French games for kids: I spy with my little eye

Most people, no matter what their native tongue is, have played the game “I spy with my little eye” growing up. It’s a game that you can play anywhere, and it’s a great tool to teach our petits bambins new vocabulary and concepts.

How we started playing this game is a funny story. One day, as we were enjoying a meal at the table, my daughter looked across the room and said to me:

“Avec mes yeux d’espion, je regarde quelque chose de couleur verte.”

That translates roughly to “I spy with my little eye, something that is green.”

It took me a second, and then I realized she wanted to play “I Spy”! We had a fantastic time taking turns being the spy. We discretely chose objects based on colour and responded as the other player guessed what they were.

Peppa Pig – Avec mes yeux d’espion je regarde…

So, where did she learn this game that I never taught her? From Peppa Pig! Here is the episode where the family plays “L’espion“.

French games for kids: variations of “I Spy”

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While we played based on colours, using everyday items that you have at home or objects that you see during a walk in the park, you can adapt this game to focus on:

Shapes

I spy with my little eye, something that is round.

Avec mes yeux d’espion, je regarde quelque chose de rond.

Letters

I spy with my little eye, something that starts with the letter…

Avec mes yeux d’espion, je regarde quelque chose qui commence par la lettre…

Textures

I spy with my little eye, something that is smooth.

Avec mes yeux d’espion, je regarde quelque chose de lisse.

Tastes

I spy with my little eye, something that that tastes sweet.

Avec mes yeux d’espion, je regarde quelque chose qui a un goût sucré.

Rhymes

I spy with my little eye, something that rhymes with…

Avec mes yeux d’espion, je regarde quelque chose qui rime avec …

There are so many variations of the “I Spy” game! Which are your favourites? What other French games for kids have you tried?