The Change About Game
Let all the persons playing the game look over the furnishings of the room and then all, but one, go out. The person remaining can change the location of one article but nothing must be removed. When the alteration is made the others may return. The first one to detect the change must remain and make the change for the others. At first the changes should be made of larger articles as the chairs, pictures, pillows, etc. Later smaller ones can be used as vases, doilies, books, bric-a-brac.
A time limit can be placed upon the observation of the room and also upon the time allowed for detecting the change made. A score can be kept among smaller children rather than to allow them to make the changes.
The Game of Observation
Gather a group of small articles and place them on a table. Begin with not less than twenty articles and increase the number as those making the test become accurate. Have the children gather around the table and look intently at the objects upon it, striving to make a picture of the group in their minds. After they have looked at the table for thirty seconds cover it and have them write a list of all the articles they can recall from their mental impression. The one writing the longest list is the winner.
It is well to allow them a second observation of twenty seconds after they have written the first list and see how many more they can add to it. After the child has written all that he thinks he can, have him close his eyes and see the mind's eye picture of the top of the table and in this way concentrate on the picture. You will find that in most cases this will recall to mind other objects, they will gradually become definite in the picture and can be added to the list. Few people are able to write more than twenty objects from a one minute observation of a table containing thirty, but there are some who can do much better at the first trial. These are usually persons who have been engaged in some line of effort which causes the development of the faculty.
This is an excellent mental exercise and should be repeated as often as you can induce the children to play it, adding to the articles and changing some for variety. Play this at the children's parties. Older persons enjoy it as well as the younger ones, especially after they see how difficult it is.
Training the Sense of Location
One valuable application of the habit of attention and observation is that it develops the memory for places. The keen, observing woodsman is not easily lost. Some people can be lost a few blocks from home simply because they do not observe where they go, the objects which they pass, or the relation of one building or corner to another. Impress the importance of this application of observation upon the child. Teach him to pick landmarks. Show him how the Indian or woodsman blazes a trail as he goes through an unknown country. Teach the child to notice the roads, fences, trees, houses and buildings as he walks. Teach him the directions and how to find them.