Latest news with #ISpy
The Sun
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Britain's favourite car games revealed according to survey – is yours on the list?
A POLL has revealed the most popular 'car games' among Britons, with I-spy coming out on top. I-Spy, 'First one to see' and Yellow Car are among the nation's most popular 'car games', according to research. 3 3 A poll of 2,000 adults found 88 per cent will indulge in a time-killing challenge when on a road trip. Spotting car brands and various license plates also proved popular. Other games to feature in the top 20 include the Alphabet Game, when you have to think of a word in a certain category beginning with each letter and the classic Rock Paper Scissors. Name That Tune, Would You Rather and even Truth or Dare are also popular. It comes after Londoners playing 'Yellow Car' would have found themselves racking up the points, after images captured five new Renault 5 E-Tech Electric vehicles buzzing around the capital's most famous landmarks. The fleet were all designed in the French carmaker's iconic yellow pop colourway, making them stand out from the crowd. The swarm of five in-sync cars drove past London sights including The Mall and past Big Ben. A spokesperson from the automotive brand, which also commissioned the research, said: "The nation will be taking to the roads this Bank Holiday weekend and I'm sure many will be playing at least one of these classic car games. 'While I-Spy might still be the most popular, Yellow Car is one that many will be familiar with. 'Trying to spot a brightly coloured car while on the road can keep adults and children alike entertained and can help make any car journey go that little bit quicker. New Renault 4 is no longer a cheap, simple no frills runabout - it's now a funky family crossover and a capital B bargain 'So, having launched Renault 5 with the option of vibrant, fun colours, we wanted to play a real-life version of the Yellow Car game on the streets of London, so anyone driving past would have had a bumper load of cars to shout about.' The study also revealed that for 67 per cent of those who play car games, the point doing so is simply to pass time and stave off boredom, but 43 per cent rely on them to lighten the mood. And 16 per cent turn to them to reduce screen time or random scrolling on their phones. It also emerged 63 per cent of adults claimed car games make them feel nostalgic for the car trips of their childhood. UK car journeys were the most popular time to break out a game (53 per cent), followed by when going a day trip (41 per cent) and visiting friends and family (32 per cent). But 21 per cent of adults also play them when driving with friends and 17 per cent do so on the exciting journey to the airport. And nearly one in 10 (eight per cent) of the parents polled, via OnePoll, turn to them to keep kids entertained on the school run. 3
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Little-known fact about iconic 1990s I Spy books stuns fans
In a world full of AI imagery, '90s I Spy books are a revelation for the eyes - and nostalgic fans are agog at the level of detail that went into creating the books. Fans of the popular I Spy series have been left stunned to discover that each image in the classic books - written by Jean Marzollo and photographed by Walter Wick - were actually carefully styled scenes. There are 52 books in the I Spy series in total, with the most recent published in 2012. Each book had a different theme and pictured a surreal image with objects for the reader to find - if they could. Now, users have been left stunned to find that each one of the images was carefully arranged by Wick using real objects. An astounded TikTok user, who shares videos under the username @dspacestv, uploaded some behind the scenes snaps from the popular books, amazed by the intricacies of the pictures. 'This page in the I Spy Fantasy book in 1994 is a miniature set,' the astonished user wrote. 'It was created by hand by Walter Wick who saw a window display that he was inspired by in SoHo in New York,' she explained. 'He took the photo using 8x10 film, this was pre-using photoshop.' 'He also created each I Spy scene by hand, then he takes a photo of the little scene and it goes in the book,' she surmised. Followers were equally as enamored by the truth about the nostalgic books. 'BRING BACK I, SPY BOOKS!!!!! And absolutely NO computer generated imagery,' declared one. 'This is really why they were soooooo magical,' agreed another. 'The realism of the little town scenes is exactly why I loved these books so much as a kid. The detail was insane,' gushed another. Before working on the I Spy books, Wick worked as a commercial photographer in New York City, working for a publication called Games magazine. According to Insider Art, in 1980 Wick decided to snap a picture of some stray nuts and bolts that were lying around in his studio, using it to advertise his work. I Spy author Marzollo sought him out after coming across the photo, asking him to take a snapshot for her kids' magazine, Let's Find Out. An editor at Scholastic then saw the poster and asked the duo if they would want to collaborate on some search-and-find books, launching the successful I Spy books. Followers were equally as enamored by nostalgic books There are typically around 40 pages per book, with some of the images taking weeks to create, with Walt having to meretriciously hand-make each set before photographing it. 'I would hide the object as I would build the shot,' Wick explained in a 2019 interview. 'I would create the shot, make a list of the hidden objects, send it to Jean, and then she would write the rhyme,' he explained. The photographer added that the 'every day themes' - like school or nature - were easier to construct, while the 'higher level' concepts were harder as he didn't want to repeat himself as the series went on.
