Play an interactive version of I Spy color and shape games. Start off by saying, "I spy something red." Let preschoolers get up and point to red objects around the room or find a red object to bring to the meeting area. Share what students found and see if anyone guessed the correct red item. Let students take over the I Spy color game when they get the hang of the game. Later, move on to "I spy something shaped like a triangle."
Fill clear plastic containers with items preschoolers can sort by colors or shapes. Items to sort by color include buttons, colored pasta, crayons, marbles, teddy bear counters, or building cubes. Suggested items to sort by shape include pattern blocks, buttons, rocks, or sponges cut into shapes. Provide laminated color sheets or laminated shape templates for students to sort items onto in the beginning. Take time to ask preschoolers which colors or shapes they find interesting.
Place colored cubes, crayons or marbles in a bag. Play a piece of music and let preschoolers dance around the room. Stop the music and have students freeze. Pull a colored marker from the bag. If you pull a blue marker out of the bag, anyone wearing blue remains standing to keep dancing for the next round. Anyone not wearing blue sits down. Start the music again. Keep playing until all the colors have been chosen and see who is left dancing.
Laminate cutouts of circles, triangles, squares and rectangles. Make about five cutouts for each shape. Place a paperclip on the side of each cutout. Then create a fishing pole with a magnet on the bottom. Make a blue butcher paper pond to set on the floor with the shape cutouts on top. Make set of "Catch a (picture of a shape)" cards on index cards. Have preschoolers mix up the cards and draw one from the pile. If preschoolers draw a "Catch a circle" card then they use the fishing pole to try to catch a circle from the pond.