Perfection

As we wrap up our #OTMonth board game series, we must discuss one that induces so much stress and anxiety but is still a classic after all these years. It’s the ultimate challenge of fine motor dexterity and mental agility, all while staying focused under pressure.

Name: Perfection
Debut: 1973
Age Range: 5 years and up

Objective: Fit all shapes into their corresponding slots before time runs out

Perfection’s jingle says it all: Put the pieces into the slot, make the right selection. But be quick, you’re racing the clock. Pop goes Perfection!

Perfection’s popularity can be traced back to its introduction in 1973 by Lakeside Industries, an American toy company. Known for their innovative and engaging toys and games, Lakeside’s original concept for Perfection was to challenge players to fit various shapes into their correct slots under a time constraint. The game’s first design included a yellow and red board with 25 game pieces, 25 red squares to modify its difficulty, and had a mechanized ejector plate situated under the shaped holes and lowered by a red PUSH button in the center. It also had a built-in scoreboard: one point was awarded for each correct placement as well as every second remaining left on the timer. In 1975, the game was revamped to its iconic pop-up tray model, without the scoreboard and the cards.

The game has made a name for itself as one of the most anxiety-inducing children’s games ever created. While it may require similar skills to games like Operation, Perfection adds its sense of urgency with a timer. Can you fit all 25 pieces onto the tray in under 60 seconds? This adrenaline-filled challenge appeals to children’s (and adult’s) competitive nature, seeing which player can best perform under pressure.

Gameplay

Place shapes next to the game board and mix them up. Then, arrange the shapes with the handles facing up.
Set the switch on the game to STOP.
Turn the timer dial clockwise until it sets to 0.
Press the pop-up tray down.
To begin play, start the time by moving the switch to START.
Quickly fit the shapes into their matching holes as fast as possible.
Once the timer runs out, the tray will pop up and scatter the pieces.
If all 25 pieces are successfully in before time is up, switch the game to STOP. The number the arrow is pointing to on the timer dial is the next player’s time to beat.
The solo version of this game directs the player to beat their previous time.

Skills Challenged

This game is a personal favorite to use with elementary school kiddos because it addresses so many skills they needed to complete daily functional tasks, including:

Emotional regulation (frustration tolerance, handling stress and failure)
Sensory processing (the sound of the timer, the sudden visual and auditory “pop” of the pieces when time is up)
Attention and focus (arousal level)
Fine motor skills (manual dexterity, fine motor precision)
Visual perception (visual discrimination, form constancy)
Visual motor skills (hand-eye coordination)
Social participation (friendly competition)

Modifications

Perfection, despite how tricky and hurried it can be, can be modified and enjoyed in so many ways. Try these suggestions:

To eliminate stress, play without the timer.
Introduce the timer by giving them 10 seconds to put in one piece, stopping the timer after the intended time elapsed. As they improve, reduce the time or increase the pieces (ex: giving them 20 seconds to put in 3 pieces).
If they are sensory sensitive, stop the timer before it pops.
Remember you can change up the environment. Try playing the game standing instead of sitting. Turn off the tv or other devices to stay focused. Experiment with music with lower or faster BPMs to get into a rhythm.
To address tactile (touch) discrimination and fine motor control, keep the pop-up tray up and try to put all the pieces in without pushing/moving the tray.
Reverse the gameplay. Instead of putting pieces in before time runs out, see how many can be taken out one at a time instead.
Place the pieces in order and/or right side up before starting. This way you are working more on coordination and order/organization.
Divvy up the pieces on both sides of the game board and try using both hands simultaneously to beat the clock.
The original version of Perfection used red cards to make it easier for younger players. Cover a certain number of slots and remove their corresponding pieces from gameplay. Up the difficulty by covering some slots but keeping all pieces in play.
Incorporate pretend play and use Perfection as some Mission: Impossible bomb they have to deactivate before it goes off. You can even make it more dramatic by having them run away before it “detonates”, regardless of if they got the pieces in or not.
When the game is not in play, use the pieces for fine motor/visual motor activities. Examples include:
- Burying them in play-doh or other sensory compounds
- Searching for them in a sensory bin (I like water beads or rice)
- Stamping them into play-doh to make imprints
- Categorizing the shapes (pieces that our found in the sky, pieces that look like letters, etc)
- Stenciling them or dipping them into paint to make art
- Geometry recognition: Identify the shapes used, like hexagon, pentagon, rhombus, half circle, etc.
For a trickier challenge or easier depending on your child’s age, get the Perfection travel edition. The pieces are smaller, there are only 16 pieces instead of 25, and the pop isn’t as big.
Make it a team challenge. Two people can divvy up the pieces, stand on opposite sides of the board, and try to place them in the same time period.