the system or game 10 of the present invention may utilize or include a plurality of cards , such as , for example , index - card sized cards ( i . e ., 3 ″× 5 ″, 4 ″× 6 ″, etc . ), each of which may have a surface area of less than about 30 square inches for ease of handling and playing . the cards can be made from any of a wide variety of materials , such as paper , cardboard , coated or laminated paper , plastic , etc . as shown in fig1 , in one embodiment , the game includes a start card 12 , an end card 14 , and a plurality of play cards 16 , 18 , 20 . in the illustrated embodiment , the start card 12 and end card 14 each include a single , relatively large horizontally oriented image printed thereon which enables the start 12 and end 14 cards to be easily located . as can be seen , the start 12 and end 14 cards may each include a drawing , picture or other representation of a train and caboose , respectively to provide a visual indication of the concepts of starting and ending . however , it should be understood that various other “ start ” and “ end ” indicia may be used , such as , for example , a green light and a red light , a head and a tail ( i . e ., of a caterpillar or other animal ), the nose and tail of an airplane , a starting gun and a finish line , etc . each play card 16 , 18 , 20 includes an upper portion 22 and a lower portion 24 , each portion 22 , 24 including its own separate and discrete indicia . moreover , the upper 22 and lower 24 portions may be differently colored . for example , in one embodiment , each upper portion 22 has a background color of yellow , and each lower portion 24 has a background color of white . however , the upper 22 and lower 24 portions may be of the same color , or may be differentiated by any of a wide variety of other means , such as , patterns , shading , texture , etc . as shown in fig1 , there are three basic types of play cards : a challenge card 16 , an answer card 18 , and a full play ( or challenge and answer ) card 20 . each challenge card 16 has a question / challenge portion or indicia 26 on a portion thereof . in the illustrated embodiment , for example , each challenge card 16 has challenge indicia 26 located on the lower portion 24 . each challenge card 16 also includes a picture , illustration or other representation of a train car 28 on the other portion thereof ( the upper portion 22 in the illustrated embodiment ). of course , other than train cars , other “ middle ” or “ body ” indicia 28 may be used on the upper portion 22 of the card 16 , such as , for example , automobiles , body segments of a caterpillar , windows of an airplane , etc . each answer card 18 has an answer portion or indicia 30 on a portion thereof . in the illustrated embodiment , for example , the answer indicia 30 is located on the upper portion 22 of the card 18 . each answer card 18 also includes a picture , illustration or other representation of a train car , or other middle indicia 28 , on the other portion thereof ( the lower portion 24 in the illustrated embodiment ). each answer card 18 may lack any challenge portion or indicia 26 thereon . conversely , each challenge card 16 may lack any answer portion or indicia 30 thereon . each full play card 20 includes answer indicia 30 on one portion and challenge indicia 26 on the other portion . in the illustrated embodiment , the answer indicia 30 is on the upper portion 22 of each card 20 , and the challenge indicia 26 is on the lower portion 24 of each card 20 . each full play card 20 lacks any of the middle ( i . e ., “ train car ”) indicia 28 . each challenge portion 26 and answer portion 30 has indicia 32 about its outer three edges configured to match up with indicia 32 of the corresponding answer / challenge portion ( on another card ). in the illustrated embodiment , the matching / reinforcing / self - check indicia 32 takes the form of various differently - spaced and arranged color tabs 34 . for example , in the challenge card 16 of fig1 , the indicia 32 takes the form of a red tab 34 a , a green tab 34 b and a purple tab 34 c , wherein the green 34 b and purple 34 c tabs are positioned immediately adjacent to each other , and the red tab 34 a is spaced apart from the green 34 b and purple 34 c tabs . in the illustrated embodiment , each color may have its own , dedicated position relative to the other colors ( i . e . a red tab 34 a is always located in the same position relative to the other tabs 34 , etc .) however , this convention need not necessarily be followed , and if desired the position of each color tab 34 may be varied . in order to play a game with the cards / system 10 , in one embodiment , all the cards are arranged on a playing surface , face up ( it should be understood that the cards shown in fig1 - 9 illustrate only a limited number of cards , and there may be many more cards ( i . e ., at least about 30 , 40 or 50 or so total cards may be utilized ). a user selects the start card 12 and places it on the playing surface , as shown in fig2 . next , a challenge card 16 is selected and placed to the right of the start card 12 , as shown in fig3 . the illustration of the train car 28 of the challenge card 16 may be placed adjacent to the engine card 12 to reinforce the “ linking ” concept between the cards 12 , 16 . next , a user reviews the challenge portion 26 of the challenge card 16 , and searches through the remaining cards to find a card having an answer portion 30 that corresponds to the challenge portion 26 of the challenge card 16 . once that card ( a full play card 20 , in the illustrated embodiment ) is identified , it is selected and placed adjacent to the challenge card 16 , as shown in fig4 . the matching indicia 32 of the challenge portion 26 of the challenge card 16 should correspond to the matching indicia 32 of the answer portion 30 of the full play card 20 to reinforce to the user that the user has identified the proper full play card 20 by solving the visual perceptual challenge . in particular , the color and spacing of the tabs 34 on the answer portion 30 of the card 20 should match that of the indicia 32 on the challenge portion 26 of the challenge card 16 . in this manner , the matching indicia 32 on the cards 16 , 20 provides reinforcement that the user has selected the proper card and found the correct answer to the visual perceptual challenge 26 . of course , it should be understood that any of a wide variety of matching indicia 32 beyond that shown herein may be utilized to provide a self - check feature . for example , the matching indicia 