Organize and decorate the kindergarten classroom before the school year begins with colorful objects throughout. Use posters depicting and naming the main colors taught in kindergarten. Make sure you have pictures that show an object in the color, state the color name and use bright coloring on the sign to illustrate the point. Use colorful bins, totes, furniture and carpeting in the room.
Give each student on the first day of school note cards with color names clearly printed on one side of the card. Using a bold marker, draw the color on the card to show what the color is. Make sure to include all of the colors taught in kindergarten: white, black, red, yellow, green, blue, red, orange, green and purple. You can create extra note cards for use later in the year for colors such as brown and gray.
Have children draw on the backside of each color card. Instruct the kids to draw a picture, using crayons or colored pencils, of an object or item associated with the color. Review all drawings to check for accuracy.
Talk about colors throughout various lessons. When talking about the alphabet and studying letters, ask kids to tell you an item of a certain color associated with that letter. For example, if you say "The letter starts words like apple, what color is an apple?" you would have kids raise their hand or draw a picture depicting a red apple. Use food and snack time as a way to discuss colors as well. For example, use colored crackers as a snack and remind students which colors are which. Have kids point to colors while walking through the classroom or out on field trips.
Read books to the students about colors. Use picture books that have color illustrations throughout and show the pictures to the students. Use colorful maps, charts and materials at all times to help students with color recognition. Flash cards with color names and pictures can also be used by the teacher in a group setting or by students working in pairs.
Use rainbows as an exercise in remembering colors. Use rainbow posters and pictures to help students remember colors. Drawing rainbows as an art activity also can be used to strengthen color recognition. During art lessons, allow students to use an assortment of paint colors on white paper to create their own works of art. Discuss with each child which colors were used and why they chose to use the color combinations they did.