Garden Bug Tic-Tac-Toe

Step 1: Gather Materials

The best part of Garden Bug Tic-Tac-Toe is that it can be relatively inexpensive to make!

First, you will need to either purchase or find some rocks. Generally, a good size is about the size of a lime. The rocks need to be clean and smooth for painting. You will need ten rocks total (5 for each team). Second, you need to gather an assortment of paintbrush sizes and paint. One small bottle of black acrylic paint will cover all of the rocks. Then, a small bottle of white, red, and yellow acrylic paint will be needed to decorate the rocks like Lady Bugs and Bees. After you paint the rocks, you will want to spray them with an acrylic sealer. This protects them through multiple uses. You will also need some sort of base to play the game on. I used a tree stump board as my base but you can be creative with this part!

Summary of supplies: 10 rocks, assorted paint brushes, black, red, white, and yellow acrylic paint, acrylic sealer, base for the tic-tac-toe grid to go on

Step 2: Paint the Base Coat

All of the rocks will need to be painted black. Apply an even layer of black paint to the top half of all of the rocks. Let the paint dry and flip them over to paint the other side. A single coat of black paint should suffice. Let the rocks dry thoroughly before moving on to step 3.

Step 3: Paint the Bug Features

Divide up the rocks to make five Lady Bugs and Five Bees. The first detail to paint on the Lady Bug is the red outer shell. The first detail to paint on the Bee is the stripes. After the first coat dries on both the red shell and the yellow stripes, another coat of paint may be needed to increase opacity. Make sure to leave a black space on both for the head.

Step 4: Adding Details

Once the paint from step 3 is dry, you can begin step 4. For the Lady Bug, you will need a clean brush and black paint to add the spots. Paint the spots how you see fit on the red shell. Then, get a small clean brush for white paint. Paint the markings on the face of the lady bug and add white details as desired. Have fun with the process and take creative liberties if you would like! On the Bee, use a small clean brush to add white paint for the wings, eyes, and antennae. The white paint will likely need another coat after it dries. Then, use a small clean brush with black paint to outline the details of the wings and create the eyes and antennae. The white paint makes the features stand out.

Step 5: Sealing the Paint

(THIS STEP SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY AN ADULT) After all of your rocks are painted, they need to be protected. I used Matte Modge Podge Acrylic Sealer. You will generally have the option of glossy or matte at the store. Take the rocks outside and place them on a paint-friendly surface (newspaper or spare cardboard). Follow the directions on the spray can and spray the top part of all of the rocks. Let them dry, flip the rocks over, and spray the sealer on the bottom part of the rocks. This gives them a shine and protects the paint. Let this dry outside (you may want to leave them outside for about 30 minutes afterwards to let the smell subside).

Step 6: Creating the Board

Now that you have your Garden Bug Tic-Tac-Toe rocks ready, you will need a surface to play on. Take your board and draw out a grid that will be big enough to fit the rocks within the lines. Paint it with your color of choice and decorate it as desired. Let the paint dry and then spray the board with a coat of acrylic sealer from step 5 (BY AN ADULT). Let this dry for about 30 minutes and then you will be ready to play!

This is a great option if you’re looking for inexpensive and durable bug themed games for kids and adults alike! We used Lady Bugs and Bees to complete our Garden Bug Tic-Tac-Toe but you can be creative when creating your own bug themed games for kids!

Patton Termite & Pest Control is a family owned and operated business that keeps family values as the backbone of the company. If you do try this guide, we’d love to see what your family created!