How do you play Scribbly Gum with a large group or classroom?

Because turns rely on a shared card or tile flip rather than taking individual physical turns, everyone draws on their own sheet at the exact same moment. One person calls out the turn, and thirty kids can draw simultaneously without adding any extra playtime.

Will kids get upset about other players ruining their moves?

No. Scribbly Gum is essentially multiplayer solitaire. You never cross into another player's tree, block their routes, or steal their food tokens, making it great for siblings who tend to fight during competitive games.

Are the scribbly gum tree facts actually accurate?

Yes. The scribbly gum is a real Australian eucalyptus species (Eucalyptus haemastoma and relatives). The wiggly zigzags across their trunks are genuinely caused by the feeding tracks of larvae from the scribbly gum moth (Ogmograptis species).

What happens when we run out of score sheets in the box?

The publisher Joey Games offers printable replacement sheets online, or you can slip a handful into cheap plastic dry-erase pockets so players can wipe them clean after every game.

Scribbly Gum – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Scribbly Gum

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Board Game2023Animals, Children's Game

87%

WISE Score

A breezy line-drawing game where players guide baby moth larvae through Australian tree bark to munch on food sets.

Scribbly Gum

Board Game

6+, 2023, Animals, Children's Game

87%

WISE Score

A breezy line-drawing game where players guide baby moth larvae through Australian tree bark to munch on food sets.

Jump to

Where to Play

Amazon

Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased. As an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns from qualifying purchases, so if you buy a book or game through one of our links, we may earn a commission. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)

Screenwise Verdict

Phil Walker-Harding has a knack for turning cozy concepts into clean, snappy tabletop games, and Scribbly Gum fits right into that pocket. Players trace the meandering feeding trails of baby scribbly gum moths across individual tree sheets, collecting food symbols to score sets.

Because every player draws at the same time, downtime is non-existent whether you have two kids at the kitchen table or an entire classroom drawing along. It is gentle, fast, and grounded in neat natural science without feeling like disguised homework.

Sue C wrote about this board game

Wombat Poo, By Joey Games - REVIEW

Age Fit

Ages 6 and up can pick up the spatial line-drawing instantly. Casual adults will enjoy it as a 15-minute filler, but serious gamers will find the decision tree pretty light.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Gentle, nature-focused theme rooted in Australian ecology with zero conflict or aggression.

Imaginative

Turns an obscure biological quirk—moth larvae burrowing into eucalyptus bark—into a clever visual path-making puzzle.

Safe

Clean tabletop paper-and-pencil game. No mature content, high-friction dynamic, or predatory digital loops.

Enriching

Builds basic spatial planning, set collection logic, and sparks curiosity about native wildlife habitats.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Plays at any player count without bogging down, because everyone draws simultaneously from the same central prompt.
Designed by Phil Walker-Harding (Sushi Go!, Bärenpark), who understands how to strip rules down to pure, accessible fun.
Anchored in real Australian ecology, teaching kids how scribbly gum trees get their distinctive squiggles in the wild.

⚠

What to Watch For

Virtually zero player interaction: Everyone keeps their heads down drawing on their own tree pad, which avoids sibling arguments but feels like a parallel solo puzzle.
Consumable paper pad: You will eventually burn through the included score sheets unless you slide a few into dry-erase pockets.

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think scribbly gum trees let moth caterpillars burrow under their bark without dying?"
"Did you focus on picking up complete food sets early or keeping your drawing paths wide open for later rounds?"
"What other weird patterns outside come from animals simply going about their daily lives?"

Deep Dive

The Charm of the Low-Stress Line-Drawer

Most modern "roll-and-write" style games get carried away with combos, bonus multipliers, and nested rule systems. Scribbly Gum runs in the exact opposite direction. You draw a line from your moth's current spot toward food items, score them, and watch your sheet slowly turn into the zigzag bark pattern of a real Australian eucalyptus tree.

Where It Fits on the Shelf

If your family has played Walker-Harding classics like Sushi Go! or Silver & Gold, you already know the design philosophy here. The turns are crisp, the goals are visually obvious, and nobody gets stuck waiting four minutes for someone else to finish their move.

Compared to Railroad Ink: Much simpler spatial rules. Kids do not have to stress over dead-end roads or strict grid alignment.
Compared to Cartographers: Far less scoring overhead and zero "monster attack" sabotage cards to trigger table meltdowns.

The Dry-Erase Trick

The game ships with a standard paper tear-off pad. If you play it frequently, buy a couple of cheap clear plastic sheet protectors and dry-erase markers. Sliding four player sheets into sleeves saves the pad and makes mistakes much easier for a six-year-old to correct mid-turn.

What Parents Ask

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic

Related Guides

Wombat Poo, By Joey Games - REVIEW

Writing about Scribbly Gum? Put this WISE score on your site