Connect the Dots

Connect the Dots is a free online dot-to-dot game: join the numbered dots in order and a picture appears, then fills with color and shows its name. There are 24 original pictures, from a 10-dot star for little ones to a 60-dot castle, and you can play them in your browser with no download or sign-up, on a computer, tablet or phone.

How to play

Pick a picture from the list, or press Start to begin with picture 1. Each picture is a set of numbered dots on a sheet of paper.

• Tap or click dot 1, then dot 2, then dot 3 and so on. A line joins each dot to the one before it. You can tap the number next to a dot as well as the dot itself.
• Drag if you like: keep your finger or the mouse button down and slide from dot to dot. Each correct dot you pass over joins the line.
• Wrong dot? It gives a gentle shake and turns red for a moment, and nothing is drawn. Outside kids mode, it counts as a miss.
• Finish the picture: when you reach the last dot, the outline closes back to dot 1, the shape fills with color, details such as eyes, windows or wheels appear, and the picture’s name is revealed.

Every picture is one continuous outline, so you never have to lift your pen and start a new line.

The 24 pictures

The list runs from easiest to hardest by dot count: Star (10 dots), House, Fish, Heart, Apple, Sailboat, Pine Tree, Ice Cream, Flower, Cat, Umbrella, Mushroom, Rocket, Whale, Car, Turtle, Butterfly, Duck, Owl, Guitar, Dinosaur (40 dots), Airplane, Train and Castle (60 dots). The early pictures have 10 to 20 dots, which suits young children. The later ones climb to 60, with many more numbers to search through, so you have to look a little harder for the next one.

Kids mode and the glow hint

Next dot glow puts a soft pulsing ring around the dot you need next. It is on by default and you can switch it off with the Glow button or the H key if you want a real search.

Kids mode stops misses from counting. A wrong tap still shakes the dot, so children can see it was not the right one, but there is no penalty and every finished picture earns 3 stars. Both settings are remembered for next time.

Stars, times and the gallery

A picture finished with no misses earns 3 stars, one or two misses earn 2 stars, and more than that earns 1 star. The timer starts when you join dot 1 and pauses if you switch tabs or press P. Your best time and best stars for each picture are saved in your browser, along with how many pictures you have finished and how many dots you have joined in total.

Every finished picture goes into the Gallery in full color. Tap one to see it large on the board, then choose Draw it again to redo it. Pictures you have not finished yet show as question marks with their dot count.

Tips

• Look near the last dot first. The next number is almost always close by, because the dots follow the outline of the picture.
• Guess the picture early. After a few lines the shape often gives itself away, and knowing it helps you find the next dot faster.
• Use dragging on long straight runs. On the Castle walls or the Train roof, sliding along a row of dots is quicker than tapping each one.
• Turn the glow off for a challenge. With it off, the bigger pictures become a proper number hunt.

FAQ

Is Connect the Dots free?

Yes. All 24 pictures are free to play with no account and no install, and none of them are locked, so you can start with any picture from the list.

Is it good for young kids?

Yes. Turn on kids mode so wrong taps are never counted, keep the glow hint on, and start with the 10 to 20 dot pictures, which only need counting to 20. The numbers are large enough to read and tap on a small phone.

Can I play with a keyboard?

Yes. Space or Enter joins the next dot, H turns the glow hint on or off, R restarts the picture, P pauses and Esc opens the picture list.

Does it save my progress?

Your finished pictures, stars, best times and settings are stored in your browser on this device. Clearing your browser data resets them.

Like drawing? Fill in our online coloring book next, or sketch freely in the drawing game.