I Spy with my Little Eye is a simple, no-prep game that is great for boosting children’s concentration, listening and thinking skills. You can also use it to practise colours, shapes, numbers, and even build sound awareness.

Here are over 160 I Spy questions and phrases to use. Change the examples where necessary to suit your environment at home or in class.

There’s also a printable version of these examples in this post!

To play I Spy, one player (the Spy) secretly chooses an object in sight and says, “I spy with my little eye…” followed by a clue, such as its colour or shape. The other players take turns guessing what it is, asking yes-or-no questions if needed, until someone guesses correctly—then that person becomes the next Spy.

Shape Identification Skills

I spy with my little eye…

Something shaped like a rectangle (book or door)
Something triangular (sandwich cut into triangles)
Something shaped like a square (sticky note or floor tile)
Something with a circular shape (clock or plate)
Something shaped like an oval (egg or mirror)
Something with a star shape (sticker or decoration)
Something with circles and diamonds (patterned cushion or rug)
Something shaped like a heart (craft cut-out)
Something with both straight and curved lines (chair or backpack)
Something shaped like a cylinder (glue stick or water bottle)

Spatial/Position Awareness

I spy with my little eye…

Something over or under the cabinet
Something in front of or behind the sofa
Something that is high or low
Something next to the window
Something between the two chairs
Something on top of the desk
Something under the table
Something beside the door
Something inside a cupboard
Something outside the window

Colour Identification Skills

I spy with my little eye…

Something yellow, red, blue, etc. (pencil or folder)
Something dark green (plant or crayon)
Something light blue (backpack or jumper)
Something that only has one colour (chair)
Something that is multi-coloured (painting or toy)
Something with red stripes
Something with purple spots
Something blue and green
Something with a bright colour
Something black and white

Beginning Sound Awareness

I spy with my little eye…

Something that begins with “s” (sock or scissors)
Something that begins with “t” (table or toy)
Something that begins with “p” (pencil or picture)
Something that begins with “m” (mirror or marker)
Something that begins with “ch” (chair or chalk)
Something that begins with “b” (bag or ball)
Something that begins with “k” (key or kettle)
Something that begins with “sh” (shoe or shelf)
Something that begins with “l” (lamp or lid)
Something that starts like “boo” (book)

Ending Sound Awareness

I spy with my little eye…

Something that ends with “ap” (tap or cap)
Something that ends with “g” (bag or rug)
Something that ends with “p” (cup or lamp)
Something that ends with “sh” (dish or brush)
Something that ends with “t” (light or hat)
Something that ends with “air” (chair or hair)
Something that ends with “n” (spoon or fan)
Something that ends with “d” (board or bed)
Something that ends with “ch” (watch or lunch)
Something that ends with “en” (pen or hen)

Visual Perception

I spy with my little eye…

Something round, large and white (wall clock)
Something long, yellow and thin (pencil or straw)
Something rectangular, white and plain (paper)
Something soft, colourful and fluffy (pom-pom or cushion)
Something tall, brown and wooden (bookshelf)
Something curved, orange and smooth (plastic bowl or cup)
Something light, blue and patterned (folder or book cover)
Something clear, smooth and see-through (water bottle)
Something blue, round and tiny (button or bead)
Something straight, checked and flat (tablecloth)
Something round, large and blue (ball)
Something small, pink and sparkly (hair clip or sticker)
Something bright, striped and bold (jumper or pencil case)
Something red, sharp and smooth (pair of scissors)
Something large, square and fluffy (carpet)

Visual perception is an important skill for learning to read.

Functional Thinking Skills

I spy with my little eye…

something round and metal that is used for cooking (spoon)
something flat and glass that we use to see how we look (mirror)
something black and plastic that we use to communicate (mobile phone)
Something long and sharp that is used for cutting paper (scissors)
Something wooden or plastic that we sit on at a table (chair)
Something with bristles that we use to clean our teeth (toothbrush)
Something with pages that we use to read stories or information (book)
Something with buttons that we use to change the channel on the television (remote control)
Something with a screen and keys that we use to type and work (computer)
Something small and metal that we use to open a door (key)
Something clear and round that we use for drinking (bottle)
Something made of coloured wax that we use for drawing (crayon)
Something with a lid that we use to keep our lunch fresh (lunch box)
Something tall and made of fabric that we use to keep light out of the room (curtains)
Something with numbers and hands that we use to tell the time (clock or watch)
Something with a zip that we use to carry our things to school (school bag)

Child pretending to make glasses with fingers

Number Identification Skills

For this section, ask questions in two ways: either by stating the number and asking children to find it, or by giving the location and asking children to identify the number.

