Published Oct 29, 2026
Made with the help of AI from public curriculum standards, then checked. Mistakes can slip through, so please look it over before use. Found one? Tell us and we will fix it.
Noticing what is the same and what is different is a thinking skill that sits underneath early math and reading. Later on, your child will need to see that b and d are different letters, or that two groups hold the same number. In the first part, your child circles the one picture in each row that does not match; in one row, the odd picture differs only in size. In the second part, your child finds the two pictures that match. Working row by row also builds focus.
Head Start ELOF P-ATL 6: Staying focused on one activity without much adult help
Short descriptions in our own words. About our standards.
Ask your child to name every picture in the row before choosing: apple, apple, pear, apple. Saying the names often makes the odd one stand out. After each answer, ask why it is different; the explanation matters as much as the circle. The row of suns is the tricky one, because all the pictures are suns. If your child is stuck, ask: are they all the same size?
Easier: Cover every row except the one your child is working on, and save the second part for another day. Real objects, like three spoons and a fork, are a good warm-up.
Harder: Ask your child to explain each difference in a full sentence, then set up a row of real toys with one difference for you to find.
It is made for Preschool (ages 3-4). The level is ★ easy, so it works well as a first practice page.
About 10 minutes. Young children can do it in two short sittings with a break in between.
On the second page of the PDF and on this page under Show the answer key. To print for a whole class, print only the first page of the PDF.
Head Start ELOF P-ATL 6 (staying focused on one activity without much adult help).
Yes. Print as many copies as you need for your own children or students. Please do not resell it or upload it to other websites.
