Outdoor Summer Games - Tic Tac Toe

I will admit that there are a LOT of pins with ideas for creating tic tac toe boards in fun and unusual ways. Ladybug and frog rocks, chalk paint and frisbees on the lawn, paper plates in hotel rooms – there’s even a version of tic tac toe with lego. It’s an easy game for any age and one that can be played just about anywhere.

Having written that, I do have a new, unique take on this fun, outdoor summer game…

what about incorporating it right into your child’s playhouse / treehouse?

I can’t take credit for the idea; the design team at Clancy’s Rainbow came up with both the concept and the colour palette, I was just responsible for the execution.

This is one of the landings on the girls treehouse / outdoor playground.

If you’ve followed along you’ll know that I’m in the midst of taking it from “kid” to “tween” in the hopes of prolonging the fun for a few more years. (cookies and iced tea are fundamental in my creative process) Last week it received an overall coat of Platinum Gray in Benjamin Moore’s Arborcoat® premium exterior stain from Clancy’s Rainbow.

The grey is gorgeous, but a little boring right?

Time to bring in the POW! BAM! ZOCKO! colours.

This is Gypsy Pink in Arborcoat® solid stain – isn’t it gorgeous?! Did you know that the entire line of Benjamin Moore waterborne exterior stains can be tinted to any colour you choose?

I measured out the narrowest section of the landing and then decided I wanted a three-inch border around my tic tac toe board. My measurement ended up being 31″ wide. From there, I measured the long side of the platform, subtracted my 31″ and then divided the remainder by 2 to give me an even border on either end. This was taped off with painter’s tape and given a coat of the Gypsy Pink.

Once that was dry, I divided my 31″ square into thirds – and marked a line every 10 1/3″ across and down – giving me two lines vertically and two horizontally. I taped these lines off and then placed tape on either side of the tape and removed the centre piece.

That sounds confusing – just look below and you’ll see.

I painted between the taped lines with Arborcoat® Eccentric Lime.

The great part about this is that Arborcoat® is an outdoor stain so there is no need to seal it afterward to protect it. This is a durable paint that can withstand scuffs and mud and pollen and come back to new with just a rinse of the hose.
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Enhances and protects while still allowing the texture of the wood to show through

Suitable for use on all types of wood and composite decking and siding

Superior UV protection

Resists blistering, peeling, stains, and scuffs

Mildew resistant

Excellent touch up and re-coat properties

Self-priming in most situations

Available in thousands of colours

The colour palette was all from the design consultants at Clancy’s Rainbow – as much as I’d love to take credit.

I used the same Arborcoat® on a few dollar store cork coasters to use as X’s and O’s.

The girls and I must have played 20 games of tic tac toe as soon as they saw it – which is a miracle given they usually prefer to play video games.

I am embarrassed to admit that I lost more than I won – which is probably why they kept wanting to play? Competitive little buggers!

What a fun addition to our outdoor playground / treehouse – and so easy to do with just a couple of tester pots of Arborcoat® premium exterior stain (in solid matte), some painter’s tape and a few cork coasters.

The details on the treehouse wall?

WAIT till you see what that’s all about!

This is just one of the many games you can play outdoors in the summer time with your kids, if they want something more adventurous than this though they may want to take a search into the summer camps in Maine. Where they offer a range of activities from swimming, water-skiing to rock climbing .. they have it all! But for now I think mine will stick to my new little tic-tac-toe game.

If you need help with design and colour palettes, you really should visit Leisa and her team – they have the knowledge, imagination and skill to take any project from blah to BLAM! Check out their blog for more tips and inspiration!