For example:

“I spy a number on the clock — what number can you see?”
“I spy the number 2 — can you find it somewhere in the room?”

Here are some common places to spot numbers:

Around the Home:

On clocks (digital or analogue)
On door numbers
On the oven or microwave display
On a TV remote control
On pages of books or magazines
On calendars
On measuring jugs or rulers
On board games or dice
On a mobile phone keypad
On a house alarm or thermostat
On price labels or packaging (e.g. cereal box, milk carton)
On playing cards
On the washing machine dial
On wall art or posters
On light switches with numbered settings

In the Classroom:

On wall displays or number charts
On classroom doors or cubbies
On clock faces
On maths manipulatives (number blocks, counters, dice)
On worksheets and textbooks
On whiteboards
On computers or tablets (keyboards, screens)
On books (page numbers, labels)
On glue sticks or supply drawers with number labels
On attendance charts or behaviour trackers
On the date or calendar display
On measuring tools (rulers, thermometers, scales)
On puzzles or games with numbers

Here are some fun number recognition games to help you build this skill.

Rhyming Skills

I spy with my little eye…

Something that rhymes with “guzzle” (puzzle)
Something that rhymes with “bright” (light)
Something that rhymes with “fable” (table)
Something that rhymes with “bear” (chair)
Something that rhymes with “floor” (door)
Something that rhymes with “box” (blocks)
Something that rhymes with “mat” (hat)
Something that rhymes with “ten” (pen)
Something that rhymes with “car” (jar)
Something that rhymes with “jug” (rug)
Something that rhymes with “ball” (wall)
Something that rhymes with “hook” (book)
Something that rhymes with “sock” (clock)
Something that rhymes with “gate” (plate)
Something that rhymes with “pup” (cup)

Word Identification

I spy with my little eye…

The word “go”
The word “exit”
The word “stop”
The word “open”
The word “push”
The word “pull”
The word “toilet”
The word “school”
The word “book”
The word “name”

Capital Letter Identification Skills

I spy with my little eye…

a capital letter “H”
the capital consonant “M”
the capital vowel “E”

Lower-case Letter Identification Skills

I spy with my little eye…

a lower-case letter “b”
the lower-case consonant “f”
the lower-case vowel “a”

Vocabulary

I spy with my little eye…

Something that looks transparent (glass bottle or cup)
Something with the colours crimson and lavender (painting or poster)
Something that smells fragrant (soap or candle)
Something that feels rough (doormat or sandpaper)
Something that feels smooth (tabletop or whiteboard)
Something that looks delicate (flower or paper decoration)
Something that sounds gentle (wind chime or soft music)
Something that feels sturdy (chair or desk)
Something that looks shiny (tap or sink)
Something that feels fluffy (soft toy or cushion)
Something that smells musty (old book or cupboard)

Working Memory

Make the riddles challenging and encourage children to use their working memory skills by providing at least 3 or 4 characteristics:

I spy with my little eye…

Something fuzzy, white, soft and heavy (blanket or pillow)
Something thin, made of paper and full of words (book)
Something round, ticking and hanging on the wall (clock)
Something big, warm, yellow and electric (lamp or classroom light)
Something wooden, tan and rectangular (table or bookshelf)
Something small, round, hard and silver (coin or button)
Something smooth, clear and filled with water (bottle or glass)
Something colourful, sticky and square (sticky note or label)
Something tall, green, smooth and leafy (plant or classroom fern)
Something flat, rectangular, shiny and used for carrying food (tray)
Something long, black and used for writing (pen or marker)
Something cold, white, electrical and found in the kitchen (fridge or freezer)
Something bright, rectangular and shows pictures (screen or tablet)
Something soft, blue and used for sitting (cushion or beanbag)
Something loud, grey and used for listening to music (speaker or radio)

I hope you’ll enjoy trying out these “I Spy with My Little Eye” examples. You can come up with your own categories to play the game with preschoolers, as well, depending on your children’s interests and your surroundings.