32 may rely only upon spacing of tabs , instead of colors ; or use strictly colors , or use differently sized tab or shapes , or geometric shapes ( i . e ., triangles , squares , circles , etc . ), use incomplete , matching , or mirror image shapes , letters , numbers or figures ; use varying textures , or combinations of these features . once the full play card 20 of fig3 has been matched to the challenge card 16 , the user then reviews the challenge portion 26 at the bottom of the full play card 20 . the user then selects the next card having an answer portion 30 that correspondence to the challenge portion 26 of the card 20 and that matching card is then selected and matched to the previously - played full play card 20 , as shown in fig5 . in this case , the matching card is another full play card 20 . next , as shown in fig6 , a card having an answer portion 30 corresponding to the challenge portion 26 of the previously - played card is identified using a particular visual perception skill . the identified card is then placed next to the previously - played card , which can be self - checked by examining the matching indicia 32 . the card placed in fig6 is an answer card 18 having train indicia 28 in its lower portion 24 . accordingly , if desired the game can be terminated at this time by placing the end / caboose card 14 adjacent to the answer card 28 , as shown in fig7 . alternately , a challenge card 16 may be selected and placed adjacent to the answer card 18 such that the train car portions 28 are positioned adjacent to each other , as shown in fig8 . since the challenge card 16 includes a challenge indicia 26 in its lower portion 24 , the game can continue until another answer card 18 is played , or until all of the cards are played . if the user ( s ) play the game until all the cards are played , this helps the user ( s ) to achieve a sense of accomplishment while increasing visual endurance and attention . the user ( s ) may build up their endurance skills to be able to complete the entire game , if necessary . the answer cards 18 , which include train or other similar indicia 28 on their lower portions 24 , ensure that all of the cards 16 , 18 , 20 in the set can be played and matched to an associated card regardless of the order in which the cards are played . because each challenge portion 26 includes the matching indicia 32 along three outer edges thereof , corresponding cards can be placed in any of a variety of configurations adjacent to each other and still be checked for accuracy using the matching indicia 32 . for example , fig9 illustrates the cards of fig8 rearranged in a different pattern . accordingly , the cards can be played in new and different patterns through every play variation , which increases the users &# 39 ; interest , and allows the game to be conformed to restricted spaces . the game / exercise of the present invention can be modified and take any of a variety of forms that differ from the play described above . for example , the game can be played by a single user by himself or herself , or the game can be played by two or more users . for example , in one embodiment , each user takes a turn placing a card at the end of the “ chain ”. in another embodiment , participants are challenged to be the first one to find the card bearing the appropriate answer portion 30 . in yet another alternative , rather than placing the cards face up to begin , the cards are placed face down . in this case , the face - down cards may be arranged in a array of columns and rows . when it is a user &# 39 ; s turn , he or she may have the opportunity to turn over one ( or more ) cards at a time , and then return the cards to their face down position if the appropriate match is not found . this mode of play encourages visual memory skills . the challenge portion 16 on each card may be of a type to further develop the visual perceptual skills of a user . for example , in the various challenge portions , the user may be challenged to : 1 ) visualize and identify a completed item or picture from a partially drawn item or picture ( which develops visual closure skills ); 2 ) find a hidden item or picture ( which develops visual figure ground skills ); 3 ) remember a sequence of pictures in order ( which develops sequential memory ); 4 ) match pictures ( and thereby distinguish from other pictures that are similar but not exact matches , thereby developing visual discrimination skills ); 5 ) predict what comes next in a sequence ; 6 ) identify the next or missing item in a pattern ; 7 ) identify an item in a series of overlapping lines ; 8 ) visually assemble disassembled shapes into a recognizable form ( which develop visual closure ); 9 ) find something unusual or unexpected in a scene ; 10 ) identify shapes ( which develops visual form constancy ); 11 ) count a certain number of shapes ; 12 ) identify an item faced a different direction than other pictures within a list of items ( which develops visual spatial relationships ); 13 ) identify an outline or shadow for a presented shape or figure ; 14 ) identify an item that is oriented , sized or shaded differently from other items with the shape remaining consistent ( which develops visual form constancy ); 15 ) remember a picture from one card to another ( which develops visual memory ); 16 ) visually locate a picture hiding within a busy background ( which develops visual figure ground ), etc . each challenge portion 26 may address at least one of the seven visual perceptual skills identified in the widely used and norm - based assessment of the test of visual perceptual skills 3 ( tvps 3 ). accordingly , the skills required in the varying cards address a variety of visual perceptual skills such as visual spatial relationships , visual discrimination , visual memory , visual sequential memory , visual closure , visual memory , visual form constancy and visual figure ground in a fun and challenging manner . having described the invention in detail and by reference to the various embodiments , it should be understood that modifications and variations thereof are possible without departing from the scope of the invention .
the present invention provides a system which helps a user develop his or her visual perceptual skills in a game - style activity that is challenging and interesting , and encourages sustained visual attention with self - checking of answers . the present invention may develop the seven visual perceptual skills identified in the widely used and norm - based assessment of the test of visual perceptual skills 3 .