Play systems have incorporated alphabet panels and tic-tac-toe panels to help children improve their concentration.These tic-tac-toe panels improve hand-eye coordination and encourage better social interaction by better collaborative play. And children shouldn’t just play with other children. Parents also have a role in the playground more than being supervisors. Children learn to interact with parents first before other people, so it’s important for parents in helping their children take their first few steps in social interactions. Playing tic-tac-toe isn’t just about playing with either the ‘X’ or the ‘O’.

Likewise, playground play isn’t also just about running around and having fun. They not only help children in terms of cognitive growth but also personal growth and even meaningful life lessons. A simple game like play tic tac toe can be a mirror of how people move through obstacles and handle decisions in life. It also shows you that the pluses outweigh the minuses and that you learn how to develop strategies to help you pull through. It’s these kinds of life lessons that you would want to share to your children.

But true to the process of learning, it’s best to let your children figure these out on their own. Let them run around playgrounds, play with new kids, and spend the afternoon jumping up and down. Limit their time in front of tablets, smartphones or laptops. Let them struggle to answer puzzles and games on their own, let them make mistakes, but always make sure to be nearby to help lead them to the right answer.

Just let them have fun. Let them use play time with freestanding tic-tac-toes with other children on the playground as a fun way to learn things, make new friends, and explore the world around them. The lessons they can learn and abilities they can develop from such activities will be priceless and worthwhile.