns placing a craft stick on the board so that it connects two dots.

Players will want to avoid setting up the other player by creating a 3-sided square. Once it has that third side, the other player will be able to get a point.

Eventually, someone is going to get a square. Put one of your game markers inside the square to claim it.

Game play continues until all of the squares are filled. Then the players count up their squares to find the winner!

Want more fun fall activities and crafts?

  • Grab some paint markers and make Doodle Pumpkins. This is a great Halloween art activity for all ages, even teens.

2 Comments

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  1. Missy Oct 18, 2022

    What a great idea! I just used my projector to help draw the dots and have sent the posters off to be laminated! So easy to switch up themes with the seasons!

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  2. Sue Oct 18, 2022

    Thank you for these ideas! I'm going to make the dot game for a passive activity at our library. The bat info is going to be part of a static display, thanks a bunch. Happy Fall!

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