Learning About Colors in Kindergarten

Every year we take time at the beginning of the year to learn our colors. We focus on identifying the color, introduce the color words and show students how colors mix together to make new colors. Here are some of the things we did this year.

Color Bulbs- Each time we introduced a new color we learned a song, read books and we made a color bulb. Students loved when we put two colors in the bulb and shook it to make a new color. That's how students learned which primary colors make secondary colors. All the bulbs are hanging from our ceiling.

Painting with Q-Tips- Students painted using Q-Tips to practice their pincer grip. They painted inside the color word and then free hand painted an object that is that color. When we got to secondary colors students had to mix primary colors together to make the new color.

 Color Collages - Each student searched for items at home to bring in and put on our color collages.  Students sorted their objects into color bins. They then worked together to paint the wooden color boards. After they dried students glued the objects on the boards.  All the boards are hanging on our wall with labels for each color and our bulbs.

Shades and Tints - we also talked about how each color can be made darker and lighter by adding black or white to the color. We have a lot of paint swatches around the room that show variations of colors. Students made their own paint color by picking a base color and then adding either black or white to make it lighter or darker. We then put all their paint creations in the art area and students used them during center time to paint with.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear- Keeping with yearly tradition we read Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr. We discussed the characters and their colors and then students made their own page to put in our classroom book.

It's always fun to see the students learn about colors and how they are made!