Four in a Row
Drop your tokens and make a line of four before Mathumo does.
- Ages 5–8
- Planning ahead
- Lines and patterns
Tic-Tac-Toe
Play tic tac toe 2 player on the same device, or play Mathumo at three strengths. Get three in a row first. Free for ages 4 to 8.
Your turn. Tap a square to place your X.
How to play
Get three in a row first. Free for ages 4 to 8.
- Pick a mode: Two players for tic tac toe 2 player on the same device, Play Mathumo, or Puzzles.
- Against Mathumo you are X and go first. Choose Friendly, Thinking or Clever for how well Mathumo plays.
- Tap an empty square to place your mark. Then it is the other player’s turn.
- Get three of your marks in a row, across, down or corner to corner, to win. If all nine squares fill up with no row, it is a draw.
- In Puzzles, the board is already part way through a game. Find the one square that wins, or the one square that stops the other player from winning.
- Changed your mind? Undo takes back your last move, and Mathumo’s reply.
Stuck on a puzzle? Show a hint lights up the row to look at, and a second tap shows the square. It never plays for you.
What children learn
- Strategy: seeing which squares matter most, like the center and the corners.
- Planning ahead: asking “what will happen if I put my mark here?” and “what is my opponent about to do?”
- Taking turns: waiting, watching and playing fair against a friend on the same device.
- Patterns: spotting rows, columns and diagonals, and the empty square that completes one.
More games
Checkers
Jump, capture and crown kings on a mini 6×6 board or the classic 8×8.
- Ages 6–8
- Strategy
- Planning ahead
Sudoku for Kids
Shape and number puzzles with one answer each.
- Ages 4–8
- Logical thinking
- Shapes and numbers 1 to 6
Questions about Tic-Tac-Toe
How do you play tic tac toe with 2 players?
Choose Two players, then take turns tapping an empty square on the same device, each player with their own mark. The first to get three marks in a row, across, down or corner to corner, wins. If all nine squares fill with no row, it is a draw. Nothing needs signing up for and nothing is saved.
Is there a way to always win at tic-tac-toe?
No. If both players make the best move every turn, tic-tac-toe always ends in a draw. The player who goes first can win only when the other player makes a mistake. That is why the Clever setting here never loses and often draws: it plays perfectly.
Who should go first in tic-tac-toe?
Going first is a small advantage, because the first player can start in the center or a corner. In this game you go first against Mathumo, and the starter switches each time you play again so both sides get a turn.
What is the best first move?
A corner or the center. Both keep the most winning rows open. Starting on an edge square gives the other player an easier time. A good rule for beginners: take the center if you can, then a corner.
What age can children start playing tic-tac-toe?
Many children can play from about age 4 or 5, once they can take turns and spot three marks in a line. The one-move puzzles, “Can you win next?” and “Can you stop a win?”, help children learn to look at the whole board before choosing a square.