NZ Herald
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
On the Up: Hawke's Bay bus driver's shelter project keeps kids warm and dry
Somervell's bus is known as the 'music bus' to his young passengers – he has loaded it up with instruments for daily singalongs of Wheels on the Bus and Mary Had a Little Lam b, among other children's favourites, and plays games of I Spy with the children. Father of two of his passengers and Esk Valley farmer Mark Mitchell said the kids love the bus so much that when their parents can collect them from school the kids would still prefer to ride the school bus with Somervell. 'They want to catch the bus because Lee's awesome,' Mitchell said. 'He gives them a present or a bit of birthday cake on their birthdays and all sorts. He's a hell of a bloke.' One wet morning, Somervell saw his young passengers standing in the rain at the end of Mitchell's driveway when he decided 'this is not good enough'. 'It's pretty cold up that Esk Valley,' Somervell said. He and Mitchell discussed building a mai mai to keep the kids dry, but Somervell thought he'd 'go to the top'. 'So I came to Mitre 10,' he said. At Mitre 10 Hastings, Somervell met with advertising, events and sponsorship co-ordinator Pip George, who couldn't help but catch Somervell's enthusiasm. 'We were like, how can we not get behind this project,' she said. 'We receive a lot of requests for good and gift card, but obviously projects like this one inspire us. It's more what we do around the DIY and building and it aligns with our values here at the store.' George sent an email to EIT's School of Trades and Technology carpentry tutor Campbell Johnson, better known as CJ, asking if he and his students would be keen to help build the shelter if Mitre 10 provided the materials, to which he replied 'absolutely'. 'EIT were crucial to this project,' George said. 'Something about students helping younger students, that full circle really means something.' Six weeks later, a bright-orange bus shelter was placed at the end of Mitchell's driveway so his children and their fellow pupils could stay dry during the colder and wetter months. 'It's a hell of a lot better than my garage at home,' laughed Somervell. 'It can be seen from [State Highway 5] and that's a great thing because what we need is giving credit to Mitre 10 Hastings. 'But to have this bus shelter now to unite us all is really good and wonderful teamwork.'
The Courier
02-05-2025
- General
- The Courier
Martel Maxwell slams Swallow Roundabout chaos in Dundee
It's not a topic I ever thought I'd write nearly 800 words about. New traffic lights at a roundabout? No thank you. And yet here we are and here we must be, for the Swallow Roundabout system is a debacle with consequences affecting our city and its people on a giant scale. A traffic light system installed by developer Springfield to ease potential congestion caused by the construction of hundreds of new homes at Dykes of Gray, is causing chaos. At the less serious end of the spectrum, it affects people like me every day – those who come into Dundee via the roundabout. When asked how long it takes me to get into the city centre, I used to say around 20 minutes. Now, with traffic queued to Longforgan from just after 8am, the school run feels like 20 hours. No one wants to be at a near standstill as three boys argue about who has the biggest head, while battering each other with a pencil case. But commuters' problems are the least of it. The Swallow Roundabout is the gateway to Dundee – and was once a free-flowing circle (as Dundonians uniquely call it) with Riverside to the right and the Kingsway straight ahead. Your biggest quandary was whether to take the scenic coastal route or multiple roundabouts if you were going to the Ferry. Today you are faced with missing that school bell, running late for a meeting, a coffee, a wedding – possibly your own. And such things are trivial when compared to the ambulance racing to get to Ninewells on time, carrying someone whose very life depends on getting to A&E. Suddenly, the issue is not minor and mildly annoying – but potentially life-threatening. You just have to hope the traffic parts for the blue light and siren. This is not a luxury, however, a hearse driver has and if you're coming from the Perth direction into Dundee, there's every chance you could be late for your own funeral. Springfield insists the new system was not designed to speed up traffic flow. But at what point in their application, signed off by Transport Scotland and our local authority, did it say queues would increase from a few minutes to 15 minutes for everyone entering Dundee from Perth? You're not going to make our Loganair flights loop the loop before landing at Dundee Airport. And you're not going to ask train drivers to play 'I Spy' with passengers as they wait on the Tay Rail Bridge before approaching Dundee. Why is enforcing a queue on drivers entering Dundee any less ridiculous? More than 1,000 drivers have lodged complaints about the delays and the confusion over road markings and signs. It has been said the problem lies with the amount of time lights are showing red for incoming A90 traffic. I'm no traffic engineer or planner but can