Author: Angela Russ-Ayon

Illustration: still color photography

 

I Spy with My Little Eye: Fruit,

a Seek and Find Early Science and Math Experience

 

Colorful photographs help young children identify a variety of fruit while being introduced to basic science and math concepts. On each page, there is a different option to consider and discuss. Children who spy thawed fruit will also spy frozen fruit. Those who spy fruit that is purple will also see other fruit colors. By comparing and contrasting the fruit in the book and in their world, children can better understand the characteristics, similarities, differences, and relationships between them. Compare and contrast is a strategy that can be used to introduce basic concepts such as size, shape, color, texture, and positions in space. This type of thinking helps young children develop analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. In addition, it can enhance the language skills used to describe what they observe. 

​

Repeatedly looking at picture books about fruits and vegetables with parents enhances young children's visual preferences toward the foods in the book and influences their willingness to taste these foods (Houston-Price et al., 2009b).

 

I Spy Fruit is an effective way to excite young children about healthy eating. It is also a great addition to any fruit, gardening, harvest, nutrition, food group, or life science theme for parents of young children or preschool and early childhood educators.

​

Children can interpret some of the concepts using their bodies: stretch their bodies high, drop them low, make a circle with their arms, make a triangle with their hands, freeze in place, or use everyday tools and physical science experiments to express their understanding of STEM concepts.