Search & Find - Giant Family Fun Pad

GIANT Search & Find fun book.

Search & Find books are a fun way to work on figure ground skills. This Giant Family-Fun Pad is made by KidsBooks (kidsbooks.com). The Scholastic brand I Spy line includes big books as well as many games. For more information about I SPY products that I have blogged about, click here. 

This book is LARGE.  It measures about 18.5" x 14.5". Let me say up front that my version of this book looks different than the one that is on Amazon now. It's the same theme, but the cover is different. I got the image above from their website so I know the Amazon image is the up-to-date version and my version must be an older version. I have been lucky to stumble onto several new books in this line over the years for $1.98 at one of my local stores. I've used them for gifts as well as used them in therapy.

The book is full of pages that you can tear out. My book has 32 pages but their website does not say how many pages the newer version of this book has. Sometimes I marvel that people can even sell products with the vague descriptions that they give (one reason I decided to start this blog). 

You can see from this image below that some of the pictures in these books can be quite detailed. If you need more of a starter book, this is probably not it just because of the number of items that can be found on one page. For starter books (less crowded pictures), look at the Search & Find books. They come in different levels. I have several of those too and will blog about them some day.

There are two levels of difficulty on each page. You can see along the top they show you pictures with words and you can search for the picture. Down the left side of the page they just give you words and you have to find the picture without any visual clues. Check the box next to each picture as you find it. If someone else is going to use it after you, don't check the boxes. Just search for each picture in order and only move on after you have found it. Sometimes if we search awhile and can't find it we move on to the next one to avoid frustration, but I ask them to keep it in mind as they look for others and someone eventually spots it.

Try this:

• Ask the individual to study a picture at the top of the page to remember. Then cover it up and see if they can find it in the picture.
• Rehearse the item you are looking for in your mind as you go. You could think it or even say it out loud several times as you look. You will be looking at a lot of different objects and it may be hard for some to keep in mind what they are looking for.
• Give the person a clue if they can't find what they are looking for. Of course this means you will have to find it first. I will say "It's on the left hand side of the picture" or "It's on the bottom" or "Look in the top right corner" etc.
• Work on writing the alphabet. After finding one of the pictures I will ask the person to make a large letter over the picture to indicate we found it. An obvious example would be to write the letter X over the picture but I have used other letters as well.
• Work on figure ground, visual discrimination, use of a writing tool, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation. 

If you are interested in purchasing this book or just want more information, go to Amazon or the Kidsbook.com website.