The Toddler Spy

Years ago, when I was pretty young a movie came out called Harriet the Spy. This movie was awesome and inspired me to pretend to be a spy for a while after that. I can't wait for my kids to get interested in being little spies. Bubba already really thinks he is, sneaking around and trying to see what everyone else is doing! He's always got that mischievous little grin too. They do like movies like The Great Mouse Detective, anything where Daffy Duck plays a detective, Inspector Gadget, Scooby Doo and the Pink Panther. I think that making a spy kit for them will be really interesting. Even if they don't use it for spying it could also double as a bug kit for the up close and personal inspection of bugs. Bubba loves bugs.





Here's what I would put in the spy kit:

• a magnifying glass to "look for clues" (also good for looking at bugs)
• a pair of plastic tweezers for picking up evidence (also good for picking up bugs)
• a fake cell phone to call for help (I've got nothing for the bugs on this one! :))
• flashlight for finding criminals and suspects in the dark (or for seeing bugs under stuff)
• a cheap camera to take pictures of the criminals and crime scenes (also for taking pictures of bugs)
• a notepad for writing down clues (or drawing the bugs they find)
• a pair of gloves for inspecting the crime scene or not leaving finger prints (and for touching super nasty bugs)
• binoculars to investigate from a distance (and search for bugs in trees and other high places)
• a pair of costume glasses. You know the kind with the nose and mustache.

That's really all I would include in mine for my kids till they get a little older. When Nick (my brother) and I were kids we had a device for listening in to conversations in the next room. I'd put that in one for older kids for sure. I would also switch out the fake cell phone for cheap walkie talkies. I would also add something like a yak bak or talkboy (remember those?!). Right now the kids will most likely only use this for looking at bugs but later on I could make them a great spy kit for next to nothing! I also found a pin that was a cute game they could play now while pretending to be spies. All you need is some red or green yarn and some paint safe tape like the blue painters tape.

                                            

Isn't that great? It's just like the lasers from the movies! It's also pretty good exercise for the kids. I can't seem to find the original poster for that, sorry. If you know who to give credit to, just let me know!