What’s at the end of the rainbow? There’s some learning, fun and, of course, kindergarten readiness too. I saw this idea on the blog Hands On As We Grow and loved it.
First, draw a big rainbow on a large piece of paper. (I was told my rainbow looked like a cave.) Show your child how to match the color of a toy and put it on the right track. Learning colors is a complex thinking skill. There are many variations to each color and many different objects may have the same color. In order to learn color kids need to see lots of things that are that are a particular color and lots that are not, gradually figuring out which shades go with which name.
Many kindergarten readiness checklists include being able to name at least some colors. This gives teachers an idea of a child’s level of thinking skills. Kids who are having difficulty learning colors may be struggling with other concepts, too. There is no doubt that learning colors is a challenge for young brains.
This activity also needs kids to sort objects using colors and then match them to the right part of the rainbow adding to the challenge and the fun. Coloring on the big paper added even more. Isn’t that a lot of treasure at the end, middle, and beginning of this rainbow?