Christmas counting I Spy board game fun for numbers 1-10! In the I Spy Board Game Christmas Counting, children flip a card, scan a busy holiday board and race to spy numerals, ten frames, reindeer, gingerbread kids and Christmas trees first.

This festive number recognition game is made for your December math centers. Preschool and kindergarten children practice counting, number recognition, visual discrimination and holiday vocabulary as they look closely, compare details and count sets. The prep is simple, the rounds are quick and the excitement lasts for game after game.

With this Christmas counting I Spy game, you get

• 10 Christmas I Spy game boards with numbers 1-10
• 40 I Spy image cards with numerals, counting sets and holiday pictures
• 20 token cards to collect each round
• Simple visual game directions

Print, deal the cards and let the holiday spying begin!

What's Included

• 10 Christmas I Spy game boards with numbers 1-10, ten frames (a 2-by-5 grid that shows a number) and festive counting images
• 40 I Spy image cards featuring Christmas numbers, counting sets and holiday-themed pictures
• 20 token cards for students to collect as they win each round
• Simple visual game directions to make setup and play easy
• Festive pictures such as reindeer, Santa, gingerbread kids, ornaments, presents, Christmas trees, wreaths and cookies

Why Teachers Love It

• Festive and focused: Kids get holiday fun and real number practice in the same game.
• Simple December prep: Print, prep and add it to your Christmas math centers, morning tubs or small groups.
• Fresh every time: A variety of I Spy boards keeps the game exciting even when December energy runs high.
• Fast-paced fun: The flip-and-find format keeps students engaged round after round.
• No pile of extra supplies: Everything you need for the game is included.
• Works for mixed groups: Students can name, count, match, point or describe, so everyone plays at their level.

Skills Students Practice

Primary Academic Skills

• Number recognition 1-10: Children identify numerals on the cards and boards through repeated play.
• Counting and quantities: Children count sets, match numerals to quantities and practice one-to-one correspondence.
• Ten frame awareness and subitizing: Children begin to see how many are in a small group without counting each one.
• Visual scanning and visual discrimination: Children search a busy board and compare similar Christmas images.
• Christmas vocabulary: Children name and describe holiday pictures and quantities.

Secondary Life & Learning Skills

• Taking turns
• Following directions
• Waiting during group play
• Maintaining attention
• Using mathematical language
• Building confidence during group participation

How to Use It

Step 1: Select one Christmas I Spy game board and place it in the center of the table. Give each player a stack of image cards face down.

Step 2: On each turn, players flip over the top card from their stack and scan the board to find the matching number, ten frame or holiday picture as quickly as they can.

Step 3: The first player to find the matching image wins a token card for that round. Keep flipping, searching and matching until the cards have been played. The player with the most tokens wins!

For younger learners, slow the game down by having players take turns searching one at a time. For extra support, ask kids to say the number, count the set, describe the image or use a complete sentence before collecting a token.

Easy Differentiation

Children come to this game with different number sense, visual skills and language needs. It is easy to adjust so everyone can join in.

For Children Who Need More Support

• Take turns searching one player at a time
• Start with a smaller stack of image cards
• Name each numeral together before the game begins
• Touch and count the pictures in each set out loud together

For On-Level Practice

• Play the race version as written with a partner or small group
• Say the number before collecting a token
• Rotate through different game boards
• Count the tokens at the end to see who won

For an Extra Challenge

• Use all 40 image cards in one game
• Say how many are in a ten frame without counting each one
• Describe the image with a complete sentence before collecting a token
• Compare token piles and tell who has more

For Speech, OT, ELL or Special Education Support

• Practice Christmas vocabulary such as reindeer, wreath and ornament
• Use a short language frame such as "I spy ___."
• Build visual scanning and fine motor control as children flip cards, point and collect tokens
• Use the pictures to make new words easier to understand for ELL and ESL learners
• Give extra processing time and take turns one at a time when needed

Perfect For

• December math centers
• Small group math instruction
• Partner games
• Morning work bins and early finisher tubs
• Occupational therapy and speech therapy sessions
• ELL and ESL language support
• December sub plans and indoor recess
• Homeschool math practice

Standards

This Christmas counting I Spy game supports the 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and Virginia's Early Learning and Development Standards (2021), plus kindergarten number and speaking and listening standards in Common Core, the TEKS (Math, adopted 2012; ELAR, adopted 2017) and the Virginia SOL (Math 2023, English 2024):

Common Core State Standards

• CCSS K.CC.A.3: Connect a number of objects to its written numeral within 1-10.
• CCSS K.CC.B.5: Count to answer "how many?" questions about groups of Christmas pictures.
• CCSS SL.K.1.a: Follow agreed-upon rules, such as listening to others and taking turns, during group play.

Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.V.A.5: Recognize numerals 0-10. Children find the numeral on their card among the holiday pictures on the board.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.V.A.3: Count up to 10 items and know the last number tells how many.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.V.E.1: Sort objects that are the same and different. Children compare similar Christmas pictures to find the one that matches their card.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.I.C.4: Interact with peers during cooperative play that shares a common plan and goal.

Texas TEKS

• TEKS Math K.2.B: Read and represent whole numbers with and without pictures, including 1-10 in this game.
• TEKS Math K.2.D: Recognize instantly the quantity of a small group of objects, such as a ten frame.
• TEKS ELAR K.1.D: Work with others by following agreed-upon rules, including taking turns.

Virginia Early Learning and Development Standards

• Virginia ELDS CD3.1: Count and recognize quantities with numerals, ten frames and holiday pictures.
• Virginia ELDS CD3.4: Sort and classify by noticing how pictures are alike and matching the ones that are the same.

Virginia SOL

• VA SOL Math K.NS.2.a: Read and identify numerals, including 1-10 on the cards and boards.
• VA SOL English K.C.1.A.i: Listen actively and follow agreed-upon rules for participating, such as waiting for a turn.

Add the I Spy Board Game Christmas Counting to your cart and have a festive number game ready for December centers, small groups and homeschool lessons. Your kids will be spying reindeer, counting gingerbread kids and naming numbers 1-10 again and again!

The Christmas Counting I Spy game is also included in 30 I Spy Board Games: Bundle #4 with color, emotion, counting and 2D shape games. Grab the bundle and save!

Download Details

Please note: This is a digital download that will be available to you directly after purchase. Nothing will be mailed to you.

You will receive a link to the download in three places

1. On the 'thank you' page after checkout
2. In your email
3. Login on the site here: https://lifeovercsstore.com/account