THINKPSYCH Fake Out! The Impulse Control Card Game for Ages 10+, 1–6 Players

Made from cardstock, Fake Out! is a fast-paced card game for ages 10 and up. Players watch for green GO cards and react with a tap, knock, slap or clap, then freeze when a red STOP card appears. A small corner marker can change a GO card into a freeze signal, adding another visual cue to track. Compared with a quiet, turn-by-turn card game, this one puts attention and quick decisions at the centre of play.

Specifications

• Age range: Ages 10+
• Players: 1 to 6
• Material: Cardstock
• Game themes: Executive function, impulse control, social-emotional learning and strategy
• Playing time: 15 minutes

Who it’s for

Fake Out! is designed by psychologists for children and teens, including those with ADHD, and gives families, educators and therapists a structured way to practise executive function skills through play. Each round asks players to pay attention to the card, remember the response rules and choose whether to act or hold back. Those repeated decisions bring visual attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility and response inhibition into the activity without making the session feel like a worksheet or drill.

At home, it can add an active, focused game to family game time. In a classroom or counselling setting, the GO and STOP cues create a shared activity that can be used with a small group or for individual practice. The game is rated for one to six players, so it can suit different group sizes. For a child who enjoys quick visual challenges, the changing signals make each round a chance to practise noticing details before reacting.

In the box

The set includes 100 game cards, 18 strike tokens, six player reference cards and an instruction guide. The reference cards give players a handy reminder of how to respond, while the tokens track strikes during play. Players react to GO cards using the action shown or agreed for the round, and freeze on STOP cards, the corner marker can also signal a freeze on a GO card. A player is out after three strikes, and the last player remaining wins. That clear win condition makes it easy to understand what is at stake as the action unfolds.

Buying verdict

Fake Out! brings impulse-control practice into a lively card-game format rather than relying on a conventional lesson or a game focused mainly on matching and taking turns. Its useful distinction is the combination of movement-based responses and visual cues: players need to notice what is on the card, remember the rule and pause when the signal calls for it. That makes the deck a practical fit for families, schools and therapy settings looking for an engaging activity for ages 10 and up. Choose it when the goal is to give children and teens a repeatable way to practise attention and self-control together, with game cards, reference cards and strike tokens all supporting the play.