Bring the colors of the spectrum into English and language arts instruction. On a piece of paper, print an upper- and lowercase letter R. Provide children with colored pencils that are the same as the colors in the spectrum. Beginning with the color red, have children trace each of the letters. Have them continue to trace the letters in each of the colors, until each letter has been traced in all the colors of the rainbow. This activity teaches children about the different colors that are in the rainbow, in addition to teaching them the sound the letter R makes and how to print upper- and lowercase Rs.
Bring a rainbow theme into a fun music and movement activity. On paper plates, attach crepe-paper streamers that are the colors of the rainbow. While you play music, have kids hold the paper plates, moving them to the beat of the music. Kids will enjoy watching the crepe paper dance through the air, and they will also learn what colors are in the rainbow.
This science activity teaches children how rainbows are formed. Explain to children that rainbows are formed when the sun shines through droplets of water. Fill a jar to the top with water and place a lid on it. Place the jar on the sill of a window that is exposed to bright sunlight. Make sure the jar sticks out the sill just a bit. Place a large piece of white paper on the floor in front of the jar. As the sun shines through the jar, it will cast a rainbow on to the paper. Supply children with paint and have them create a permanent image of the rainbow that is refracted through the jar.
Nursery school children will have fun creating their own rainbows through this art activity. Provide children with a piece of light blue paper and finger paints that are the same as the colors in the rainbow. Have children dip their fingers in the paint and create their own rainbows on the paper. They can create a cloud at the beginning of the rainbow arc by gluing cotton balls onto the paper.