we make that red light time shorter? And let's not be fobbed off with clipboards and suits saying it's far more complicated than that, because the alternative – where we are stuck with this colossal timing mistake for good – is not acceptable. Dundee has excelled in recent years at showcasing itself, making our city attractive to visitors, many who have never been before. South of Dundee live the vast majority of Scotland's 5.5 million population. And south of Scotland live England's 57.7m people. That's a lot of prospective tourists to attract. If they come by car, there's only one way their sat nav would take them (unless they detour via Fife first) and that's via the A90 and the Swallow Roundabout. Their journey has been long – and in some cases a whole day. And just when they are approaching Dundee…there's a queue to get in. The children need a wee, while the parents can't wait for a celebratory cold drink. But you will have to wait and wait. It's hardly the welcome-with-open-arms vibe you'd hope our council is aiming for. And when they tell their pals they loved Dundee but the traffic to get in was annoying, the response will be: 'Oh us too. Maybe it's always like that.' Lorry drivers, spending days on the road, will stop for breaks and agree with fellow drivers that Dundee is becoming a pain. Everyone accepts the Dykes of Gray housing development required a traffic system to allow for safety and for its residents to access the roundabout without huge queues. But not at the expense of the many more people coming into the city who now find themselves on hold before being allowed in.
IOL News
30-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- IOL News
Easy and fun activities to keep kids entertained this long weekend
The long weekends are a great time for family bonding and it doesn't have to be expensive. Image: Jimmy Dean/Unsplash Another long weekend is coming up in South Africa, offering a welcome break for many. However, parents often face the challenge of keeping their children entertained without spending a lot of money. If you're looking for budget-friendly and enjoyable activities that promote family bonding, here are some imaginative ideas: Outdoor Adventures: Create a Backyard Obstacle Course: Use household items like chairs, ropes, and boxes to design a mini obstacle course in your garden or backyard. This is a fantastic way for kids to burn energy and enjoy a physical challenge. Bonding Tip: Time each participant and offer encouragement to create a friendly family competition. Enjoy a Local Park Picnic: There's no need for extensive travel or expense. Prepare simple sandwiches, fruit, and juice and head to a nearby park. Encourage the kids to bring a ball or frisbee for added fun. Bonding Tip: Leave electronic devices behind and engage in classic outdoor games such as "I Spy" or races. A family enjoys some time out enjoying a picnic at a park. Image: Agung Pandit Wiguna/Pexels Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Creative Indoor Fun: Set Up a DIY Arts and Crafts Station: Gather old newspapers, cardboard, glue, and any available art supplies. Let the children's imaginations soar as they create puppets, masks, or personalized cards for family members. Bonding Tip: Participate alongside your children and create your own artwork, perhaps a collaborative family mural. Bake Together: Children usually love the hands-on experience of baking. Choose simple recipes like scones, muffins, or cookies and involve them in measuring, mixing, and decorating. Bonding Tip: Organize a fun "bake-off" challenge with different themes and playful rewards. Host a Themed Movie Marathon: Transform your living room into a cozy "home cinema" with blankets, popcorn, and fairy lights. Allow each family member to select a short film or episode to watch. Bonding Tip: After each viewing, discuss your favourite parts or the funniest moments together. Organize a Treasure Hunt: Hide small toys or treats around the house or yard and provide clues for the children to follow. You can even create themed hunts based on pirates, detectives, or nature. Bonding Tip: Take turns being the "hunt master" and devising the clues for others to solve. Build a Blanket Fort and Share Stories: Sometimes the simplest activities are the most engaging. Use chairs, cushions, and blankets to construct a fort in your lounge, then spend time inside telling stories or reading aloud. Bonding Tip: Encourage everyone, including adults, to make up their own short stories to share. Movie night camp out. Picture: Pinterest Transform your living room into a cozy "home cinema" with blankets, popcorn, and fairy lights. Image: Pinterest Explore Your Community: Visit Free Local Attractions: Check for free museums, community events, or outdoor concerts in your area. Many townships and suburbs host complimentary holiday activities for children. Bonding Tip: Let the family collectively decide where to go and experience something new together. Remember, a little imagination can go a long way. Involving your children in planning these activities can make them even more enjoyable. These affordable ideas not only keep kids entertained but also foster meaningful family memories. IOL Lifestyle
