Learning colors is a fundamental process in the cognitive and sensory development of children. Teaching children to learn colors can be a fun and educational experience. When little ones learn colors, they also learn the names of colors, which contributes to language development. They acquire new words and learn to communicate more effectively when describing the world around them. It helps them identify and distinguish colors, which requires observation and visual discrimination. This process strengthens children's perceptual skills and attention, which is essential for the development of later cognitive and academic skills.

When do children learn colors?

When children learn colors can vary widely from child to child, as each child develops skills at their own pace. However, in general, many children begin to learn colors between 18 months and 3 years of age. Below, I give you a rough idea of how color learning usually evolves at different stages of child development:

From 18 to 24 months

During this stage, children usually begin to recognize and name basic colors such as red, blue, yellow and green. They may do so in a limited way and are often confused. For example, they may call all colors "blue" or "red."

From 2 to 3 years

In this phase, children generally improve their ability to distinguish and name colors. They can begin to identify additional colors, such as orange, purple, pink, white, and black. However, they may still confuse some colors or name them incorrectly occasionally.

After age 3

As children grow and continue to explore their environment, their knowledge of colors becomes stronger. They can generally name a wide variety of colors accurately and understand more advanced concepts, such as mixing colors to create other colors.

What is the objective of teaching colors to children?

It is important to remember that each child is unique, so not everyone will follow this exact pattern. Some children can learn colors before 18 months, while others may take a little longer. Continued exposure to colors through play activities, books, songs, and conversations will help strengthen your understanding of colors over time. Also, keep in mind that learning colors is a gradual and continuous process that develops throughout childhood. It also helps to develop other activities such as those mentioned below:

 Language Development

Learning the names of colors is an effective way to enrich vocabulary. It helps them acquire new words and improve their communication skills.

Observation skills

Identifying and distinguishing colors requires detailed and keen observation. This encourages the development of visual perception and attention skills, which are essential for success in many areas of life and learning.

Math and Science Basics

Knowledge of colors is essential in early learning of math and science concepts. Helps little ones understand and apply concepts such as classification, patterns and comparison.

Artistic expression

Colors are a fundamental part of artistic expression. Learning to use colors in art allows children to express their emotions, develop their creativity, and explore different forms of communication.

 Preparation for academic learning

Color recognition is a pre-academic skill that prepares them for formal learning in school. It helps them understand and work with concepts related to classification, geometry, and problem solving.

Understanding the environment

Colors are an important part of our everyday environment. Learning to identify and name colors helps them better understand the world around them and relate to objects, people and places more effectively.

Social Skills Development

Teaching colors often takes place in interaction with other children and adults. This promotes the development of social skills, such as communication, cooperation and interaction.

Confidence and self-esteem

As children gain the ability to identify and name colors, they gain confidence in their observation and communication skills. This can have a positive impact on your self-esteem.

Games to learn colors

Color day

Focused on activities and games for children to learn and reinforce their knowledge about colors. Organizing such a theme day can be an educational and fun experience. Here are some ideas for a "Color Day" focused on learning colors:

Painting Station

Set up multiple painting stations with different colors and provide paper, brushes, and paints. Children can create artwork that highlights a specific color or mix colors to learn how other colors are created.

Colored Scavenger Hunt

Host a scavenger hunt where kids search for different colored objects in a given area. You can give them a list of colors and specific objects to find.

Here you could hide Kiddus  products, such as: clocks, sunglasses for children and baby sunglasses.

Where is the color?

You can find a variety of educational apps designed to teach children about colors. These apps are usually available in online app stores such as the Google Play Store for Android devices or the Apple App Store for iOS devices. Some of these applications may be called "Color Game " or "Color Game" and offer interactive activities to learn and practice colors.

Color geometry

Painting mandalas with children can be a creative and relaxing activity that encourages concentration, coordination and artistic expression. By seeing the geometric shapes within the designs, they can identify both colors and shapes at the same time.

