Have you ever played “What’s missing?” with your preschooler? This preschool game of memory is a fun way to practice observation and memory skills and requires no preparation. Oh, and it is guaranteed fun and learning time together! The What is Missing Game can be played with kids of all ages at home or in the classroom.

Easy Preschool Game

This preschool game can be played anywhere and anytime you have a collection of items available to you and a few minutes to play.

Related: More fun preschool games

While the missing game was created specifically for preschool age children, kids of all ages will love to get into the memory game. Older kids can help set up different game scenarios. Younger kids will want to play…forever!

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How to play “What Is missing?” game with preschoolers 

Supplies Needed for The Missing Game

• Gather small items around your house like scissors, battery, pen, pencil, keys, etc. Around 8 to 10 things will work for a 3-4-year-old.
• Plastic Bin
• Increase or decrease the number of items based on your child’s age.

Set Up For What’s Missing Game

Step 1

Choose 8-10 items and place them in a tray or container.

Step 2

Arrange them while your child is watching.

Step 3

Name each item to make sure he/she knows the names of all the things.

RULES OF THE Preschool Missing Game

1. Ask the child to close their eyes or turn around.
2. Hide/remove one of the items from the display. 
3. Child can open eyes and name the missing item.
4. Take turns and have fun finding the missing item.

Variations of the Preschool What’s Missing Game

1. Color What’s Missing Game

Grab a pack of markers or crayons, markers or other sets of colors and play what color is missing. 

If you are learning the colors of the rainbow, lay them out in order and then remove one and play!

2. Alphabet & Number What’s Missing Game

Take around 6-7 alphabets or numbers flashcards to play what is alphabet/number is missing. Try this at first with the numbers or letters in order to reinforce sequencing and then once they are good at that, mix them up!

3. Shape What’s Missing Game

Use any shapes sorting toys or wood blocks in different shapes to play what shape is missing.

4. Themed What’s Missing Game

Try using different types of toys under the same theme to make it as theme play like different types of trucks, different varieties of dinosaurs, different kitchen items, etc

How we played the “What’s missing?” game

I gathered the things like battery, comb, building block, pencil, hair clip, marker, a boy toy, and a scissor to play the game. 

To get his attention, I made sure I included something he loves. He loves yellow color so I included a yellow building block and his favorite boy toy. Also, I wanted him to learn the word “Comb” so I included one. (He knows to say the name of the comb in the other language we speak at home so, I used this game as an opportunity to teach him the word in English.)

First, we started with pointing the finger and naming all the things displayed before him. Then, I asked him to close his eyes with his hands. I removed the yellow block and hide it behind me. Then when I asked him to open his eyes and find the missing one, he was thinking for some time and then he started to search where I have kept the missing item. (Haha !)

Then I took a turn to find the missing item and modeled him to show how to play “What’s missing?”. It took 2 to 3 turns for him to really get into the game. Once he got it, we had fun taking turns and finding the missing item. 

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What We Learned from the What is Missing Game

We play this game whenever we get the opportunity. My husband and my son played what color is missing with dab-a-dot markers for nearly one hour. 

We have also played the game with his different types of fire trucks. So, it gave him an opportunity to learn the types of fire trucks playfully.

MORE SIMPLE GAMES FOR PRESCHOOLERS FROM KIDS ACTIVITIES BLOG

• Play the preschool candy guessing game!
• Reading game apps for preschoolers can turn your phone into a fun learning experience.
• Make a color learning game for preschool!
• This preschool color sorting game is great for color recognition and works on fine motor skills.
• We all have some of the false memories from childhood! Check them out!
• We love these preschool math games and computer games.
• Remember the old game memory? Here is a preschool memory game that will make you feel toasty inside.
• Best board games for preschool age kids. Playing is fun!
• Let’s play a preschool matching game and make the DIY file folder game.
• Preschool counting game for fun math learning.
• Have some fun with the toilet paper mummy game.
• Try out our free Dot game printable!

Have you ever tried to play the “What’s missing?” game with your kids? This game can be easily played with any number of kids each taking turns to hide and find or just one child. We love this game at our home. If you haven’t played to try it and let us know.