1. Read Concept Books Together
Children start to identify concepts like color, shapes and sizes around the age of 18 months. Around this time you can introduce your child to concept books which help children to recognize color differences while working on memory and comprehension skills. A typical concept book might have a picture of a red circle or a green square, which you can point to and describe to the child. Establish a regular reading aloud time to sit with your child and go through a color concept book. You can use a variety of books, but it is helpful to repeat the same book multiple times on different occasions. The repetition helps a young child remember what she has learned.
2. Play Pointing Games
Colors can be taught to children in everyday situations by pointing out the colors of different objects in the environment. For example, you can say, "You're wearing a blue shirt." As your toddler starts to learn the different colors, you can turn it into more of a game by asking questions. For example, you might ask, "Where is the yellow car?" or "Do you see anything purple?" Your child will learn more about color with each of her answers. Mealtime is a wonderful opportunity to point out colors, because food can hold your child's attention. You can ask, "Point to what's green on your plate?" Reward correct answers with praise, but don't emphasize incorrect ones. Instead, just provide the right answer or give your child another chance when she gets it wrong.
3. Use Crayons, Markers and Paint
Crafts provide tools for teaching your toddler about colors in a hands-on way, as the colors are right in front of him. In the beginning, focus on the primary and secondary colors, including red, yellow, blue, orange, green, purple, black, brown and white, one at a time. These colors will be the easiest for your child to understand. Start by identifying the colors with which your child is drawing or painting. Then, you can suggest other colors he should use. For example, if you're child is playing in his coloring book, you might say, "Trees are green. You should color that tree green." As your child gets older, you can introduce the different shades of colors like grey and pink. Mixing paints together is a great way to teach children about color combinations.
