Activity #536: Publish your own I Spy book

by Whitney on January 26, 2009

in Crafty, Free/Cheap, Geeky, Indoors, Photo, Preschooler


We are big fans of the I Spy books, starting with the board book versions I bought when Julian was a baby. We play “I Spy” with regular books, too, and now we’ve graduated into Where’s Waldo? territory.

The other day, Julian (4) and I did a little photo shoot with big plans — still unfulfilled as of this writing — to make our own I Spy book. You can do it, too.


DIY I Spy Book

1. Set up a solid colored background on the floor. We used a foam play mat.
2. Gather a laundry basket full of {insert nice word for “junk”}. Include favorite objects and personal items.
3. Spread your items on the background as you like. Since there’s no wrong way to do this, let your preschooler help.
4. Try to talk your preschooler out of being in the picture himself. I failed. See above.
5. Photograph the scene.
6. Arrange new items and repeat.
7. Upload set of photos to your choice of photo book makers and order yourself a book.
8. Alternatively, cheap out and simply print the results on your own printer. Paper clip the photos together to make a set of I Spy cards for use in the car or on the plane.

Another fun version of this activity is to dump your purse and photograph the results.

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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }

RookieMom Heather January 26, 2009 at 1:31 pm

I love it. I’ll need to collect some crap into one place and make an artful book from it. Who will clean up the art installation from my house? Oh nevermind.

The race is on. Who will publish this endeavor first? Ready. Set. Go.

JanMary, N Ireland January 26, 2009 at 3:15 pm

Great idea, and lots of fun.

Caroline January 26, 2009 at 6:22 pm

I’ve been meaning to do this too, but my girls have never really gotten into the I spy books (although we’ve got a lot of them that they’ve been given as gifts). I once saw some at a craft show that were custom made, instead of Waldo, you gave them a picture of your child and they incorporated it into the various pages. I was thinking of doing it with several family members.

Stephanie January 27, 2009 at 2:44 pm

We have the complete Where’s Waldo collection (all six books) and our 2-year-old LOVES searching for Waldo, Wenda, the Wizard, and “the bad guy.” She’s actually surprisingly good at finding them too…

Emily February 4, 2009 at 7:31 pm

I received a creative Christmas Card with this same theme. The family put all kinds of christmas items in the picture and also included pictures of themselves. The items they asked you to search for in the picture gave you clues as to what they had been up to that year. Ex. I spy a Big Apple (our trip to NYC), a first place ribbon (Jackson won state swim meet), a set of key’s (Ava turned 16) and faucet drippin (we finally renovated our bathroom).

Kate February 6, 2009 at 11:49 am

Great tip! I’m definitely going to try it. But nobody gets to see the inside of my purse….

jodz February 9, 2009 at 1:49 am

What a great idea. My kids love I Spy.

Josh February 13, 2009 at 5:57 am

I was going to make a Flickr group where we could share the one’s we’ve made, but there’s already one there. I-Spy Flickr group
There’s not alot there, but could be a great place if people start populating it.

Amberella February 24, 2009 at 8:02 am

What is that little toys with a 7 on it surrounded by cherries??

Awesome idea! I am totally planning on doing this! Thanks. :)

Administrator February 24, 2009 at 1:48 pm

@Amberella the cherries is from a LeapFrog Shopping Cart that’s discontinued. Great toy.

Sarah March 27, 2009 at 6:15 pm

I love this! I can see all the Ponyville little ponies and their gear now. . . Birthday party detritus? Dress up clothes? I have banished Polly, her pockets, and everything associated to the garage recently, but this might earn her a one-day furlough. Did I mention the ponies?

Thanks for the idea!

metal artwork January 4, 2010 at 11:39 pm

what a fun idea

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