Colorful rainbow crafts

Use beads used to string necklaces and beads to make these rainbow crafts for children that also work on fine motor skills. Build a homemade rainbow-colored mobile to hang in the children's room. It will be a way to remember that everything will be okay. Take advantage of the cardboard tubes you have to recycle and make this rainbow that the children can play with and shake their colors by blowing. 

Classify colors

Classifying by color is useful for developing logic in preschool, one of the objectives of mathematics at this stage. If children carry out activities such as classifying, ordering or making series, they expand their logical reasoning, which is the basis not only for mathematics but for all areas of knowledge. The activities that I show you below are especially suitable for children of 3 or 4 years old, although they are equally appropriate for older children, as long as difficulties are observed when making simple classifications.

Draw with a single color

You don't need many colors for the little ones to learn. With a single color they can also learn about fruits, vegetables, animals and foods. In addition to being an activity that they love, painting is good for the development of the little ones. It improves their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, develops their imagination, allows them to communicate their emotions and thoughts, relaxes them and even makes them happier.

Colored ball pool

As if learning about colors were not enough, in these pools (which usually charge by the hour) they develop psychomotor skills, promote physical exercise and exercise the muscles through play. “swimming ” among the colored balls. Not least, it helps the child's socialization when interacting with other children and strengthens self-esteem.

Other activities to learn colors

Colored stories

How to explain to children what the value of cooperation consists of? Why is teamwork important? The best thing, without a doubt, is to use a stories for kids, a tale. “The Color Dispute” is a classic story that talks about pride, humility and cooperation. Neither is more than the other. None is less. Everyone, together, can achieve truly beautiful things. This is the story of how the rainbow was created. Another story is “The City Without Colors”, a story that teaches the value of a smile. Could it be that a simple smile can add color and joy to a gray day? Read this story to your child and then discover with him or her the value of a smile.

In case your child does not yet know how to read, take a look at the article: How to teach a child to read

Cook with colored ingredients

This way they will learn about nutrients, foods, vegetables, fruits. As if this were not enough, they can learn the best way to take care of their bodies and combine meals for when they are older. 

Children's color song

During childhood, there is no better way for children to learn than with music. Therefore, we teach you children's songs to learn colors. The color song is one of the best songs for our children to learn colors. In an animated way, paint brushes with primary and secondary colors paint everything and compare each color with different things and objects.

Searching for Colors

Create a scavenger hunt using colors as clues. This is a very simple game in which you just have to tell the child a color or let him choose one and then ask him to look for an object of that color. Once you find an item, you can encourage him to look for a new one or ask him the name of the item. It is not only a way for the little one to learn colors, but also to expand their vocabulary and their ability to relate objects with their name. A variant consists of placing the child in front of several objects of different colors and asking him to show you the object of the color you indicate.

Children's songs and rhymes

It is about learning in a playful and fun way. And, if we look closely, our oral tradition is full of rhymes, popular songs, sayings and tongue twisters. Could it be a coincidence?

Games to learn colors in English

Memory or memory game: create cards with different colors in English on one side and their corresponding image on the other side. Shuffle the cards and play the memory game, where players must match the color to the correct image.

Simon says

Play " Simon Says " in English. The leader ( Simon ) gives instructions like " Simon says touch your red shirt " or " Simon says jump on the blue mat. " Participants should follow instructions only if they begin with " Simon says ." If not, they are eliminated.

Finger Painting

Provides colored paint and paper. Ask children to name the colors in English while painting with their fingers. This reinforces the association between the color and its name in English.

Songs and videos

Use songs like " The Color Song " or educational videos that teach colors in English. There are many options online that are both entertaining and educational.

Guessing game

Place objects of different colors in an opaque bag and, taking turns, participants must guess the color of the object without looking. This encourages the use of color vocabulary in English.

Color Twister

If you have a game of Twister , you can use it to practice colors in English. Place colored circles on the floor and, instead of saying "right foot red," say " right foot red" to practice colors in English.

Conclusion

In summary, teaching colors in a playful way is essential for the comprehensive and healthy development of children. It provides them with the skills necessary to understand the world around them, fosters their creativity, improves their social skills, and prepares them for success in formal education, all while having fun and enjoying the learning process.

Keep reading: fine motor skills in children