Sorry I haven’t “blogged” in a while.  Life just gets in the way sometimes … I have no better excuse.  I have tried to use Facebook as my vehicle during December.  Hope you’ve been following us there!

Today I wanted to tell you about the game Spot It!, though.  We’ve had an absolute blast with it over the holidays and at all of our game nights this fall.

 The object of the game is to find the matching item between 2 cards.  There is one and ONLY one item that matches between any 2 cards.  Be the first to find it, and you capture that card.  The match won’t be in the same position, nor even the same size as the one on your card!  Be the player with the most matches at the end of the deck and you’ve won!  There are several variations of play included in the game, and a friend of mine said her kids and grandkids loved the game so much, they created their OWN version of play!  That’s fantastic!  I’ve said before that directions are only a suggestion in my book.  Many games are as much fun, if not more, when you make up your own variations.

And speaking of variations and adaptations, Spot It! is suggested for ages 7 – adult.  I’m here to tell you that you definitely can play this game with younger children!  Part of the age suggestion is because of the objects pictured on the cards.  Most children under 7 (and even some older children & adults) don’t have the vocabulary to name these items.  So before you start to play, sit with the youngest players and simply go over each of the objects and give each a name.  You don’t necessarily have to call it a Treble Clef … you could just call it “Music Symbol” or just “Music.”  There’s a list of each of the objects used in the game within the instructions, along with suggestions for an appropriate moniker.  Once they can name each object, you’re off to the races!

I love Spot It! for visual perception, and obviously vocabulary, not to mention pattern matching.  Spot It! also requires and strengthens quick mental processing.

I also love that it’s small enough to drop in your purse or slip into your pocket when traveling or eating out!  Pull it out in a waiting room (‘tis the season … you KNOW you’ll be in the doctor’s office in January or February!), or at a restaurant while you wait for your meal to come.  Keeps little ones engaged and entertained, and makes the time pass quickly for the older ones.  Having a “sleepover”?   (What a misnomer!  There’s no sleeping going on!)  Having friends over on a snow day?  All ages can play together.  Faaaan-tastic!  Love, love, LOVE this game!