Use flashcards to teach colors. Create flashcards of different objects that illustrate a basic color, such as red, green, yellow, orange, blue, purple, brown, black and white. Show the flashcards to the toddler for him to indicate the color. Make a game of it by timing him and having him race to beat previous times. Another option is to give all the cards to the toddler for him to organize in piles according to color. Alternatively, display a flashcard and challenge the toddler to find an object in the room of the same color.
Use meal time games to teach colors. Challenge the toddler to identify the colors, rather than the foods, on her plate. Then ask her to separate the foods on her plate according to color. Use food coloring to teach that the same object can have different colors. For instance, separate pudding or plain yogurt in different bowls and mix each with a different color of food coloring. Challenge the toddler to identify the colors before giving to her to eat.
The outdoors provide a dynamic setting for teaching colors, especially during spring and fall. Play a game outside in which you specify a color and the toddler identifies on object or part of scenery of that color. For instance, say “blue” for the toddler to identify the sky. Vary this game by specifying an object and having the toddler identify the color. Another outdoor game is to fill the yard with different-colored balls and toys. Announce a color and have the toddler try to find as many objects as he can of that color.
Create an indoor scavenger hunt to practice colors. Provide a clue that relies on color to direct your child to the next clue, which will also incorporate color. For instance, use the clue “Go to the big white door” to send the toddler to the refrigerator or “Go to the red room” to find a clue in a room painted red. Another game to play indoors involves drawing. Provide your toddler with a poster board and crayons or markers. Give him instructions to draw different objects of different colors. For instance, tell him to draw a red car next to a brown house. Use this game for groups or classes and compare the drawings at the end. A third game to play indoors involves fishing for colors. Make a fishing pole by attaching a string to a wooden measuring stick. Attach a magnet at the bottom of the string. Sprinkle colored alphabet magnets on the floor and give the toddler two minutes to see how many magnets of that color she can pick up off the floor.