by Nan Keltie

Created on: December 24, 2009   Last Updated: December 22, 2010

There are lots of fun songs and activities that teach colors!  To help preschoolers learn to identify and name different colors, try these simple-to-learn songs and easy-to-do activities.

Your Color Collection ~
Collect a variety of items to help you teach colors - some of which are even free for the asking!  For instance, if you stop by a paint store and introduce yourself as a teacher, you can probably collect paint strip samples in many colors.  These will be put to good use in the classroom.

Ask friends and family members to help you collect items, too.  Milk and juice jug lids come in several colors - orange, yellow, green, purple, red and blue.  Chenille balls are fun to handle and come in many colors, too.  So do wooden blocks, pipe cleaners, foam letters and numbers, magazine pictures of fruits and vegetables, index cards, crayons, colored pencils, construction paper and many other items.   

Activity #1 - Color Circles

Cut out large circles of different colors from construction paper or card stock.  Spread them out on the floor like a wheel and have children stand outside it.   When  you say, "Go," they will walk around the circle until you say, “Stop.”  The children who are standing next to a circle will tell the class what color it is. 

Activity #2 - Color Sorting

Divide children into three or four groups and have them work at separate tables. In the center of each table, place a pile of different items in primary colors only (milk jug lids, chenille balls, crayons, etc.)  Explain how to sort these items according to the color they are. You will also need 3 baskets for each table for use with sorting.  Label each basket with a red, yellow or blue tag or sticker to make sorting easier.

Now instruct students to “put all the red things in one basket, all the blue things in another basket, and all the yellow things in a different basket.”  Some children are quick thinkers and will want to do this on their own.  As you walk around the classroom, remind them to let others students at their table help, too.

Activity #3 - Color Designs

Cut apart the paint strip samples you’ve collected.  This gives you four or five colors from each strip, all in varying shades of that color.  For this activity, give each child a piece of plain paper and at least 6-8 different color blocks to work with.  

Ask them to make a special picture

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