Here’s a great list of categories for games and more classic games for kids.

📄 Want a quick reference sheet of these activities? Download the free printable below and keep it in your planning binder.

How to Play “I Spy with My Little Eye”+ 72 Examples

Notes

I Spy with my Little Eye is a simple, no-prep game that is great for boosting children's concentration, listening and thinking skills. You can also use it to practise colours, shapes, numbers, and even build sound awareness.

Here are 200 I Spy questions and phrases to use. Change the examples where necessary to suit your environment at home or in class.

There’s also a printable version of these examples in this post!

Shape Identification Skills

I spy with my little eye…

Something shaped like a rectangle (book or door)
Something triangular (sandwich cut into triangles)
Something shaped like a square (sticky note or floor tile)
Something with a circular shape (clock or plate)
Something shaped like an oval (egg or mirror)
Something with a star shape (sticker or decoration)
Something with circles and diamonds (patterned cushion or rug)
Something shaped like a heart (craft cut-out)
Something with both straight and curved lines (chair or backpack)
Something shaped like a cylinder (glue stick or water bottle)

Spatial/Position Awareness

I spy with my little eye…

Something over or under the cabinet
Something in front of or behind the sofa
Something that is high or low
Something next to the window
Something between the two chairs
Something on top of the desk
Something under the table
Something beside the door
Something inside a cupboard
Something outside the window

Colour Identification Skills

I spy with my little eye…

Something yellow, red, blue, etc. (pencil or folder)
Something dark green (plant or crayon)
Something light blue (backpack or jumper)
Something that only has one colour (chair)
Something that is multi-coloured (painting or toy)
Something with red stripes
Something with purple spots
Something blue and green
Something with a bright colour
Something black and white

Beginning Sound Awareness

I spy with my little eye…

Something that begins with “s” (sock or scissors)
Something that begins with “t” (table or toy)
Something that begins with “p” (pencil or picture)
Something that begins with “m” (mirror or marker)
Something that begins with “ch” (chair or chalk)
Something that begins with “b” (bag or ball)
Something that begins with “k” (key or kettle)
Something that begins with “sh” (shoe or shelf)
Something that begins with “l” (lamp or lid)
Something that starts like “boo” (book)

Ending Sound Awareness

I spy with my little eye…

Something that ends with “ap” (tap or cap)
Something that ends with “g” (bag or rug)
Something that ends with “p” (cup or lamp)
Something that ends with “sh” (dish or brush)
Something that ends with “t” (light or hat)
Something that ends with “air” (chair or hair)
Something that ends with “n” (spoon or fan)
Something that ends with “d” (board or bed)
Something that ends with “ch” (watch or lunch)
Something that ends with “en” (pen or hen)

Visual Perception

I spy with my little eye…

Something round, large and white (wall clock)
Something long, yellow and thin (pencil or straw)
Something rectangular, white and plain (paper)
Something soft, colourful and fluffy (pom-pom or cushion)
Something tall, brown and wooden (bookshelf)
Something curved, orange and smooth (plastic bowl or cup)
Something light, blue and patterned (folder or book cover)
Something clear, smooth and see-through (water bottle)
Something blue, round and tiny (button or bead)
Something straight, checked and flat (tablecloth)
Something round, large and blue (ball)
Something small, pink and sparkly (hair clip or sticker)
Something bright, striped and bold (jumper or pencil case)
Something red, sharp and smooth (pair of scissors)
Something large, square and fluffy (carpet)

Visual perception is an important skill for learning to read.

Functional Thinking Skills

I spy with my little eye…

something round and metal that is used for cooking (spoon)
something flat and glass that we use to see how we look (mirror)
something black and plastic that we use to communicate (mobile phone)
Something long and sharp that is used for cutting paper (scissors)
Something wooden or plastic that we sit on at a table (chair)
Something with bristles that we use to clean our teeth (toothbrush)
Something with pages that we use to read stories or information (book)
Something with buttons that we use to change the channel on the television (remote control)
Something with a screen and keys that we use to type and work (computer)
Something small and metal that we use to open a door (key)
Something clear and round that we use for drinking (bottle)
Something made of coloured wax that we use for drawing (crayon)
Something with a lid that we use to keep our lunch fresh (lunch box)
Something tall and made of fabric that we use to keep light out of the room (curtains)
Something with numbers and hands that we use to tell the time (clock or watch)
Something with a zip that we use to carry our things to school (school bag)

Number Identification Skills

For this section, ask questions in two ways: either by stating the number and asking children to find it, or by giving the location and asking children to identify the number.

