C is for Colors

There are so many fun COLOR books and activities. We did several books alternating with an activity. Do them all or pick and choose which ones work for you! We get most of our books from our local library.

• Read “Colors for Zena” by Monica Wellington … available here.
  1. A fun book about a girl named Zena. She goes for a walk to find all of the colors that seem to be missing.

• Do ‘C’ journal page … we used a fun multi-color pen from the dollar store to write our letters. 
  1. Write ‘Cc’ on the next blank page.
  2. Write ‘COLORS’. I write this for my 2-year-old. My 4-year-old copies the word from the front of our book!
  3. Practice writing big C’s and little c’s.
  4. Draw a simple rainbow on your journal page.
  5. Add colorful stickers to the rainbow. Available here .

• Read “Animal Colors” by Beth Fielding … available here. 
  1. A very bright and colorful book! There are lots of interesting pictures. We really enjoyed this one.

 

• Make paint chip colors book … I keep this little book in my purse and pull it out when my 2-year-old needs an easy activity while we’re out. He will pick a color and we’ll look for things that match that color.
  1. Collect several paint chips from a local hardware store.
  2. Print the color names on sticker labels.
     • TIP: You could also just write the color names on sticker labels with markers. If you have time, your preschooler could also help write the words!
  3. Hole punch each of the paint chips and clip together with a circle fastener.
  4. Have your preschooler choose a paint chip color and stick the matching color name to it.
  5. When you’re finished, “read” the book together!

• Read “The Rainbow Book” by Kate Ohrt … available here. 
  1. This is a fun, bright book. Each page has a cutout that overlaps the next page, making it very colorful and fun to read.

• Color Hunt … I have used these color circles since my 10-year-old was about two. The kids never get tired of this  
  1. Cut out circles in several different colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, white, black, brown, grey)
  2. Write (or print) the color name on each circle.
  3. Laminate. I use this laminator.
  4. Have your preschooler choose a circle.
  5. Hunt around the house for things that match their color!
  6. We also have these colored-letter clothespins that we matched to the colored circles. Not necessary, but it was fun (I found them at Michaels).
     • TIP: You could also simply write letters on clothespins with different colored markers.

• Read “A Color of His Own” by Leo Lionni … available here. 
  1. This is a classic story about a chameleon who is not very happy that he blends in with everything, until he meets someone just like him!
  2. Ask your preschooler to find the word “color”. Hint: it’s the word that starts with a ‘C’!
  3. What colors do they see on the front cover?

• Colorful Painter’s Tape Art
  1. PREP: Use painter’s tape (available at a hardware store) to make the first initial of your preschooler’s name on white cardstock.
  2. Pour a small blob of several colors of paint on a plate. We use Crayola washable paints.
  3. Let your preschooler use their hands to cover the entire paper with color!
  4. Let dry, then remove the painter’s tape!

• Read “Red, Stop! Green, Go!” by P. D. Eastman … available here.
  1. This is a simplified version of “Go, Dog, Go!”
  2. There are several interactive pages (wheels to turn, tabs to pull)
  3. I love the page that changes the yellow dog to a green dog when it dives into the blue water (transparent film). Pretty creative!

• Play “Extreme Red Light, Green Light” … I’m sure we’re not the only family that plays this traditional game a little differently
  1. Use the same color circles from the activities above.
  2. Have your preschoolers stand at one end of the room (or outside!)
  3. Stand at the opposite side of the room, holding the colored circles.
  4. When you hold up the GREEN circle, the kids walk toward you.
  5. When you hold up the RED circle, the kids stop!
  6. If they continue to move, you can send them back to the starting line again.
  7. EXTREME: Add a few more colors, one at a time Have the kids help decide what they should be:
     • ORANGE: crawl
     • YELLOW: slow-motion
     • BLUE: hop!
     • PURPLE: walk backwards
     • BLACK: giant jumps!

• Have a COLORFUL snack! … this was a fun and favorite lunch
  1. Make a snack together with all the colors in the rainbow.
  2. We used red pepperoni and strawberries, oranges, a banana, green kiwi and blueberries. Mmmm!