Look & Find Differences

Look & Find Differences

Look and find activities are commonly found in many occupational therapy departments. Look & Find Differences focuses on visual discrimination and the ability to tell when things are different, and how.

There are 17 sets of two cards with bright, kid-friendly images. Each set is made up of two cards, one marked A and one marked B, but they are not exactly alike. Note the two cards to the left and you will see that there are 5 differences, even though at first glance they may look the same. The cards are not marked with the black circles and the numbers as they are in the image (that wouldn't be much of a challenge).

 The differences are mostly in color, shape, size, position, and quantity. It will require sustained focus and attention to find the differences. I bought this game second-hand and there were no instructions in the box so I can't tell you whether the instructions name all the differences for each card, but I have never seen a game like this where it did include the answers. If there is not a list of differences included, you could go through ahead of time, find the differences, and write them on the back of the card. This will save you from having to "play along" during therapy and could save time. The cards measure 3" x 3" and are a good thickness, about 1/8".

Object:
Find all the differences for each set.

Set up:
Put one set of cards in front of the player. 

Play: 
Player looks at both cards, finds and verbally describes the differences. Present one set at a time until you have gone through all the cards.

Try this:

• Look over one set before you ask the individual to begin. Point out the differences and talk it out as you go. Explain how to break the picture down for faster and easier work and to cover each aspect of the image. Say something like "Let's look at the boy's head first. Is the hair the same, the eyes, the mouth? Now let's look at his clothes. Is his shirt the same?" If the individual does not note the differences, you could then ask "Is the color the same? Are the sleeves the same length? How are they different?" Model how to describe the differences in terms of size, shape, color, orientation, etc. 
• Play with more than one person and let individuals write their answers and then compare. Anyone getting them all gets a point. Or give one point for each right answer. Player with the most points at the end wins.
• Play with more than one person, let individuals write their answers but put a timer on it. Person that has matched the most differences get the set. If two people tie, give each person a card. Person with most cards at the end wins.
• Place one card in front of the player. Place 2 or more cards above that and ask the player to find the card that matches his. Place more cards to look over to increase the figure ground challenge. Place pictures in different orientations than the player's picture to include a visual form constancy challenge.
• Play a game of memory match with the cards turning over two on each turn and trying to match the sets.
• Play along with the individual, taking turns naming the differences if the game is to tedious or the individual is struggling.
• Look on the back of the card before starting a set, if you have written the answers there, and tell the individual how many differences he can find. This will help you know when you are done, when you can quit looking.
• Have some kind of marker handy if you want to keep track of how many differences, something like pennies or dry beans. Each time you find a difference, push one of the markers aside. It can be hard to remember how many you have found when you are doing a lot of talking and concentrating on details in between. Then you won't have to keep going back and recounting.
• Work on visual discrimination, spatial relations, visual memory, manual dexterity, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 34 cards
 
This game is not sold at Amazon but there are still smaller stores on the internet that sell it if you are interested in it. Amazon does have similar games however.

Brown Bear - Panda Bear What Do You See?

A board-based memory game.

This game is based on a children's book that I have neither read nor seen, but you can still play the game without it. I don't think I've ever seen a memory game with a game board, and that means that one of each of your sets is already found. The game board shows four large bears and under each bear are pictures of eight animals. The 32 animal cards will match the animals on the board (minus the bears). Some of the animals are fox, duck, frog, horse, monkey, fish and penguin. The pieces are sturdy and the game board is folded into fourths in the box.

Object:
Be the first to cover all of your eight animals and recite the rhyme.

Set up: 
Place the board in the middle of the players. Turn the four bear cards face-down and each player chooses one. The cards will show either a panda bear or a brown bear. The picture you choose will tell you where to sit at the board. Take your place at the board. Turn the 32 animal cards face-down in the middle of the board or off to the side.

Play:
Players take turns flipping one animal card face-up. If it matches one of the eight animals that they need, they pick it up and place it on the picture in front of them. If not, they turn it back over in the same spot and the next person plays. Once someone matches all eight pictures in front of them they recite the rhyme: Brown bear, brown bear (or panda bear, panda bear) what do you see? I see a... The player will then name the eight animals lined up in front of them and win the game.

Try this:

• Skip the board and just play a memory game as there are 16 sets in all. There are two of each animal card since one panda and one brown bear have the same set of pictures and the other panda and brown bear have a different set of pictures.
• Name each animal, including the color, each time you turn over an animal.
• Place only the cards needed on the board during set up. For instance, if only two people are playing, only 16 cards will be needed.
• Place one of each animal in a pair upside-down when you are playing a memory game without the board. The players will have to recognize a set when the cards are in different orientations. The side of the card that does not picture the animal has stripes (see the image above). The red strip is the bottom of each card. Savvy players may figure out that if they turn over a card with a red strip at the bottom, the match to that will have a red strip at the top. It may take a few games to put it together though.
• Give the player a small stack of cards and ask them to place them on the board during set up, pushing each top card off the stack with the thumb as he separates them.
• Require that each card is picked up where it lies and not moved to the edge for a better grip. The cards are about 1/16 inch thick, so they are not flat.
• Make the game a little more difficult by requiring players to find their sets in the same sequence as the animals that are pictured lined up on the board. If you match one of your sets out of sequence, you have to leave it in place until you come to that animal in your line-up.
• Work on visual discrimination, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, eye-hand coordination, visual memory, socialization skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

In the box: game board, 4 bear cards, 32 animal cards

 

If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below.