Christmas noughts and crosses

  • 30
Time
+ -

Benefits
  • Bring Joy
  • Time Together
+ -

Participants
  • One to One or Group Activity

What you need

  1. Masking tape or thick cord
  2. 10 Christmas ornaments, such as gingerbread men or snowmen (5 of each, making sure they’re all the same)

Intro

No doubt you’ve played noughts and crosses 101 times as a kid. But have you played it with snowmen and gingerbread men? Probably not!

This is your classic game, played at scale, with a festive twist. You simply mark out a giant grid with masking tape and use Christmas ornaments instead of drawing noughts and crosses. It’s perfect for just 2 people or you can play in pairs or teams if in a group.

As you no doubt know, noughts and crosses is a mixture of fun and frustration. One minute you’re winning, then your opponent blocks you, then you’re winning again (if you’re lucky!)

Top tip

Playing in a group? Make things a bit more competitive by giving the team with the most wins a prize. How about a gingerbread man biscuit for everyone?

The Activity

  1. Prepare the game by laying out the cord/masking tape in a noughts and crosses grid
  2. Invite those taking part to sit around the table
  3. Explain/remind everyone of the rules of the game o To win, one player must get 3 ornaments in a row vertically, diagonally, or horizontally o They must take it in turns to place one ornament on one square
  4. Play for as long as everyone is having fun
  5. Playing with a larger group? Play in pairs and take it in turns
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