A simple autumn activity that encourages careful observation, concentration, language, and independent discovery.

Welcome to Kid Sparkles!

This I Spy: Autumn activity turns a simple autumn picture into an engaging observation game for young children. Using a clear cup filled with lightly coloured water as a simple “spyglass,” children search the picture for familiar autumn objects and match what they find to their checklist.

The activity is designed to encourage children to slow down, look carefully, and discover objects independently rather than simply being given the answers.

Activity at a Glance

Age: 3–6 years
Theme: Autumn / Fall
Activity Type: Observation • Visual Discrimination • Language • Concentration
Approach: Montessori-inspired, child-led exploration

What Children Are Practicing

As children search the picture, they are naturally practicing:

• Visual discrimination — noticing and distinguishing different objects and details
• Concentration — staying focused while searching for a specific item
• Observation skills — looking carefully rather than scanning quickly
• Vocabulary — identifying and naming familiar autumn objects
• Hand-eye coordination — moving the cup deliberately across the picture
• Following a simple sequence — finding an item and marking it on the checklist
• Independence — making choices and completing the search at their own pace

The goal is not to finish as quickly as possible. The goal is to observe, explore, and discover.

Materials You Will Need

Printables

• I Spy: Autumn printable
• Find These Items checklist
• Printer
• Paper or cardstock

For the Colored-Water Spyglass

• A clear glass or transparent cup
• Water
• A small amount of food colouring or water-based liquid paint

Optional

• Laminator and laminating sheets
• Dry-erase marker
• Clear binder pocket or page protector
• Small tray for presenting the activity

Safety Note

For younger children, use a clear plastic cup instead of a glass cup to reduce the risk of breakage.

Always supervise children around water, glass, and small materials.

Prepare the Activity

1. Prepare the Coloured Water

Fill the clear cup with approximately 1 cup of water.

Add a small amount of food colouring or water-based liquid paint and mix gently.

Choose a light, transparent colour. The child should still be able to see the picture clearly through the water.

Tip: The colored water should act like a transparent lens, not cover or hide the picture.

If the water is too dark, add more water until the picture remains easy to see.

2. Prepare the Picture

Place the I Spy: Autumn printable on a flat surface.

Place the colored-water cup beside the picture together with the Find These Items checklist.

For a Montessori-inspired presentation, you can place the materials together on a small tray. This gives the child a defined workspace and makes it easier for them to carry, organise, and return the materials independently.

Choose How You Want to Prepare the Printables

There are several ways to prepare the activity depending on whether you want to use it once or repeatedly.

Option 1: Laminate for Repeated Use

1. Print the I Spy picture and checklist.
2. Print on cardstock if desired.
3. Laminate both pages.
4. Give the child a dry-erase marker.
5. Wipe the pages clean when finished.

This is a practical option if you plan to reuse the activity with siblings, classmates, or during different seasons.

Option 2: Use a Clear Binder Pocket

1. Print the pages.
2. Place each page inside a clear binder pocket or page protector.
3. Give the child a dry-erase marker.
4. Mark the checklist directly on the outside of the pocket.
5. Wipe clean when finished.

This option is useful if you are building an activity binder.

Option 3: Use the Printable Once

Simply print the pages on regular paper.

Your child can mark the checklist using a pencil, crayon, or washable marker.

How to Present the Activity

Invite your child to the prepared workspace.

Keep the initial presentation short. Instead of explaining every step, demonstrate the basic idea and then allow your child to explore.

You might say:

“Today we’re going to look carefully at our autumn picture. This is our spyglass. Can you use it to find the things on our list?”

Show your child how to gently move the colored-water cup across the picture.

Give them a moment to observe how the picture looks through the colored water.

Then let them begin.

Let’s Go I Spy!

1. Choose an item

Invite your child to choose one object from the checklist.

For example, they might look for a leaf, apple, acorn, or another autumn object shown on the list.

2. Search carefully

Encourage your child to move the colored-water cup slowly across the picture.

They can look through the cup as they search for the matching object.

3. Find the match

When your child discovers the object, encourage them to identify it.

You can ask:

“What did you find?”

Allow your child to name the object whenever possible.

4. Mark the checklist

Once the object has been found, let your child mark the matching item on the checklist.

5. Continue the search

Your child can choose another object and continue until all of the items have been discovered.

There is no need to complete the activity quickly.

Give your child time to look, think, and discover.

Give Clues Instead of Answers

One of the most valuable parts of this activity is allowing your child to experience the satisfaction of finding the object independently.

If they cannot find something immediately, avoid pointing directly to the answer.

Instead, offer a gentle prompt such as:

• “Look carefully around this part.”
• “What are you searching for?”
• “Can you move your spyglass slowly?”
• “What do you notice?”
• “Is there another place you could look?”

Then give your child time to try again.

The adult’s role is to prepare the environment, introduce the activity, and support the child’s thinking rather than completing the search for them.

Explore the Colored Water

The colored water is more than a fun visual element. It also gives children an opportunity to notice how the picture changes as they move the cup.

After the I Spy search, invite your child to explore what they notice.

Ask:

“How does the picture look through the colored water?”

“Does anything look different when you move the cup?”

“What happens when your spyglass moves over different colours?”

“Which objects are easier to see?”

There are no required answers. The purpose is to encourage your child to observe, describe, and communicate what they notice.

Try a Different Colour

For another round, prepare a new cup of lightly coloured water using a different colour.

Invite your child to compare the experience.

You might ask:

“What looks different this time?”

“Can you still find all the objects?”

“Which colour did you enjoy exploring?”

This creates an opportunity for further observation and conversation without changing the basic activity.

Keep It Child-Led

This activity does not need to be completed in one sitting.

Some children may want to find every item on the checklist. Others may lose interest after finding a few.

That’s okay.

Follow your child’s attention and allow them to stop when they are finished.

A Montessori-inspired activity works best when the adult prepares a clear, inviting environment and gives the child space to explore, repeat, make choices, and work at their own pace.

A Simple Autumn Invitation to Observe

I Spy: Autumn is a small activity with many opportunities for learning.

As your child searches, pauses, looks again, names an object, and marks the checklist, they are practicing important skills through playful exploration.

So slow down, bring out the autumn picture, fill the little spyglass, and let your child discover what they can find. 🍂🔍

Happy exploring from Kid Sparkles!