How to Make I Spy Bottles

Pull the label off a dry, empty, plastic, water bottle. It doesn't need to be perfect, but most of the label should be removed so that your child can see what's in the bottle.

Consider what skill, if any, you are targeting. For example, if you are targeting colors, choose five yellow things, five red things and five blue things. Choosing three different colors allows you to teach your child to recognize different colors without overwhelming her.

Collect 10 to 15 small, household objects, toys, charms or shaped beads that will be familiar to your child and are small enough to fit through the bottle's opening. Make sure that whatever objects you use are recognizable from different angles.

Place the objects in the bottle.

Fill the bottle with 1 cup to 2 cups of a single color of sand or rice. Aim for three-quarters full. Use a funnel to minimize spilling. Choosing your child's favorite colored sand will add to the excitement for many children, but regular sand-box sand works as well. Consider adding glitter to the sand to make it more exciting and a little bit more difficult. Adding multiple colors of sand will also make it more difficult because it will be more distracting and harder to see the objects.

Glue the lid on the bottle with a strong glue. Regular glue or tape are more likely to come undone than epoxies or other strong glues and the bottle will make a big mess if the lid comes off and your child spills it.

Shake the bottle to mix the items into the sand.

Give the bottle to your child. Challenge him to find something blue, something to eat or something that starts with the letter "A," depending on what categories you targeted when you selected the objects.