I Spy “Flip” Board Game: Habitats Desert Animals
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Number of Pages: 21
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Coordinating Activities
Habitats Desert Animals I Spy “Flip” Board Game
- 40 I Spy picture cards, 8 to a page (camels, tortoises, lizards, scorpions, meerkats and more)
- 10 full-color I Spy game boards
- 1 page of 20 round gold tokens
- Table of contents and preparation directions
- I Spy “Flip” game instructions
The picture cards have no words, so kids match by looking closely. Some cards look a lot alike, like the different lizards, cactus plants and snakes, so kids have to check the details to find the exact match.
Required Materials:
- White cardstock, printer and ink
- Laminator
- Paper cutter or scissors
- Optional: mini erasers or counters to use as tokens
Standards for Animal Habitats, Vocabulary and Speaking and Listening
This desert animals I Spy game supports early learning standards connected to desert animal vocabulary, visual discrimination and taking turns in conversation.
Common Core State Standards: English Language Arts
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.5.A: Sort common objects into categories to gain a sense of the concepts the categories represent. Kids sort the pictures into desert animals and desert plants.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.5.C: Identify real-life connections between words and their use. Kids talk about desert animal words they know from real life.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults in small and larger groups. Players take turns, name the pictures and talk about each match.
Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and TEKS for English Language Arts and Reading
- PK4.II.D.1: Child understands and uses a wide variety of words to label and describe people, places, things and actions. Kids name and describe each desert animal picture they find.
- PK4.II.D.3: Child consistently understands and uses new vocabulary learned through books, conversations and play. Every round brings more chances to hear and use the theme words.
- TEKS K.1(D): Work collaboratively with others by following agreed-upon rules for discussion, including taking turns. Players take turns flipping cards and searching the board.
Virginia English Standards of Learning
- K.RV.1.C: Use vocabulary from across content areas. Kids build desert animal vocabulary as they play.
- K.RV.1.F: Use newly learned words and phrases in discussions and speaking activities. Kids name each picture when they find it.
- K.C.1.A.i: Listen actively and follow agreed-upon rules for participating in discussions. Kids take turns and wait for each player to flip.
Next Generation Science Standards
- K-ESS3-1: Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants or animals and the places they live. Kids talk about why each animal can live in the desert.
The Habitats Desert Animals I Spy “Flip” Board Game gives preschool and kindergarten kids hands-on practice with visual discrimination and desert animal vocabulary using 40 picture cards and 10 colorful game boards.
Flip a card and find the camel! Kids race to spot desert animals and plants on a busy I Spy board while they talk about life in a hot, dry habitat.
The picture cards show camels, tortoises, lizards, scorpions, meerkats, roadrunners, owls and cactus plants. Some cards look a lot alike, like the different lizards, cactus plants and snakes, so kids have to check the details to find the exact match.
The cards have pictures only, so kids who aren’t reading yet can play right along. Name each picture as you go to build desert animal vocabulary while kids search.
With 10 different game boards, the same pictures land in new spots each round. That keeps the search fresh while kids build visual scanning, focus and attention to detail.
How to Play the Desert Animals I Spy Game
- Choose one I Spy game board and place it where every player can see it. Deal the picture cards face down so each player has a small stack.
- All players flip their top card at the same time and race to find the matching picture on the board.
- The first player to point to the right picture names it, then wins a round gold token or keeps the card as a point. Play until every card is flipped. The player with the most points wins!
Cooperative Play: Put the picture cards in one shared pile. Kids take turns flipping a card and work together to find it on the board. Cover each match with a token to see how many pictures the group can find.
Independent Play: Set one board and a stack of cards in a learning center. Kids flip one card at a time, find the picture and name it. Covering each picture with a token or mini eraser adds a little fine motor practice.
Easy Ways to Differentiate This Desert Animals I Spy Game
Every group has a mix of vocabulary, attention and visual scanning skills. These simple changes keep the I Spy routine familiar while meeting each child where they are.
For Children Who Need More Support:
- Start with 8 to 10 cards and one board.
- Name each picture together before you start the game.
- Model the first flip, search and match.
- Accept pointing or touching as an answer.
For On-Level Practice:
- Play with all 40 cards and one board.
- Have kids name each picture after every match.
- Switch boards so the same pictures land in new spots.
- Sort the cards into animals and plants.
For an Extra Challenge:
- Have kids name the picture before they start searching.
- Describe a picture without naming it and let kids find it.
- Ask kids how each animal stays cool in the desert.
- Have kids tell how two look-alike pictures are different.
For Speech, OT, ELL or Special Education Support:
- Say the name of each picture and give plenty of wait time to find it.
- Accept pointing, gestures, AAC or any communication method the child already uses.
- Use the cards to build both receptive and expressive vocabulary.
- Play cooperatively when the goal is vocabulary, not speed.
- Have kids place a token on each match for added fine motor practice.
Desert Animals I Spy Game Is Perfect For:
- Preschool and pre-K
- Kindergarten
- Animal habitat units
- Science centers
- Small-group instruction
- Speech and language therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Special education
- ELL and multilingual learners
- Homeschool
- Early finishers
