We have all loved coloring in books or using chalk to fill the blackboard with different colors. While coloring takes us back to good memories of childhood, it is crucial to know that coloring is an important aspect of child development in today’s time. Students in kindergarten and preschool are often exposed to different colors and that’s exactly when teachers have an opportunity to teach about color theory and different shades.
Children learn through observation, and they may also have questions related to different shades of colors and why certain objects have certain colors only. In this case, instead of being theoretical, practical exposure leads to more awareness and fun. With different coloring activities, kindergarten and preschool students are sure to have an engaging time learning about colors. The activities not only serve as creativity games but also help them stay focused, develop imagination, and create relatability with colors.
Creative coloring activities for little learners
Coloring activities foster a better learning environment and also help students develop other important skills. The below-mentioned are easy to conduct and also help students with concentration and connecting with colors.
1. Elements of Nature
Nature is filled with different colors and kids can get a better understanding of different shades through nature. It also helps them understand how one certain color varies in dark and light hues.
- To conduct this activity, bring different elements of nature to the classroom
- It can include flowers, leaves, plants, a picture of an animal, a statue of a mountain, and so on.
- Now, print the pictures of the same elements on a sheet of paper and distribute it among students
- Ask students to observe the elements and fill colors accordingly
As this activity includes direct exposure to the natural environment and its elements, students are more likely to understand color theory. They’ll also realize how leaves can have different shades of green leading to more knowledge.
2. Find me the Object
It can often be confusing for little learners to understand the differences between orange and red. Sometimes, two shades of pink or blue might also lead to confusion. This activity focuses on understanding colors in a practical setting.
- To conduct this activity, make sure the play area is filled with different colored toys, books, and stationery items
- Now, call out any one color and ask students to bring the object that matches the color
- For example, if the color is orange, they can bring artificial orange fruit or an orange soft toy
The best part about the activity is that each student picks a different shade of similar color leading to accuracy in understanding the subject matter.
3. Beads and More Beads
Understanding colors is also about sorting them in an accurate manner. This activity focuses on enhancing the color recognition skill in little learners.
- To conduct this activity, draw 5 different colored circles on a blank sheet of paper
- Now, give them beads of different colors in a bowl
- Ask them to sort the beads and stick them in the circles
- If the circle is bordered with yellow color, all yellow beads should be stuck in the same circle
While students get an opportunity to sort beads, they are also likely to develop patience in the process. Such an activity helps them analyze colors during sorting. Hence, not just colors, this activity is also an effective sorting activity for the kids.
4. Blank Sketches
Coloring in books is a great tool for learning; however, it is also crucial for students to assign colors to an object or an animal to enhance understanding. This activity focuses on color assignment as per the characteristics and experiences of little learners.
- To conduct this activity, take different placards and print blank sketches of various elements
- You can have blank sketches of animals, birds, natural elements, stationery items, or toys
- Now, show one flashcard at a time and pick one student to answer which color is applied to the picture
- They need to bring their crayons and pick the specific crayon to show the answer
- For example, if it is a picture of a monkey, the student needs to pick the brown color and show it to the class
The twist here is that you can have many objects that do not have specific or fixed colors. In such cases, students get an opportunity to open their creative minds and assign color as per their knowledge.
5. Make a Rainbow
The Rainbow is one of the famous elements of nature depicting seven unique colors. This activity focuses on color transition and understanding the Vibgyor pattern of coloring.
- To conduct this activity, simply print a medium to large size picture of a rainbow
- Now, ask students to get different colored paints and brushes
- Make sure they get Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red
- Tell them about Vibgyor and assist them in thumb painting
- Here, students need to take the color on the thumb and the entire rainbow with thumbprints
This entertaining activity also offers to heal and removes any academic stress from students. As they directly color with their thumb, they are more likely to remember the concept of a rainbow and its specific colors.
6. Strain it Right
Imagine an activity, which helps kids with both, colors, and motor skills! Out of so many elements, this activity focuses on picking the right color in a fast-timed situation. You will need a lot of stationery items and a huge box.
