According to the Children's Hospital of Boston, your child is ready to learn his colors between the ages of 2 and 3. He doesn't need to know all the colors and their names immediately, but introducing colors to him naturally, through the things he sees every day, can teach him about the different types of colors. Mealtimes, getting dressed in the morning and car rides are all perfect opportunities to teach him about color in the world around him.
Step 1
Point out the different colors that can be found on his plate at mealtimes. Make a special effort to serve brightly colored foods, such as strawberries, blueberries, carrots, and other vivid fruits and vegetables. Have him say the color of the food he is ready to eat before he tastes it.
Step 2
Choose her clothes each morning with colors in mind. Lay out two or three choices of outfits on her bed, and then point out the different color combinations, such as blue jeans with a red shirt. Ask her to identify which outfit she would like to wear by naming the colors in it. If you make this part of your child's usual morning routine, she'll eventually become more confident with colors.
Step 3
Take your child on a drive through your city. While you drive, point out the different colors that you see, such a red stop sign or a green light. Then challenge him to find other colors on the drive. You may have to help him out to start by pointing out some of the colors that you see, but he should notice your pattern and start pointing out the different colors himself.
Step 4
Purchase a package of colored construction paper, and lay a variety of colors on the floor. Have your child march around the papers to music, then freeze while standing on a colored square when the music stops. Challenge her to shout out the name of the color, and then remove that sheet of paper from the floor and start again. By the end of the game, she should have shouted all the color names, even if you've had to help her along the way.
Step 5
Color circles on a piece of paper with markers or crayons. Give your child a handful of brightly colored candies. Tell him to choose a candy and place it on the circle of the same color while saying the color's name. He can eat the candy if he matches the colors correctly.
