I saw this cute idea for a summer craft on Pinterest, and just had to try it out for myself and make it my own. Instead of using rocks and painting them, you can use these clear plastic stones and paper to create the ladybug and bee pieces. Also, by using a box instead of just a flat surface, you can store the pieces after you play!

Materials:

• Wood or Paper Box
• Clear Plastic Stones
• Wiggly Eyes
• Art Paper
• Clear Glue (or Tacky Glue)
• Permanent Marker
• Scissors

You will also need:

• Wood Stain
• Foam Brush
• Tape

Tic Tac Toe with Ladybug & Bees – Craft Tutorial

Step 1: Prepare your box

First, sand the box to remove any rough edges or surfaces. Then wipe away any remaining dust with a slightly damp cloth. Now you are ready to stain your box. Using a foam brush, cover the box with wood stain, brushing with the grain. Wipe some of the stain off to get a lighter color. Allow to dry.

Step 2: Tic Tac Toe board

Use electrical tape for the tic tac toe squares. The tape from S&S comes 7 mm thick, which makes it very easy so you don’t have to cut the tape into strips. You will cut 4 strips of tape. Two strips that are about 6 inches long, and two strips that are about 4.5 inches long. You can cut off any excess after applying to your box. NOTE: You can also choose to paint the black squares on with acrylic paint, or Mod Podge strips of paper on to get a glossy look.

Step 3: Create your Ladybug & Bee Pieces

A. Draw these shapes on your paper with a permanent marker. Yellow is for the bees, red for the ladybugs. Let the marker dry for a few minutes.

B. Glue the clear plastic stone to the paper on top of your design. Let the glue dry for about 5 minutes. TIP: Paint the glue onto the bottom of the clear plastic stone with a small paintbrush. This will ensure you have covered the surface with an even amount of glue.

C. Cut along the edge of the plastic stone to cut off the excess paper.

D. Now glue the wiggly eyes onto the plastic stone, making sure they are on the thick black part, which is the bugs’ head. TIP: We recommend using glue dots for this, since you are applying the eyes to a curved surface. Aren’t they adorable?

Step 4: Play Tic Tac Toe!

Your craft is done! Now grab a partner and play Tic Tac Toe! One person has the ladybug pieces, the other has the bee pieces. When you are finished playing, the box is used to store the pieces.