Spot the Difference: The Boat and the Whale
One steamboat, one whale swimming under the hull, one manta ray, mountains, forest and sun: the same sea scene twice, but eleven details have changed between the two pictures. Can your students find them all?
A classic observation game that doubles as a speaking activity: describe each difference with there is, there are and I can see, and recycle the vocabulary of the sea and the boat.
What children practise
The game trains observation, concentration and visual discrimination: scan the sky, the boat and the water, compare the two pictures, and circle what has changed, from the smoke above the funnels to the birds in the sky, the red railings on the deck and the animals in the water.
And in a language class, the game becomes a natural speaking task: In the first picture, there is smoke. In the second picture, there is no smoke. With prepositions of place on top: on the boat, in the water, in the sky. A perfect warm-up or quiet-time activity.
Look at the top picture, then the bottom one: the same scene, but not exactly.
Scan the sky, the boat and the water: what has changed?
Circle or color each of the 11 differences.
Say each difference: In the first picture, there is… In the second, there isn’t.
The vocabulary in the scene
Everything a young learner can name in the pictures, before or after the game:
Download the game
One page with the two pictures, ready to print or to project on the whiteboard for a whole-class game.
Preview: find the 11 differences between the two pictures
Recommended age
Frequently asked questions
What age is this game for?
Mainly ages 4 to 8: the differences are visible enough for young eyes, and the scene is rich enough to recycle lots of vocabulary.
What is the task exactly?
Children observe the two pictures of the boat at sea and find the 11 differences, then circle or color them.
Is it only a visual game?
No: in a language class, each difference becomes a sentence to say or write, with there is, there are, I can see and prepositions of place.
Can it be used with a whole class?
Yes. Project the PDF on the whiteboard and let the class hunt for the differences together, or print one copy per student for quiet time.
Is the game free?
No. The printable PDF is reserved for Premium members.
