7 Ways to Teach Colors in Kindergarten

 

7 Fun Ways to Teach Colors in Kindergarten

In the beginning of kindergarten, so much of our focus is on learning how to "be in school." We're building routines, practicing listening skills, and helping students feel comfortable in a brand-new environment. To give them an early sense of success, we like to begin the year with something they already feel confident about - colors!

Most students come to kindergarten already knowing their colors, so this unit gives them an immediate boost of confidence. They feel proud to answer questions, participate in activities, and show what they know. It's such a joyful way to start our learning journey.

1. Have a Color Week or Maybe 2!

One of my favorite traditions is hosting  Color Weeks! Each day, we celebrate a different color, and the whole class dresses to match. Parents get a note ahead of time with the schedule, and the excitement builds as students eagerly anticipate which color will be next. You can always spot kindergarten from down the hallway-a stream of red, green, or blue proudly marching together. The best part? The cheering and giggles that happen every afternoon when we announce the color for the following day!

Not only is this activity fun and engaging, but it also builds a strong sense of community. Students feel united, parents love being involved, and the energy in the classroom is nothing short of contagious. Of course the last day of the week - is Rainbow Day!

2. Watch Color Songs

Another favorite part of our color study is the color songs that go along with each day's celebration. Not only do students love singing, they're also learning to spell the color words as they sing. It's amazing how quickly they pick up on spelling when it's set to a catchy tune. The classroom fills with music, movement, and excitement-learning hardly feels like "work" at all.  Here is one of our favorites... There are many color songs for you to choose from though - this group spells out the color words. 

***Teacher Tip - to eliminate the ad you can download video into Google Slides or use Adblock using chrome extensions, or put a dash between the t and u Yout-ube to get no ads.

3. Read Color Themed Stories

And of course, no color day is complete without a story! Some of our favorites include:

♥️ Clifford the Big Red Dog for red

🧡 The Big Orange Splot for orange

💛 Pete the Cat: The Wheels on the Bus for yellow

💚Emeraldalicious for green

💙 Blueberries for Sal for blue

💜 Harold and the Purple Crayon for purple

🤎 Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? for brown

🩷 Pinkalicious for pink

🤍 White Everywhere for white day

🖤 Ten Black Dots for black day

🌈 The Rainbow fish for rainbow day

(We often combine pink/brown into one day celebration to fit them all in!)

Each book we combine with a craft. Could just be coloring sheet or sometimes a fun craft like the school bus we make filled with shapes. 

4. Sorting Colors

In this activity, students use child-friendly prongs, tweezers to pick up small, colorful pom-poms and place them into toilet paper tubes. The tubes act as perfect containers, making the task simple, fun, and organized. This center strengthens fine motor skills, builds hand-eye coordination, and provides a great introduction to center time. This activity can be found in Back to School Centers MorningBins 

5. Coloring Pages Center

There's nothing quite like a brand-new box of crayons! Kindergartners love using their crayons, and these cute coloring pages are the perfect way to practice color recognition. Students get to explore each color while coloring familiar objects that match, helping them connect colors to real-worlds items in a fun engaging way.

Pick up your free packet here!

6. The Science of Color

In this activity, students explore the magic of mixing colors! We experiment by painting with primary colors, pouring water dyed with primary colors, and observing what new colors appear when they mix together. Take a clear pitcher of water (1 liter) then proceed to pour water in each of the flasks. Watch the students be amaaaazed at how clear water turns into red, yellow and blue solution into each of the flasks. Then proceed to mix the primary colors with each other and see what happens when you mix blue and yellow, red and blue, yellow and red. This hands-on exploration builds curiosity and helps students understand cause and effect in a fun, playful way. To support all learners, differentiated recording sheets are included so students fill out what happens when they mix colors. 

 

Make sure you make a prediction first.

The students absolutely love this! You can either have them color all the colors or use the second form where they are just coloring the prediction first then color in what color it turns after they mix the colored waters. 

7. Color Tech Games

No mess, no prep, just fun! These interactive color games are perfect for centers or early finishers. Students can explore and practice color recognition, sorting, and matching through engaging digital activities. With click-and-play features, the games are self-checking and keep students motivated while learning. Easy to set up, teacher-friendly, and student-approved! Here are some of our color products!

Starting the year with colors reminds me that sometimes the simplest activities can have the biggest impact. Confidence, joy, music, stories, and community-that's what kindergarten is all about.