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The Missing Brick

Testing your memory and observations skills!

Download a fully illustrated pdf, or print this webpage.

Skills we will be engaging

  • SOCIAL — Working together.

  • EMOTIONAL — Being patient, problem solving.

  • COGNITIVE — Observation & memory.

  • CREATIVE — Different ways to remember bricks.

  • PHYSICAL — Moving bricks in different ways.

You will need

  • A variety of bricks (3-8 bricks is ideal).

  • A flat surface.

How to play

  1. Lay out 3 – 8 bricks.

  2. Ask your child, "What can we see?” Discuss the bricks together and name them. Notice whether you come up with them the same name for each brick.

  3. Ask your child to cover his/her eyes or turn around so the bricks can’t be seen. Tell you child: "When you open your eyes one of the bricks will be missing. See if you can spot which one.”

  4. Ask child to turn back around or to open their eyes. Offer your child the chance to have as many guesses as they like to work out which brick is missing.

  5. Swap roles so that your child removes a brick and you have to guess which brick is missing.

  6. Keep taking turns as much as you like!

Go with the flow

If the activity doesn’t go exactly to plan, or you do things differently to the way they are described in the instructions, then that’s ok. Go with the flow, follow your child’s lead and have fun!

Adapt the activity

Make it easier

  • Use larger objects or bricks.

  • Use the same bricks in different colours.

  • You choose a brick and give your child three bricks to choose from to match it with.

Let's do a challenge

  • Let your child take the lead by choosing the bricks and setting up the activity for you to try.

  • Ask your child to list all of the objects instead of just taking one away.

  • Set a time limit for looking at the bricks for memorising them. For example, 20 seconds.

Including others

  • Add more players.

  • Play in teams of two.

Signs of Success

Check-in with your child and see if they are having fun, you know your child best, and you’ll recognise what fun looks like for them. Remember it’s about everyone feeling happy and relaxed.