About Tic-Tac-Toe
Tic-tac-toe is small enough that a child can eventually understand it completely, which is unusual and valuable. Along the way they discover blocking - that stopping an opponent matters as much as advancing yourself - and that is often a child's first encounter with thinking about someone else's intentions rather than only their own.
What this game teaches
- Looking for a winning line before making a move
- Blocking an opponent who is about to win
- Thinking one move ahead rather than reacting
- Recognising that the centre square is worth more than the edges
- Handling losing and drawing without giving up
How to play
- You play as X and the computer plays as O.
- Tap any empty square to place your mark.
- Get three in a row to win.
- Scores are kept across games and can be reset.
Before you start
No prior knowledge is needed beyond recognising a line of three. This suits very young children playing casually and older ones playing seriously.
For teachers
Ask children to say what they think the computer will do next before they move. That single question converts the game from reaction to strategy, and it is the same reasoning that underlies far more complex games.
For parents
When your child loses, ask which move they would change. Reviewing one move is more useful than another whole game.
Related games
- Category Game — Class 1-4
- Decode the Words — Class 3-7
- Find the Different Color — Class 1-6