Nanny Jill: Mixed up COLORS and some of my favorites

When kids connect visual clues with words a whole new world opens up for them. Toddlers love repetition and teaching kids about color is no exception. Below are some of my favorite color related teaching tools?

My favorite color books

BrownBear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
by Bill Martin Jr. (Author), Eric Carle
Mouse Paint Paperback
by Ellen Stoll Walsh
A Color of His Own
by Leo Lionni and Teresa Mlawer

My favorite color game

I Spy

Say to child "I spy with my little eye something that is red."

Child guesses the object. Is it the red apple? Is it the red pen?

My favorite color grouping activities

GREEN

BLUE

YELLOW

ORANGE

Give kids colored baskets, bowls or a gift bag - doesn’t really matter which. Let them collect things around the house or in the fridge. Alternatively, you can have things out on the kitchen table ready for them to sort. It is quite satisfying to collect and sort.

Cut out color specific things from old toy catalogs or magazines and group items by color onto paper with glue stick or put loose into plastic paper sleeves so child can see them grouped.

My Favorite hands on color mixing

1. Using Finger paint with a little added dish washing liquid for easier clean up. Combine colors mixing Yellow + Red = Orange; Blue + Red= Purple; Blue + Yellow = Green

2. Milk and food color mixing. Pour milk into a white plate or bowl. Add primary colors or any colors you like. Give child a tooth pick and let them stir colors together in milk.