Spot it! 1,2,3
Spot it! 1,2,3 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Before You Play
If you've never played Spot it! before, or you're playing with people who've never played, draw two cards at random and place them face up on the table between all the players. Look for the matching image between the two cards (same shape, same color — only the size may differ). The first player to find the right image names it out loud and draws two new cards, which are then placed face up on the table. Repeat this until every player understands that there is always exactly one matching image between any two cards.
That's it — now you know how to play Spot it! 1,2,3!
Object of the Game
Whatever mini-game you're playing, you always need to be the fastest to spot the matching image between two cards, name it out loud, and then take the card, place it, or turn it face down, depending on the rules of the mini-game you're currently playing.
The Mini-Games
Spot it! 1,2,3 is a set of speed mini-games in which all players play at the same time. The mini-games are arranged in order of increasing difficulty. You can play them in order, in random order, or simply keep playing the same one over and over. What matters most is having fun! Read the rules of the chosen mini-game carefully to all the players before starting. Play a practice round to make sure everyone has understood the rules correctly.
End of the Game
Each mini-game's own rules state its win condition.
In Case of Doubt
The first player to name the matching image wins! If players name it at the same time, whoever took, gave away, turned over, or discarded their card first wins.
Ties
At the end of a mini-game, players who are tied compete against each other (or have a round of "hot potato" if there are more than two): each draws a card, and they reveal their cards at the same time. The first player to find the matching image and name it out loud wins.
Symbol Examples
Every image on the cards is a specific shape in a specific color — a matching pair must share both. A few examples of the images used:
- One / Blue, Two / Red, Three / Orange
- Rectangle / Red, Square / Lilac, Circle / Green, Triangle / Yellow
Tom Thumb (solo game)
- Set-up: lay out 6 cards in a row in the middle of the table and place another 6 cards face down in a pile in front of the child. The number of cards can be adjusted depending on the child's age and how long you want the game to last.
- Object of the game: cover all the cards laid out on the table with your own cards.
- How to play? The child turns over the top card of their pile and looks for the image that matches between it and the first card in the row on the table. As soon as the child finds it, they cover that first card in the row with their own card, face down. Play continues until every card in the row has been covered.
- Variant: once all the cards on the table are covered, the child calls an adult over and, turning each card back face up one at a time, names the matching image (for example: blue triangle, red two, and so on). If the child names the wrong symbol, or matched the wrong image, the adult explains what the mistake was.
The Caterpillar
- Set-up: deal the cards evenly among the players and place one card face up in the middle of the table. Each player places their own cards face down in a pile in front of them.
- Object of the game: be the first to get rid of all your cards.
- How to play? On the signal, all players turn over the top card of their pile. Each player then tries to be the first to find the image on their own card that matches the image on the card in the middle of the table. As soon as a player finds it, they name it and place their card next to the card in the middle. This forms a "caterpillar." The card the player just placed becomes the new "card in the middle," against which players compare the top cards of their piles. Play continues under the same rules.
- Winner: the first player to get rid of all their cards is declared the winner. The remaining players keep playing until second, third, and so on places are decided.
The Two Chests
- Set-up: place two equal piles of cards face up on the table. These are the two "chests."
- Object of the game: collect as many cards as possible.
- How to play? On the signal, the first player to spot the matching symbol between the two face-up cards names it and takes one card for themselves. Play continues until the piles run out. If at some point only one pile remains in the middle of the table, split it in half and keep playing until only one card is left (or none at all!).
- Winner: the player who has collected the most cards by the end of the game wins!
The Well
- Set-up: deal out all the cards face down, one at a time, to all players, starting with whoever won the previous mini-game. Place the last card face up in the middle of the table. Each player shuffles their own cards into a deck, which they place face down in front of them.
- Object of the game: be faster than the other players at getting rid of all your cards — and above all, don't be the last one!
- How to play? On the signal, players turn their decks face up. They must be faster than the other players to get rid of the cards from their deck by placing them on the card in the middle. To do this, they must find and name out loud the matching image between the top card of their deck and the card in the middle, then cover the card in the middle with their own card. Since the card in the middle keeps changing, you'll need to hurry!
- Winner: the first player to get rid of all their cards is declared the winner.
Hide and Seek
- Set-up: shuffle all the cards. Lay out 4 cards face up in front of the child and 6 cards face up in front of each adult. Place one card face up in the middle of the table, and set the remaining cards aside in the box. The number of cards dealt to the child can be adjusted depending on their age.
- Object of the game: be the first to turn all your own cards face down.
- How to play? All players play at the same time. On the signal, each player must find the matching image between one of their own cards and the card in the middle of the table. As soon as a player manages this, they name the image out loud and turn their matching card face down. Play continues.
- Winner: the game ends as soon as one of the players has no cards left face up. That player is declared the winner.