What Did I See?

1. 1

   Play a detective game called “What Did I See?” One person secretly chooses an object, and the others try to identify it from clues.

2. 2

   Choose a spot with plenty of visible objects, such as the living room sofa or dining table. You go first as the clue giver and silently choose an object—for example, a cup. Begin with, “I see something…” and add one clue: “I see something white.”

3. 3

   Your child and another caregiver take turns guessing: “Is it a plate?” “Is it the trash can?”

4. 4

   Help your child narrow the possibilities by asking about location or material: “Is it on the table?” “Is it made of glass?”

5. 5

   If no one guesses correctly, add another clue. Whoever identifies the object first becomes the clue giver for the next round.

What to notice

• Asks different kinds of questions, such as “Is it ___?” or “Is it near ___?” Attending and Understanding
• Waits for their turn before speaking Cognitive Self-Regulation (Executive Functioning)

Tips

• If an earlier clue ruled something out—for example, “It isn’t made of plastic”—but your child guesses a plastic object, remind them of the clue and invite another guess.

Developmental benefits

• Language: Taking turns guessing and asking questions helps your child understand what different questions mean and choose a question that fits the information they want.
• Cognitive: While guessing and waiting for others to speak in turn, your child needs to control their impulse to say the answer immediately.