My favourite Montessori colour activities

1. MyfavouriteMontessoricolouractivities • Todaylet’slookatsomeMontessorischoolcolouractivities. • The best way for children to learn their colours is when they are showing interest and we feed this interest. There is also a lot of indirect preparation we can do before they areactivelyshowing interest. • These ages are to give you an idea but remember to always follow your child and their interests. • Themostimportantthing isnot tocorrect themwhentheymakeamistake.They might say,“thisoneisblue”holding upsomethingthat isgreen.Wecanmakea mental notethat theyarestillmixingupblueandgreen andoffer moreopportunities to namethesecolourswhenever weseethem. • 0-18months • Thechildhasanunconsciousabsorbent mindatthisage.Sowedon’t needto“teach” colours. • Wecannamecoloursinour dailylifefor themtohear,absorb,and later use.For example,holdingup twot-shirtsforthemto choosefrom, “Would youliketo wearthered t-shirtorthebluet-shirt?” • Songsabout colours–forexample,wesing asong inclassIlearnedfrom FernevanZyl,“Green,green,green,Simoneiswearing green,Simoneis wearinggreentoday,Green,green,green.” • Booksabout colours–wecanoftenfind boardbooksofcolours.Ialsolike thesimplicityofTana Hoban bookswhichareoften tobefoundsecond • handlike“Red,Blue,Yellow Shoe”withoneobjectofonecolourper page. • Activitieswithcolours–oneofmyfavouritesistheGalt pop uptoy.At first theywillbetaking thepegsout and teething onthem,thentheywill • put thepegsin anyhole,andthenonedaytheywill puttheyellow pegin theyellowhole,thegreenin thegreenholeetc.

2. Montessori friscofor infants–westartwiththeblackandwhiteMunari mobile,moveontotheprimarycoloursoftheoctahedronmobile,and thencoloursofa gradationwiththebeautiful Gobbi mobile • 18months–3years • Somechildren will begintonamecoloursinthisperiod,othersafter theyare3years old. • Thecoloureddiscsoncoloureddowelsisanexampleofanactivitywhich a young toddler mayusetopracticeputtingdiscsontodowels.At first theywill placethediscsonanycolour dowel.Thenoneday,weseethem gotoplacetheblueontotheyellow,thenpause,andplaceit ontheblue. Theyarebeginning to sort colours. • Othercoloursortingactivities–colouredbuttonsintocolouredpots,pom pomsintobowls(Iliketoaddsometweezersforthemtopracticetheir finemotor skillstoo),PlanToyssortand countcups. • Thefirst andsecond colourbox–Idon’tthinkweneedtohavethesein • thehomebut thesearethespecial colour tabletsusedinMontessori school friscoto givethefirst colourlessonsusing athreeperiodlesson. • Oncetheyareshowinganinterestincoloursandmaybeknowoneortwo colours,itcanbefuntochooseacolouroftheweektospot aroundour • homeandasweareout and about.For example,wecouldchooseyellow andmakeacornerwherewefindallthetoysthatareyellowandtheywill • start to seeallthedifferentshadesofyellowtoo.Asweareeating a • bananawecouldpointout that theskinisalso yellow,just likeour colour oftheweek. • Continuetonamecolours,read books,and sing colour songs. • 3+years • Learningcoloursisanabstractconcept whichisunderstoodmost clearlybythe2.5/3 to6 yearoldchildwitha consciousabsorbent mind.Thisistheagethatare crystallising andwanting tounderstandconsciouslyeverything theytookinduring the first3 years. • Mixing colours–ratherthantellingachildthatblueandyellowmakes green,let themmakethediscoverythemselves.Havethemmix paintand seewhat colour itturnsinto.

3. Mixing playdough–oneofmyfavouritewaysofmixing coloursistomake playdoughintwodifferentcolours.Takeaballofredplaydoughandmix it withaball ofblueplaydough.It’slikemagicwatching it first marble together andthenturngraduallyintopurpleastheykneadit. • Rainbows–forolderkids,making a playdoughrainbowissuper fun.They might evenliketomakeastopanimationwith itlikeIdidhere.Thereare • lotsofobjectsaroundhomethat canalsobemadeintorainbows,for example,legoblocks. • Findingthingsaroundthehomethataredifferentcolours–oneofthe • favouriteactivitiesforpreschoolersislookingforcoloursinourclassroom orhome.Theyneedtoremember what colour theyarelookingfor and bring itbacktotheirmat ortable.Andattheendreturneverythingback toitsplace.Agreat activityfor their memorytoo. • Gradingcoloursfromlightesttodarkest–thethirdcolour boxispretty special.Thereareninecoloursofdifferent shadesandthechildrencan • grade thesefrom lightesttodarkest.Someofthevariationsaresosubtle but thechildrenofthisagehaveanamazingsensitivitytothisassensorial • learners.Wecouldmakeasimilaractivityathomebyusingoldpaint chipsfromthehardwarestore.