Wild 'Noughts and Crosses'

By Mel Evans

I was slightly horrified to discover my children had very little knowledge of the game ‘Noughts and Crosses’, so we decided to make our own version to play in the garden. At first I wondered how this little game might be able to compete with the X Box, so I was delighted (and surprised!) when they played many games of ‘Noughts and Crosses’ over the weekend.

You could have a game in the garden, on the beach or in the woods simply by making a grid from sticks and finding four things the same each to use as the ‘Noughts and Crosses’.

We played in the garden using Clematis Flowers and Ivy Leaves.

I wanted our set to be a little more permanent though so I could leave it in a basket in the garden as a prompt for us to have a game. I painted slices of wood with chalk paint and drew the ‘Noughts and Crosses’ on with chalk pens. Another idea is to paint pebbles.

We made a more permanent set from wood.

How ever you do it, a game of ‘Noughts and Crosses’ is really good, old fashioned family fun! Sometimes the simply ideas are the best!