Find the picture that was taken away
Press Start and a set of pictures appears for a few seconds; study the whole group and try to fix every one in mind. Then they all hide, and most reappear, but one has quietly been removed. Using the buttons below showing every original picture, tap the one that did not come back. Get it right and the next round adds another picture to hold; get it wrong and the game ends at the level you reached. The trick is that you cannot know in advance which picture will vanish, so you have to remember them all.
Naming each picture before it hides
Because any of the pictures could be the one that disappears, you cannot pick a favorite to watch, you have to take in the whole set. Naming each one under your breath, cat, star, apple, turns the group into a little list you can run through, and a list is easier to hold than a blur of images. When the pictures return, race down your named list and tick off the ones you can see; the name with nothing to tick is the missing one.
An old memory game, now on a screen
This is a screen version of a memory game families have played for generations with a tray of objects and a cloth thrown over it, sometimes called Kim game. What it trains is a useful pair of skills at once: taking in a whole scene and storing it, then noticing what has changed, the same alertness a child uses to spot that something is out of place or gone. Because it leans on pictures rather than reading, it suits the youngest players, and the growing set of pictures keeps stretching them as they improve.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play What's Missing?
A group of pictures appears for a few seconds. Look carefully and remember them. Then they hide, one is taken away, and the rest come back. Tap the picture you think is missing. Each round adds one more picture to remember.
Is it good for young kids?
Yes. It uses friendly pictures and no reading, so it suits young children, and it is a gentle way to build memory and attention.
How can I remember all the pictures before one disappears?
Name each picture to yourself as it appears, like cat, star, apple, so the group becomes a short list rather than a blur. Because you never know which one will be taken away, try to take in the whole set instead of studying one. When the pictures come back, run through your list and the name with nothing left to match is the missing picture.