DIY Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe

Tic-Tac-Toe, Naughts and Crosses, Xs and Os, Three In A Row – this game has so many alternative names! Despite this, the concept is always the same. Players take turns to mark the spaces in a 3×3 grid. The player who is able to place three of their marks in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row wins the game. To introduce Adam to the game, I created our own DIY Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe.

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Despite not having an ounce of artistic ability in my body I am pleased with how our DIY Tic-Tac-Toe counters turned out. After the success of our Hiku Penguin Story Stones, I love painting pebbles!

I created five Father Christmas’ by using red acrylic paint for his clothing and white acrylic paint for his beard and coat trimming. I mixed the red and white acrylic paint together to paint Father Christmas’ face and used a Sharpie Fine Permanent Marker Pen to outline everything and add facial features.

To make the five Snowmen I added several layers of white acrylic paint, used orange acrylic paint to make his carrot nose and added eyes and his mouth using the Sharpie Fine Permanent Marker Pen.

As our Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe can be used as a Busy Bag I wanted a way of storing our game. This cute Christmas Tree box is from Tiger Stores UK and is perfect for holding everything together.

To create our 3×3 grid I used Santa Hat ribbon. You could always use tinsel to give the game an additional festive feel!

It was time to have a game of Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe. Adam has fallen in love with Father Christmas this year so it was obvious who he was going to choose. Last year he would only call Father Christmas “Papa DeeDee”. Unfortunately he seems to have lost that nickname – despite the rest of us now saying Papa DeeDee.

Adam got the idea of taking it turns to place a pebble onto the grid but it took longer for him to understand the concept of making either a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row. This will come with time and I can see our DIY Christmas Tic-Tac-Toe being used many times over the festive season.

Equipment:

* Pebbles. I purchased these from our local garden centre

* red and white acrylic paint

* Sharpie Fine Permanent Marker Pen

* Ribbon

* Storage box – we purchased ours from Tiger Stores UK.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

Christmas Tree Counting Fine Motor Activity // Sugar Aunts

Fine Motor and Color Sorting Christmas Trees // Teach Me Mommy

Christmas I Spy Bottle // The Pleasantest Thing

Christmas Tree Counting Number Cards // Modern Preschool

Christmas Playdough Kit // Study At Home Mama

Reusable Pom Pom Christmas Tree Busy Bag // Powerful Mothering

Free Printable Christmas Games // Life Over Cs

Free Gingerbread CVC Game // The Kindergarten Connection

Free Christmas Number Clip Cards // Fairy Poppins

Free Christmas Themed Prewriting Practice Cards // Stay At Home Educator

Felt Christmas Tree Number Match Up // Frogs Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Christmas Stocking Matching Activity // Play & Learn Everyday

Free Printable Holiday Word Clouds // Lalymom

Christmas Addition to 15 // Liz’s Early Learning Spot

Free Christmas Counting Cards // Playdough to Plato

Christmas Stamp Patterns // Still Playing School

Christmas Tree Decorating Felt Busy Bag // Coffee Cups and Crayons

Are you looking for Christmas Ornaments crafts to do with your children? Then take a look at Red Ted Art’s Christmas Ornaments ebook. Find 30 festive easy-to-do ideas all in one place. Click here to find out more.

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