In our ongoing pursuit of cognitive excellence, we discovered a delightful gem for our thinking skills curriculum: What's New? What's Missing? What's Different? This workbook serves as a vibrant laboratory for visual discrimination, specifically targeting the nuanced concepts of identification and comparison. I must offer a sophisticated "mea culpa" to my readers: as we have already triumphed over this particular volume, it has since departed our library, and I find myself without my customary photographic documentation. It is quite a tragedy, really, as I usually document our academic journey with the fervor of a historian, but I’ve managed to reconstruct our experience from my extensive pedagogical notes!
The most striking feature of this book is its visual vibrancy. The illustrations are rendered in a high-energy, colorful style that immediately captures the imagination. Rather than relying on a repetitive "search and find" format, the curriculum offers a sophisticated array of tasks. On one page, the student might be tasked with illustrating a "missing" element to complete a logical sequence; on the next, they are asked to identify a "new" intruder in a established pattern or draw something entirely original to fulfill a prompt. This variety is the secret sauce of student engagement—it keeps the intellectual momentum high by varying the output required of the child.
From my daughter’s perspective, the book was an absolute triumph. She found the artwork so engaging that she frequently lobbied for "just one more page," a request that any homeschooling parent hears with a swell of pride. Whether she was circling subtle differences or meticulously coloring in a missing piece of a puzzle, the material managed to maintain her attention far longer than a standard black-and-white workbook might. It successfully transforms the foundational work of critical thinking into a playful, creative endeavor that feels less like "school" and more like a high-level artistic challenge.
However, even the most charming resources have their logistical "quirks." My primary grievance with this volume was its physical footprint. It is a rather substantial book—far larger than I had anticipated. While the size provides ample space for little hands to draw and color, it effectively disqualified the book from being a portable "on-the-go" resource. I would have loved to tuck this into my bag for a doctor’s appointment or a restaurant visit, but its dimensions made it a strictly desk-bound resident of our classroom. For those seeking a travel-friendly logic supplement, you may find the scale of this one a bit cumbersome.
In summary, I would highly recommend What’s New? What’s Missing? What’s Different? as a high-value supplement for any early childhood or primary critical thinking block. While I wouldn't classify it as a mandatory "must-have" for a complete curriculum, it is an exemplary tool for reinforcing visual logic in a way that feels genuinely joyful. It is particularly effective for those moments when you need a "quiet time" activity that is actually fueling their little brains while you manage the household. I am curious to learn from our community of thinkers—what resources do you utilize to keep those little minds working when the "core" subjects are finished? Let us know in the comments below!
However, even the most charming resources have their logistical "quirks." My primary grievance with this volume was its physical footprint. It is a rather substantial book—far larger than I had anticipated. While the size provides ample space for little hands to draw and color, it effectively disqualified the book from being a portable "on-the-go" resource. I would have loved to tuck this into my bag for a doctor’s appointment or a restaurant visit, but its dimensions made it a strictly desk-bound resident of our classroom. For those seeking a travel-friendly logic supplement, you may find the scale of this one a bit cumbersome.
In summary, I would highly recommend What’s New? What’s Missing? What’s Different? as a high-value supplement for any early childhood or primary critical thinking block. While I wouldn't classify it as a mandatory "must-have" for a complete curriculum, it is an exemplary tool for reinforcing visual logic in a way that feels genuinely joyful. It is particularly effective for those moments when you need a "quiet time" activity that is actually fueling their little brains while you manage the household. I am curious to learn from our community of thinkers—what resources do you utilize to keep those little minds working when the "core" subjects are finished? Let us know in the comments below!
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