For example:

“I spy a number on the clock — what number can you see?”
“I spy the number 2 — can you find it somewhere in the room?”

Here are some common places to spot numbers:

Around the Home:

On clocks (digital or analogue)
On door numbers
On the oven or microwave display
On a TV remote control
On pages of books or magazines
On calendars
On measuring jugs or rulers
On board games or dice
On a mobile phone keypad
On a house alarm or thermostat
On price labels or packaging (e.g. cereal box, milk carton)
On playing cards
On the washing machine dial
On wall art or posters
On light switches with numbered settings

In the Classroom:

On wall displays or number charts
On classroom doors or cubbies
On clock faces
On maths manipulatives (number blocks, counters, dice)
On worksheets and textbooks
On whiteboards
On computers or tablets (keyboards, screens)
On books (page numbers, labels)
On glue sticks or supply drawers with number labels
On attendance charts or behaviour trackers
On the date or calendar display
On measuring tools (rulers, thermometers, scales)
On puzzles or games with numbers

Here are some fun number recognition games to help you build this skill.

Rhyming Skills

I spy with my little eye…

Something that rhymes with “guzzle” (puzzle)
Something that rhymes with “bright” (light)
Something that rhymes with “fable” (table)
Something that rhymes with “bear” (chair)
Something that rhymes with “floor” (door)
Something that rhymes with “box” (blocks)
Something that rhymes with “mat” (hat)
Something that rhymes with “ten” (pen)
Something that rhymes with “car” (jar)
Something that rhymes with “jug” (rug)
Something that rhymes with “ball” (wall)
Something that rhymes with “hook” (book)
Something that rhymes with “sock” (clock)
Something that rhymes with “gate” (plate)
Something that rhymes with “pup” (cup)

Word Identification

I spy with my little eye…

The word “go”
The word “exit”
The word “stop”
The word “open”
The word “push”
The word “pull”
The word “toilet”
The word “school”
The word “book”
The word “name”

Capital Letter Identification Skills

I spy with my little eye…

a capital letter “H”
the capital consonant “M”
the capital vowel “E”

Lower-case Letter Identification Skills

I spy with my little eye…

a lower-case letter “b”
the lower-case consonant “f”
the lower-case vowel “a”

Vocabulary

I spy with my little eye…

Something that looks transparent (glass bottle or cup)
Something with the colours crimson and lavender (painting or poster)
Something that smells fragrant (soap or candle)
Something that feels rough (doormat or sandpaper)
Something that feels smooth (tabletop or whiteboard)
Something that looks delicate (flower or paper decoration)
Something that sounds gentle (wind chime or soft music)
Something that feels sturdy (chair or desk)
Something that looks shiny (tap or sink)
Something that feels fluffy (soft toy or cushion)
Something that smells musty (old book or cupboard)

Working Memory

Make the riddles challenging and encourage children to use their working memory skills by providing at least 3 or 4 characteristics:

I spy with my little eye…

Something fuzzy, white, soft and heavy (blanket or pillow)
Something thin, made of paper and full of words (book)
Something round, ticking and hanging on the wall (clock)
Something big, warm, yellow and electric (lamp or classroom light)
Something wooden, tan and rectangular (table or bookshelf)
Something small, round, hard and silver (coin or button)
Something smooth, clear and filled with water (bottle or glass)
Something colourful, sticky and square (sticky note or label)
Something tall, green, smooth and leafy (plant or classroom fern)
Something flat, rectangular, shiny and used for carrying food (tray)
Something long, black and used for writing (pen or marker)
Something cold, white, electrical and found in the kitchen (fridge or freezer)
Something bright, rectangular and shows pictures (screen or tablet)
Something soft, blue and used for sitting (cushion or beanbag)
Something loud, grey and used for listening to music (speaker or radio)

I hope you'll enjoy trying out these "I Spy with My Little Eye" examples. You can come up with your own categories to play the game with preschoolers, as well, depending on your children’s interests and your surroundings.