Everyone loves I-Spy, especially if the focus is on nature – and it gives us a chance to connect to the people we love.

We have two options for Nature I-Spy: one for toddlers, and one for the rest of us. The one for kids, teenagers, and adults lets you connect with friends and family, and play together, even from afar.

For Kids, Teenagers, and Adults

We can’t get together right now – but we can challenge each other to a fun game of Nature I-Spy. Big thanks to member Kirsten C. for sharing this idea!

Here’s how it works:

1. You go outside and notice what colors, textures, patterns, or smells are happening in your back yard / nearby natural areas.
2. You challenge your friends and family to find something similar, in their own backyard or nearby natural area. Examples are below. You can do this with a social media post, text or email. Tell your friends to snap a pic to prove they found it – or draw what they found – or describe it if it was moving too fast (i.e. a bird!).
3. Once your friends or family members share what they’ve found, see if you can identify it. Two super resources are Cornell University’s All About Birds and iNaturalist (a free app that helps you ID things just by focusing your camera on the plants and animals).

Here are some examples of Nature I-Spy prompts:

• Colors: I Spy something that is purple/blue/yellow/white/etc (there are lots of wildflowers coming up, so take your pick!).
• Water: I Spy water moving / wildlife tracks by the creek / etc
• Birds: I Spy a bird with a thick beak / building a nest / with red feathers / etc.
• Trees: I Spy something with needles/compound leaves/bark that looks like a KitKat etc
• Pollinators: I Spy a pollinator plant that’s just coming up.

For Toddlers (and the Adults Who Love Them)

Parents can gather objects from the backyard and play a game of I-Spy that can help kids learn wonder…and some colors, textures, shapes, and more! Here’s the scoop on how to play (it’s easy!).