Make a Fabric Tic-Tac-Toe Board
Make a fabric tic-tac-toe board by cutting and gluing or hand-stitching felt squares, creating X and O pieces, and learn measuring and strategy.
Step-by-step guide to make a fabric tic-tac-toe board
Step 1
Gather all the materials on a clean flat table so everything is easy to reach.
Step 2
Use the ruler and pencil to measure and mark a 15 cm by 15 cm square on the cardboard backing.
Step 3
Cut out the marked 15 cm square from the cardboard carefully with scissors.
Step 4
Cut a piece of background felt the same 15 cm by 15 cm size as the cardboard.
Step 5
Glue the felt to the cardboard square and press it flat so it sticks well.
Step 6
Measure and mark two vertical lines and two horizontal lines 5 cm apart on the felt to make the grid guides.
Step 7
Cut four thin strips of contrasting felt about 1 cm wide and the same length as the board edges.
Step 8
Glue the four felt strips over the marked lines to form the tic-tac-toe grid.
Step 9
Use a pencil or fabric marker to draw five X shapes and five O circles on the extra felt scraps.
Step 10
Cut out the five X shapes and five O circles from the scrap felt using scissors.
Step 11
Arrange your X and O pieces next to the board so they are ready to play.
Step 12
Play a game of tic-tac-toe with a friend or family member and try different winning strategies.
Step 13
Share a photo of your finished fabric tic-tac-toe board and tell how you played on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can I use if I don't have felt or cardboard?
Use a cereal box or posterboard cut to a 15 cm by 15 cm square for the cardboard backing and substitute construction paper, cotton fabric, or an old T‑shirt cut to 15x15 cm for the background felt before gluing.
My felt strips keep coming off—how do I fix that?
After you glue the four 1 cm felt strips over the marked lines, press them flat and weight the board with heavy books until dry or use hot glue or double‑sided tape to secure the strips firmly over the marked grid lines.
How can I adapt this activity for different ages?
For ages 3–5 have an adult pre‑measure and pre‑cut the 15 cm square and the four 1 cm strips and use large sticker Xs and Os, while older kids can measure the 5 cm grid, cut precise felt Xs and Os, and decorate with fabric markers.
How can we improve or personalize our tic-tac-toe board?
Personalize it by decorating the 15 cm felt background with fabric markers, gluing small magnets or Velcro dots to the backs of the five X and five O pieces, and adding a fabric pocket to store pieces before sharing a photo on DIY.org.
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Facts about sewing and fabric crafts for kids
♟️ Tic-tac-toe is a 'solved' game: with perfect play it always ends in a draw, and there are 255,168 possible games.
✂️ Felt is one of the oldest textiles — people have been matting fibers and making felt for thousands of years.
🪡 Easy hand stitches like the running stitch and whipstitch are perfect for sewing or joining felt squares.
📏 Measuring your board carefully with a ruler helps you make a tidy 3×3 grid so Xs and Os fit just right.
🧩 Tic-tac-toe is also called noughts and crosses and a similar game (terni lapilli) was played by the ancient Romans!
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