Make it easier:

• Let players collect 2 clues at a time whenever a double pawprint symbol is rolled
• Let players select their choice (suspects or clues) after making their first roll and observing the results
• Use visuals and a sorting system to help keep track of the clues and suspects

Make it harder:

• Reduce the rolls from 3 to 2
• Double the traveling distance of the fox

Target executive functioning:

• (adaptive thinking) Ask each player what they want to do on their next turn and what their back-up plan is if they cannot (if another player takes the clue they were moving towards, for example)
• (working memory) Keep revealed clues hidden after the initial reveal to challenge recall. Ask players to state aloud the revealed clues. For an extra challenge, have them also try to point to where the clue is on the board.

Target visual-spatial skills:

• As suspects are revealed, have players sort the foxes based on similarities (i.e., wearing a scarf or hat).
• Play “I Spy” with the revealed foxes in-between turns to challenge visual scanning and eye saccades

Target motor skills:

• Play the game on a swing or therapy ball
• Play the game on a scooter with the child(ren) in prone
• Attach small magnets to the clue backs / suspect cards and have player use a magnetic fishing pole to “catch” them while walking on an elevated or uneven surface (such as a balance beam)
• Build an obstacle course and incorporate it into game play with stations for clues, suspects, the clue decoder, and the fox on the board
• For bilateral coordination and pinch or grip strength development, incorporate tools such as tongs and have players move their pieces with tongs instead of their hands

Target social-emotional skills:

• For each turn, players share or answer a social question (check out my Social Emotional Question Prompts Bundle with questions for all ages!)
• Have players decide on something that was stolen (instead of the pie as in the game’s original set-up). Have them tell a story about the situation and explain why the fox might have stolen it (to challenge empathy and perspective taking)

Target sensory processing:

• (tactile defensiveness) Bury the clues in different types of dry goods (rice, beans, etc.) and have players retrieve them
• (tactile, proprioception) Put on clothing items to match the foxes and try to imitate their poses to challenge body awareness
• (vestibular-proprioceptive, self-regulation / modulation) For players needing additional sensory input (sensory seekers) have them complete a specific number of exercises providing additional input between turns (jumps on a trampoline, push-ups, # of times swinging on a swing, etc.) followed by 3-5 deep breaths to improve regulation

Target language skills:

• Write out the name of each clue and/or copy down each fox’s name onto a detective sheet for handwriting as well as spelling.
• Read books about foxes, mysteries, and other related topics. Some books to try: The Westing Game (ages 9+), Fox Has a Problem (ages 4+), The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night (ages 3+)

Target math skills:

• Create story problems using the foxes and clues
• Have players consider how many possible fox combinations / possible outcomes could be created depending on the number of clues provided