Play Garden Tic Tac Toe

Kids get crazy competitive over tic tac toe (and many parents do, too), so why not turn the classic paper-and-pencil game into a backyard adventure with a cheerful, homemade garden game board? Instead of Xs and Os, pick a garden theme—for example, bees versus ladybugs, tomatoes versus peppers, strawberries versus blueberries—then make the markers colorful and creative.

What You'll Need:

• 9 square pavers, each about 4" x 4" (or, if you don't have pavers, a wide, flat tree stump will do—just mark the grid with paint)
• 10 flat, smooth rocks from your yard, about 2 to 3 inches in diameter
• Craft paint in several colors
• Sponge paintbrush (for large areas)
• Fine artist paint brush (for details)
• Optional: UV-resistant clear acrylic sealer (to protect paint from weathering)

How to Make Your Tic Tac Toe Garden Game Board:

1.Wash the rocks to remove dirt and let them dry.

2.Decide how to decorate the rocks, picking two of your favorite garden insects, fruits, or veggies.

3.Paint 5 rocks with a fruit, veggie, or bug (e.g. a bee) and five rocks with a different fruit, veggie, or bug (e.g. a ladybug).

4.Optional: When the paint is completely dry, add the UV-resistant clear acrylic sealer.

5.Lay out the square pavers in the tic tac toe grid—three pavers each in three rows—so they're flush against each other.

6.When the rocks are completely dry, it's time to play! Each player picks his theme rocks. Decide who goes first by a quick "rock-paper-scissor."