Plus and Minus is a visual game by Bruno Munari which consists of 72 cards, each having a different image.
The images are meant to be the building blocks of a creative story that children can invent by using a sequence of cards.
Many of these images are printed on transparent cards so they can be superimposed to make complex images and stimulate children’s creativity. Superimposing the different tree images, for example, creates a forest. Alternatively the background image can stay fixed while you create different scenarios by changing the image(s) on top. The transparent images include animals, trees, leaves, cars, rain, sun, snow, clouds, plane, boat, bridge so there is plenty of material to build on.

It’s a very versatile game I think, children can play by themselves or with an adult but the older ones can collectively create a story by taking turns in adding one of their cards to the story they’re inventing together.
The game is aimed at children from 3 to 8, but my impression is that it could last even a bit longer. I have learned from experience though that 3 is a bit too young even for a very talkative child. Being able to create a story from images requires a good abstraction effort that is not so common. Still toddlers can play and learn by moving the cards so that things go “above” and “below”.Plus and minus is produced in Italy by Corraini Editore and they will happily ship their products outside of Italy!

-Michela