Learning colors

As parents, we are constantly amazed by the curiosity displayed by our toddlers. Every day is an opportunity for them to discover something new, and what better way to nurture their inquisitive minds than by introducing them to the vibrant world of colors? Learning colors is not only an engaging and exciting experience for toddlers, but it also plays a crucial role in their overall cognitive and sensory development.

Learning Colors

In this blog post, we invite you on a delightful journey to explore the captivating realm of colors alongside your curious toddler.

We will share a few creative activities about teaching colors to toddlers, but also share a wonderful experience with one of our own little ones!

Why Learning Colors Matters:

Colors are everywhere around us, from the blooming flowers in the garden to the vibrant pictures in storybooks. For toddlers, grasping the concept of colors is a significant milestone in their early development.

Understanding colors helps children enhance their visual discrimination skills, develop language and communication abilities, and stimulate their creativity.

Moreover, learning colors supports cognitive growth by promoting problem-solving skills, pattern recognition, and memory retention.

It also lays the foundation for more advanced concepts, such as color sorting, classifying, and categorizing objects based on their attributes.

Engaging Activities Learn Colors:

  1. Sensory Play: Encourage your toddler to explore colors through sensory activities like finger painting, playing with colored playdough, or sorting objects by color. These hands-on experiences not only stimulate their senses but also strengthen their fine motor skills.
  2. Color Walks: Take your little one on a family nature walk with a color-themed adventure outdoors. Spot colorful flowers, birds, or vehicles and engage them in identifying and naming each color they encounter. This activity not only encourages outdoor exploration but also helps them make connections between colors and the real world.
  3. Color Sorting Games: Set up simple sorting games using colored blocks, buttons, or toys. Your child can enjoy sorting objects into different color groups, enhancing their cognitive abilities while having fun.
  4. Rainbow Crafts: Engage your toddler in crafting activities that revolve around creating rainbow crafts. Whether it’s using colored paper, finger paints, or even recycling old magazines, these crafts provide an opportunity for creative expression and reinforce color recognition. A simple crayon activity is perfect! Try these best crayons for toddlers.
  5. Colorful Story Time: Explore children’s books that focus on colors. Read aloud and discuss the different colors with your toddler, allowing them to associate specific colors with familiar objects or characters in the stories.

One Day when we Learned Colors…

A Little Sponge
 
Today I had my 16 month old all to myself and we had so much fun playing together.  We played outside, went for a walk, rode in his red car, and tried to play basketball, or “bunga ball” as he calls it.  Now is the time his brain is like a little sponge, absorbing it all.  
 

 

 

We invented a fun game that we named “Find the Binky”(he is a binky addict and any game involving finding the binky he enjoys…hehe).  



I pulled out these big plastic cups and separated them by color.  He would put the binky in a cup and I would say the color. 

He would try to repeat the color (or some word that kinda sounded like it).  Most of the time he was wrong and I would correct him.  He thought that was hilarious!  

 

 

 
At this age, he loves stacking things and knocking them down.

 

 

Found it!

 

 
Another fun thing to do is scream into the cups…this is a neat way to learn about sound and while holding the cup he feels the vibration. 

 

 

I later found him playing this game he made up by himself…he is such a boy.  He made a t-ball stand with the cup and was swinging at the soccer ball with another cup.  What a great imagination he has already.  I love watching him think.

 
And who doesn’t like to put things in the dog dish??? Along with this he says “yuck”…he knows exactly what he is doing and it is amazing.
 
I love this age! 
 
 

Growing Memories

The Dirt will wash away, but the Memories will last!
We spend a TON of time outside.  Lately, we’ve been playing a lot in our “mud pit” as Little Guy calls this part of our yard. We pull out the shovels, construction vehicles, and add in all kinds of extra things. 
It is so fun to see them explore and learn through sensory play. Kids learn not only about their senses, but learn about their world, all through sensory exploration. Getting messy adds great tactile integration.
We started with a little section of the yard with hard dirt and rocks and added some left over potting soil from planting earlier this year. The big kids took turns scooping dirt and adding acorns.

 Nothing says “summer” like bare toes in the dirt…
…School may be back in session, but we are still enjoying summer while this warm weather lasts 🙂

A little pattern learning with rocks and acorns…
My poor parsley plant needs a little love! It didn’t work out indoors, so it can’t hurt to try outside. We watered it and got some great mud to scoop…more sensory processing!

Playing on hands and knees with an extended wrist and tripod grasp to move those little rocks and trucks. All are important precursors to handwriting.
Little Guy said “Mom, this is my favorite thing ever to do”! How cool is it to hear that from such a simple play activity?!!?
An 11 month old can explore seashells. As always, keep close supervision to be sure none go in the mouth. Baby Girl played for a looong time with the seashells!

 We finished with some sorting play with the big kids. Baby Girl loves putting things into containers and taking them back out. This is such a great tool for language learning! 


Sorting, Patterns, Exploring, Language, Fine Motor work, Pre-Handwriting, Planting, Sensory Exploration…so many cool accomplishments today!
Go outside and play in the dirt!