Occupational Therapy Game Highlight: Spot It!
- Leanne Buckman
- Mar 19
- 4 min read
Spot It is an all-time favorite OT game that packs a punch when it comes to benefits. From visual skills to hand eye coordination, executive functioning, and social-emotional skills like turn-taking, it's a game changer. Read on to learn the benefits and how it can be modified to meet your child where they're at.
The Benefits:
Spot It! is a simple game: between any two cards in the deck, there is always one matching symbol. Your goal is to be the first to find and name it. This simple action requires a complex series of skills that are fundamental to higher level skill.
1. Visual Perceptual Skills:
Visual perception is not about how well you can see, but how your brain interprets what your eyes are seeing. It is critical for reading, writing, and navigating the world. Spot It! targets three areas of visual perception:
Figure-Ground: This is the ability to locate a specific image within a busy, complex background. In Spot It!, kids must ignore dozens of distracting symbols to find the single match they need. This skill translates directly to searching for a specific sock in a messy drawer, finding a word on a full page of text, or locating a favorite book on a crowded shelf.
Visual Discrimination: This is the ability to differentiate between similar items based on characteristics like color, shape, and size. Symbols on Spot It! cards can appear in different sizes between cards, forcing the brain to recognize the form regardless of its dimensions (form constancy).
Visual Scanning: This is the voluntary fixation of the eyes from one point in the visual field to another in a systematic pattern. Players must scan multiple cards quickly and efficiently to be the first to "spot it." This skill is foundational for tracking lines of text while reading.
2. Fine Motor and Visual-Motor Integration
Manipulating the cards.
Coordinating the action of spotting the image with pointing or slapping the card (visual-motor integration).
Trading cards quickly without dropping them (dexterity).
Sorting the cards to deal and separate the pile.
3. Cognitive and Executive Functioning
Sustained Attention and Concentration: Staying focused on the goal through several rounds of play.
Processing Speed: How quickly the brain can make sense of visual information and execute a decision.
Working Memory: Holding information (e.g., the symbol you are looking for) briefly in your mind while processing new information.
Ways to Modify: Making the Game Accessible for All
OTs are experts at grading and modifying activities for their clients. Here are practical ways to modify Spot It! based on specific player needs so you can do the same at home:
1. For Players with Reduced Fine Motor Dexterity
If holding or swapping cards is difficult:
Remove the Speed Element: Take away the clock. Focus purely on accuracy, allowing the player as much time as they need to find the match.
Play on a Tabletop: Lay the two comparison cards flat on the table. When the player finds the match, have them point or slap the matching symbol instead of needing to pick up the card.
Use an Easel: Prop the cards up vertically on an easel to reduce the demand on hand manipulation and encourage eye-hand coordination in a different plane.
2. For Players with Lower Attention Span or Difficulty with Overwhelm
Spot It! cards are intentionally busy. For some kids, the standard 8 symbols per card can be sensory overload.
Remove Complexity (Spot It! Jr.): Consider starting with Spot It! Jr. editions (like the animal version), which often feature fewer symbols per card (e.g., 6 symbols instead of 8) and clearer, more recognizable images.
Limit the Playtime: Play just "one mini-game" or set a timer for 5 minutes. End on a high note before attention drifts or frustration mounts.
"Feed the Beast" Modification: Lay two cards out. If the child finds the match, they get to "feed" that card to a preferred container (like a box decorated to look like a monster). This breaks the game down into discrete, manageable turns.
3. For Players with Cognitive or Social-Emotional Challenges
Cooperative Play: Instead of racing against each other, race against a timer together. "Let's see if we can find 10 matches in 2 minutes!" This removes the social stress of losing and focuses on teamwork.
One-on-One Play: In a therapy session, the therapist can adjust their own processing speed to be just slightly faster or slower than the child, ensuring the child experiences success while still being challenged.
"Hide and Seek" Spot It: Lay several cards face-down around the room. The child must find two cards that match and bring them back to the table to claim them. This adds gross motor and navigation skills.
4. How to Grade it Up (Make it Harder)
If a player has mastered the standard game:
Change the Position: Lay on the belly (prone position) on the floor while playing to work on core and neck strength. Play while standing on a balance disk to work on postural stability.
Integrate Fine Motor Tasks: Every time a match is found, the player must place a clothespin on the edge of the tin or a bead onto a string before the next card is drawn.
Integrate Handwriting: The moment a player "spots it," they cannot say the word; they must quickly write the word of the matching symbol on a whiteboard before the other player can find it.
Spot It! is an incredible tool that blends fun with skill development. Its small size, thematic variety, and ability to be modified make it an essential asset for any Occupational Therapist, teacher, or parent looking to boost visual perception, focus, and motor skills through the power of play.
What other games are in your bag of tricks?
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