Play Noughts and Crosses Using Gumnuts and Sticks
During school holidays, I prefer to keep my kids off their devices as much as possible. After the initial grumbling, it’s amazing to see how much better everyone gets along. Instead of being in their own world, my children interact and play together, using their imaginations and creativity to fill their time.
The Benefits of Games for Siblings
Engaging in games for siblings is a great way to teach important social skills, such as:
- Turn-taking
- Language skills
- Conflict resolution
- Following rules and directions
- Problem-solving
- Decision-making
Research has shown that finding time to play games as a family can have huge benefits including supporting open and effective communication and a greater sense of togetherness. It can even help children to develop academic skills such as mathematical reasoning and reading. Board games are a fantastic way to get the whole family involved in play time, but there are other fun games for siblings at home these school holidays you should consider – such as noughts and crosses.
DIY Noughts and Crosses Game
Noughts and Crosses, also known as knots and crosses or tic-tac-toe, is a two-player game which you may have played before using a pen and paper. This noughts and crosses craft was inspired by a conversation I had with my girls one day when they asked how the Gumnut Babies would have played this game out in the Aussie bush. That’s why this DIY Noughts and Crosses game uses gumnuts and sticks as the pieces!
It’s an easy game to make these school holidays, and best of all, the brown paper bag keeps all the pieces together for the next time you play.
You will need:
- Sticks
- Secateurs
- Glue gun
- Gumnuts
- Brown paper bag
- Ruler
- Permanent marker
Instructions
- Use the secateurs to cut your sticks to 3cm lengths.
- Use a glue gun to adhere two sticks together to make a cross. You will need to make 5 crosses (so 10 x 3cm sticks will be needed).
- Trim your gumnuts so there is no stem or branch. You will need 5 gumnuts.
- Use a ruler to draw your noughts and crosses game board on the brown paper bag. You will need two vertical lines and two intersecting horizontal lines, equally spaced apart. (The brown paper bag will be used to store your game pieces when you’ve finished playing.)
- Start playing noughts and crosses.
How to play noughts and crosses
The aim of the game is to get all your pieces in a row, whether vertically, horizontally or diagonally.
Each person takes their turn to place their piece on the board.
The first person to place their pieces on the board in a row is the winner.
Noughts and crosses is a game of skill as you have to watch where your opponent places their pieces but also consider how you can place your pieces in a row to win.
The whole family will have hours of delight with this engaging game of skill and strategy.
Happy playing!
Crafty Bec
Crafty Bec is here to help stimulate little imaginations and spark a creative flame in little people. Inspired by May Gibbs’ own passion for creative writing and art, Bec helps educators and mums to embrace nature inspired creativity.