Christmas I Spy for Toddlers
Share
A Christmas I Spy board for toddlers is a big sheet of paper covered with simple holiday drawings that your child points to and names. You draw the pictures, then call out what to find. Toddlers love the hunt, and every round builds vocabulary and counting. It takes about 20 minutes to draw and lasts all season.
What supplies do you need?
- One big sheet of paper (a grocery bag cut open or two sheets taped together works well)
- Crayons or washable markers in red, green, yellow, brown, and black
- A thick marker for the border, so the board feels finished
- Tape to hang it on the wall at toddler eye level (optional)
- A clear zip bag (optional, for storing the finished board flat)
How do you draw the I Spy board?
- Draw a thick border around the edge of the paper with your marker. The border marks the "game field" and keeps drawings from drifting off the page.
- Scatter about 15 simple Christmas drawings across the paper: Christmas trees, stars, gift boxes, candy canes, bells, snowmen, stockings, and a Santa hat. Keep each drawing big, about the size of your palm, so little eyes find them easily.
- Use the same colors for the same items each time. All trees green, all stars yellow, all candy canes red and white. Consistency is what lets a toddler match by color and shape.
- Count as you draw and write a small number in the corner of the board: 3 stars, 2 trees, 4 gift boxes, 2 candy canes, 1 bell, 1 snowman, 1 stocking, 1 Santa hat. The numbers are your answer key.
How do you play with a toddler?
- Tape the board to a wall at your child's eye level, or spread it flat on the floor.
- Start with one easy find: "Can you point to the snowman?" Clap when they find it. Big celebration for every find keeps toddlers in the game.
- Move to colors next: "Find a red gift box." Then counting: "How many stars can you find?"
- Let them take a turn giving you something to find. Even pointing and babbling counts as a turn at this age.
- Stop after about 10 minutes or when attention wanders. Short happy rounds beat one long tired one.
What goes wrong, and how do you fix it?
- Your toddler points at everything except the target. That is normal searching behavior at this age. Narrow the hunt: cover half the board with a sheet of paper and search only the open half.
- They lose interest after two finds. Switch from finding to counting, or hand them the crayon to draw their own star on the board. Participation keeps them in longer than watching.
- Your drawings all look the same to them. Simplify. At this age, a triangle with a trunk reads as a tree and a five-point blob reads as a star. Recognizable beats pretty.
- They want to draw on the board instead of play. Let them. Add their drawings to the game: "Can you find the star YOU drew?" Ownership makes the game theirs.
More Christmas fun to try
Want more Christmas activities? Join our email list and we will send you new seasonal activities as we publish them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is this Christmas I Spy board right for?
Ages 18 months to 4 are the sweet spot. The youngest toddlers just point and name with help, while 3 and 4 year olds can count the finds and take turns calling out items. Keep the drawings extra large for under-twos, and add more items for older toddlers who finish fast.
How many pictures should I draw on the board?
About 15 pictures works best for toddlers. Fewer than 10 and the game ends too fast; more than 20 and little eyes get lost. Your answer key numbers in the corner tell you when every item has been found, so the game has a clear finish.
Can my older child help make the board?
Yes, and that makes it better. An older sibling drawing the pictures for the toddler to find turns this into a two-kid activity with zero extra setup. The older child practices planning and drawing, and the toddler gets a game made just for them.
How do I keep the board from getting crumpled or torn?
Hang it on the wall with painter's tape at toddler height instead of leaving it on the floor. If your toddler likes to grab it, slip the finished board inside a clear zip bag. The bag flattens the paper and keeps crayon drawings smudge-free through many rounds.
Be safe and have fun!