Turn a walk into a learning and talking experience for your child by playing a classic game of I Spy with them.
I Spy is a great game to introduce to children at this age that gets them thinking about the different characteristics of things around them and their names. It's made even better by being out and about in surroundings they don't see all the time too.
Watch the video below to see how one mum and her son play.
How does a game of I Spy benefit language development?
- I Spy is a great game to help children practise using vocabulary for all sorts of objects they can see.
- It can get them thinking about the different characteristics of objects they can see in the world, whether it's their colour, their size, their shape or the sounds their names begin with.
- It can keep them entertained while on a walk or journey and is easy to build into everyday routines.
- Looking for objects and words to use in the game, gets children to exercise their imagination.
- It gets them practise taking turns. This is great for conversation practise and social skills.
How to play I Spy when out and about
Take turns with one another to pick an item you can see around you.
You could start off to inspire your little one. Say 'I spy with my little eye something thatâŠ' and you could pick a characteristic of an object that your child will understand. So for example, 'I spy with my little eye something that's blue'. If your child struggles to understand keep your language simple and swap âI spyâ for âI can see something that isâŠâ
Give super easy clues at first to build their confidence.
Let them guess what the object is. If they get it right, offer lots of praise. If they are struggling help by pointing or showing them where it is so they have a positive experience from the game
You could use all sorts of different characteristics - colours, shapes, or even sounds they make e.g. 'something that goes 'brummmm'' for a car.
Switch whose turn it is - let your child pick an object and have guesses yourself.
If your child is able, you could introduce playing with the sounds that start words, as in this version of the game. This helps them to think about the sounds that make up the names of objects, useful for starting school and learning to read later on.
Other games to play like I spy
1. Listening walk
Try engaging their senses when you're out and about, getting them to specifically pay attention to everything they can hear and name what's making the sounds. Ask them lots of questions about the things they can hear and see what imaginative responses you get.
2. Cardboard telescope
If you've got a cardboard tube in the recycling, this can make a great prop to take with you on a walk and get them talking about all the things they can spot through it.
3. Getting ready games
Before you even leave the house, you could have a go at making an activity out of getting their coats and shoes on.
Image caption, Let your child take the lead.
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