How to Play Human Tic Tac Toe

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 6, 2019

Human Tic tac toe is a game with a simple goal: get three X's or O's in a row on the life-size game board. Human tic tac toe is a great game for all ages, and it can be useful as a summer camp activity, a game at a family event, a gym class activity, and more. Add a more competitive aspect to this game by turning it into a relay race. Should you want a more exciting challenge, try adding variations to the basic version.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Organizing a Game of Human Tic Tac Toe

1
Set up the game board. Choose a level, open playing field for this game. Lay out your hula hoops in a three by three grid, just like a tic tac toe board drawn on paper. The hula hoops should be positioned so that there is little to no space between the hoops.
- If you're playing this game inside on hard floor, use masking tape to create your human tic tac toe board. On cement, you can draw the board with chalk.
- Check for holes, dangerous garbage (like broken glass), and other hazards, like roots or rocks, to prevent these from causing an injury while you play.
- If you're playing this game with many people, you might want to set up several game boards. This game works best with one to three players per team.^{[1]
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2
Determine the teams. Human tic tac toe can be played one-on-one or with teammates. When playing with teammates, each team should have no more than three members. Separate teams so that there are two teams per board. Teams should stand opposite of each other with the game board in between.
- Playing with more than three members per team is possible, but this will slow the game down and might bore younger players.^{[2]
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3
Select the starting team. Use a coin toss to determine which team goes first. You could also have teams select a captain and have the captains play rock, paper, scissors to choose the starting team. The starting team will go first as the X's, the opposing team with follow as the O's.^{[3]
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- To add a more physical aspect to this game, have teams race to a location and back again. Award the first move to the team that wins the race.
4
Play until a team gets three squares in a row. Hand each team four bean bags, with each team having a different color so you can tell X's apart from O's. Teams should take turns placing bean bags on the game board until one team wins or the game ends in a draw. For teams with more than one member, rotate through members until the game ends.^{[4]
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- Reset the board by removing the bean bags and play again. You may want to shuffle teams so players don't get bored playing the same people over and over again.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Having a Human Tic Tac Toe Relay

1
Arrange your game board. A flat, wide open space is ideal for this game. If you're playing outside, use hula hoops to create a three by three grid with the hoops in the shape of a tic tac toe board. If playing indoors, use masking tape to mark out the game board on the floor. Use chalk to draw the board on cement.^{[5]
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2
Separate players into teams. Each team should have three players. Give each player two bean bags. Teammates should have the same color bean bags, but opposing teams should have different colors bags.
3
Set up a start marker. Set a start marker, like a cone, on opposing sides of the board, with each marker 15 feet (4.6 m) away from the game board. Each teams should line up behind a single start marker.
- Feel free to adjust the distance between the start markers and game board. A longer relay may be more suitable for older players, and shorter ones younger children.^{[6]
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4
Run the tic tac toe relay. Have a judge yell “1, 2, 3 – go!” Players might also start on a three count. Once the signal is given, players should run to the board and place their marker in an open square. When that player returns and high-fives the next teammate in line back at the start marker, that teammate can run to place their marker and return to tag the next player, and so on.
- Players should continue to run the relay until one team gets three squares in a row or the game ends in a draw.^{[7]
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5
Shuffle teams and play again, if desired. After two games, shuffle players between teams to keep things fresh and exciting. Have players track their wins. After several rounds, have a special Round of Champions between the players who have the most combined wins. The winning team will be the Grand Champions.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Adding Variations

1
Use players to represent X's and O's. For this variation, you'll need to have four players per team. Select one team as X's by a coin toss or by having teams play rock, paper, scissors. The team that wins goes first as the X's.
- Teams should alternate back and forth, with X's taking the first move. Each move, a single player stands on an unoccupied square on the board.
- While occupying a square, X's must do jumping jacks. O's must do sit ups while occupying their squares.
- Players must continue performing their action while occupying a square on the gameboard. The game ends when one team gets three squares in a row or the game ends in a tie.
- Feel free to use different exercises for X's and O's while they occupy their squares. Basic exercises, like pushups, burpees, flutter kicks, and so on, work well.
2
Add obstacles to your game of human tic tac toe. Place starting markers on opposite sides of the board. Each marker should be an equal distance from the game board. Then:
- Require players to spin a hula hoop 10 times around their waist on their way to the game board.
- Place tires between the starting mark and the game board. Players should step into the centers of the tires on their way to the game board.
- Set an obstacle for players to jump over on their way to the game board, like a tall, sturdy box, a hurdle, and so on.
- Require players to perform an activity, like jumping rope, playing hopscotch, shooting a basket in a toy hoop, and so on, before they can proceed to the game board.
3
Create a skillshot requirement. Set a marker for each team on opposite sides of the gameboard, with each marker an equal distance away from the game board. Teams alternate turns. Each turn, one player attempts to capture a square for their team by tossing a bean bag from behind the marker into an unoccupied square.
- When a player misses a shot or throws a bean bag onto an occupied square, that player forfeits their turn to the opposing team.