- To conduct this activity, make sure you have many stationery items and other objects in different colors yellow, green, orange, blue, and red
- Put all these elements in a box
- After this, give a pasta strainer or a small-sized strainer to the student
- Assign them color and they need to use the strainer to pick the elements of the color assigned to them
- Keep another empty box beside and let students pick as many items as they can in a span of 1 minute
This activity is directed at being quick in picking the right colors. It improves hand-eye coordination and also enhances motor skills in little learners. Hence, this activity can also be used as an eye-hand coordination activity, especially for kids who have a learning difficulty which can be one of the reasons that affect motor skills.
7. Color Wheel
A color wheel is a helpful form that involves the usage of colors with understanding. This activity focuses on identifying which color is used in which picture.
- To conduct this activity, stick a huge color wheel on the board
- Now, give them different sketches including trees, balls, mountains, different vegetables, or any other blank picture
- Now, students need to observe and point to the color that matches the picture
- For example, if it is a tree, they need to point out the green color in the color wheel
As students make use of a color wheel, they are more likely to develop patience and concentration. It also helps them build focus and remain aware of different colors and their significance.
8. Match my Color
Understanding which color belongs to which element also plays an important role in understanding the color theory. This activity focuses on matching with the right objects.
- To conduct this activity, make different flashcards with one set of flashcards that have pictures and other would have pure colors
- Now, distribute the flashcards among students and ask them to make a circle
- Play music and let students run randomly
- As the music stops, students need to find their respective pairs
- For example, if one student has a picture of the sun, the other student with yellow color should match the pair
This activity is all about being quick in critical thinking and understanding which color belongs to which specific element. It also helps students understand how different colors are always fixed for certain pictures. Hence, if you are looking for an activity that helps kids with color knowledge, and boosts their critical thinking skills, then this activity can also be clubbed with some critical thinking activities.
9. List the Words
When students can identify colors and also list where they are found, they are more likely to connect with colors in an understanding manner.
- To conduct this activity, put all crayons in a bowl
- Now, ask each student to pick one crayon and say its name aloud
- After this, they need to list 5 words belonging to that category
- For example, if the color is yellow, students need to say in this way
- Banana is yellow
- Sun is yellow
- Lemon is yellow
- As students keep repeating the color name with different things that belong to the same color, they happen to involve themselves in drill and practice methods. It not only helps with the recognition of colors but also fosters long-term memory.
10. Make me An Ice Cream
Ice cream is one of the most interesting desserts for little learners. Ice cream also includes different colors that vary according to the choice of flavor. This activity focuses on allowing kids to explore their creative boundaries.
- To conduct this activity, draw the shape of a cone on a piece of paper and distribute it among kids. Now, ask them to draw three different layers of ice cream scoops on the cone
- After this, ask them to fill the ice cream scoops with different colors that they like
- For example, the first scoop can be pink color representing strawberry ice cream while the second scoop can be yellow in color representing butterscotch
- In this activity, you can also allow them to mix two different colors creating a shading effect
Such an activity gives little learners an opportunity to put forward their thoughts through colors. It also allows them to widen their imagination and create something that they personally like.
How does coloring help the brain?
While coloring is a simple act, it has various benefits for health and the brain. With different shades and drawings, coloring promotes various life skills including creativity, concentration, and empathy. Check how kids can benefit from coloring in varied ways.
- Coloring can promote a peaceful sleep routine instead of using electronics. So, coloring helps with relaxing the mind at night and freeing the brain from overthinking.
- Extreme focus can lead to stress however, coloring is just the right balance between focus and stress-relieving time. Coloring different shapes or even mandalas promotes concentration and improves focus.
- The amygdala, the brain’s fear center, can be calmed by coloring. By stifling the ideas of an anxious mind, it creates the same condition as meditation. It promotes mindfulness and calm.
- Coloring necessitates communication between the two hemispheres of the brain. While rationality keeps us within the boundaries, selecting colors inspires creative ideas.
Conclusion
Coloring activities are a great way to help students understand colors and their usage in different aspects of life. With the above-mentioned activities, they get an indirect opportunity to engage with colors in an innovative way. Apart from this, teachers and parents should always encourage children to use different coloring books or apps to offer a diversified learning experience.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,