Learning Through Play - Teaching Your Toddlers Their Colors Without Them Realizing it
I always stare in awe at my son when he learns a new skill.
At only two and a half he can already count to twenty, say his ABCs, and knows most of his colors and shapes.
He's been doing a lot of this for a while but it still amazes me when I hear these things come flying out of his mouth.
I wonder how he became so smart, he's not sat down day after day and drilled on these items.
We play, and we play regularly.
I've discovered that's how he learns best.
Playing can teach your child lots of things not just the fundamentals like ABCs and one, two, threes.
They learn motor skills, social skills, eye-hand coordination as well as letting their imagination grow.
It's during these play sessions you can teach your child a lot without them realizing it, that's how my son learned his colors.
Don't break out the flash cards just yet, even the most patient child will find them boring.
You want this to be fun and exciting for them.
It's a new discovery for a toddler, enjoy it.
You can teach your toddler his colors through song.
What kid doesn't love music, right? I've seen even the most stubborn and willful child refuse to pick up toys until you start singing a clean-up song, then it's fun and he hops right to picking up.
The same thing can be done with colors.
Pick your child's favorite toy, for example a blue train, and while you two are sitting on the floor playing start singing "Blue, Blue the train is blue, the sky is blue, blue is my favorite color.
" I promise after a few times of this, you child will recognize the color blue.
Why? Because you made it fun to recognize, he'll see that you named that toy as a specific color.
It'll stick a lot longer than trying to make him look at it and repeat over and over that this is blue.
Color books are always a fun thing to play with when you and your child are spending time together.
You can comment while you're coloring together on how pretty his color choices are.
Make sure you name the colors as he's using them.
Like the color song, he'll remember the colors quicker and easier this way.
Don't be surprised though, if after a few times of this, he's instructing you on what colors to use.
Now, to reinforce your color teachings you can take it on the road.
While you're out and about running your errands with your little one, they're most likely bored.
You can point to things as you drive around, like "oh, look at that green car, or there's a red balloon!" Make sure it's it fun and exciting for them.
After a while your little one will be telling you to look.
You can work on the reinforcement at home too, by pointing out things around the house or asking which color shirt he wants to wear.
You might find out that even at age two your child has a favorite color.
My son's are red and blue.
To help your little one to learn colors is not hard.
You just have to make it fun, or trust me they won't be interested at all.
Their minds are little sponges; help them soak up all they can.
At only two and a half he can already count to twenty, say his ABCs, and knows most of his colors and shapes.
He's been doing a lot of this for a while but it still amazes me when I hear these things come flying out of his mouth.
I wonder how he became so smart, he's not sat down day after day and drilled on these items.
We play, and we play regularly.
I've discovered that's how he learns best.
Playing can teach your child lots of things not just the fundamentals like ABCs and one, two, threes.
They learn motor skills, social skills, eye-hand coordination as well as letting their imagination grow.
It's during these play sessions you can teach your child a lot without them realizing it, that's how my son learned his colors.
Don't break out the flash cards just yet, even the most patient child will find them boring.
You want this to be fun and exciting for them.
It's a new discovery for a toddler, enjoy it.
You can teach your toddler his colors through song.
What kid doesn't love music, right? I've seen even the most stubborn and willful child refuse to pick up toys until you start singing a clean-up song, then it's fun and he hops right to picking up.
The same thing can be done with colors.
Pick your child's favorite toy, for example a blue train, and while you two are sitting on the floor playing start singing "Blue, Blue the train is blue, the sky is blue, blue is my favorite color.
" I promise after a few times of this, you child will recognize the color blue.
Why? Because you made it fun to recognize, he'll see that you named that toy as a specific color.
It'll stick a lot longer than trying to make him look at it and repeat over and over that this is blue.
Color books are always a fun thing to play with when you and your child are spending time together.
You can comment while you're coloring together on how pretty his color choices are.
Make sure you name the colors as he's using them.
Like the color song, he'll remember the colors quicker and easier this way.
Don't be surprised though, if after a few times of this, he's instructing you on what colors to use.
Now, to reinforce your color teachings you can take it on the road.
While you're out and about running your errands with your little one, they're most likely bored.
You can point to things as you drive around, like "oh, look at that green car, or there's a red balloon!" Make sure it's it fun and exciting for them.
After a while your little one will be telling you to look.
You can work on the reinforcement at home too, by pointing out things around the house or asking which color shirt he wants to wear.
You might find out that even at age two your child has a favorite color.
My son's are red and blue.
To help your little one to learn colors is not hard.
You just have to make it fun, or trust me they won't be interested at all.
Their minds are little sponges; help them soak up all they can.