Have you played "Tapatan"?

Tapatan is a fun three in a row game originally from the Philippines.  It is closely related to "Tic Tac Toe" (also known as noughts and crosses).  It is a new alternative "fine motor" activity for me to use in therapy and fun for kids as an alternative to "Tic Tac Toe". 

Preparation 
To play, you will need a game board and 6 checker pieces (3 of one colour and 3 of another colour).

The game board is a square with intersecting lines - diagonal, horizontal and vertical.

Game Board suggestions
1. Draw the game board on paper and use checkers, rocks, pom poms, plastic milk bottle lids, blobs of playdough, figurines, blocks, coins, beads, buttons, etc. {Opportunity to incorporate development of fine motor skills in a game}.
2. Print the free game board found at the Your Kids OT shop and use checker pieces. Laminate for durability.
3. Draw the game board on a whiteboard and use magnets for checker pieces.
4. Use scrapbooking paper and create a personalised version of the gameboard.  Laminate for durability.  {For those following all my posts, this was packed in "Miss 7's backpack of fun" for our holiday travels.

Find free printable at the Your Kids OT Shop.

Game objective
First player to get three checkers in a row (horizontal, vertical or diagonal line) is the winner.

How to play
1. Players begin with 3 checker pieces each.
2. Players take turns to place their checker pieces onto the board until all checker pieces have been played (unless the first player wins).
3. After all the checker pieces have been player, players may move one of their checkers to an adjacent unoccupied space on the board.
4. Play continues until one player achieves three checkers in a row or a stalemate is declared when one player cannot move their checkers or a position is repeated three times.

Tapatan drawn on a whiteboard using magnets to play.

Tapatan made with scrapbooking paper and laminated for durability.

---

Here is a sample game unfolding...

Play 1: Red places first checker.

Play 2: Blue places first checker.

Play 3: Red places second checker

Play 4: Blue places second checker blocking red from having three in a row.

Play 5: Red places third checker blocking blue from having three in a row.

Play 6: Blue places third checker.

Play 7: Red moves one checker to an adjacent unoccupied space on the board.

Play 8: Blue moves one checker to an adjacent unoccupied space on the board and gets three blue checkers in a row. Blue is the winner.

---

Your school age kids will love TAPATAN!  Download it today or make your own game board this weekend.  Teachers, why not get your class to measure out the sides of the square and intersecting lines, then play the game.

 Let me know if your kids love it.  I would love to see photos if you have a go.  Try it this weekend.

Note: For those with a keen eye, yes I did notice that both my TAPATAN squares are slightly askew. Hopefully you can draw a straighter line than me.