Skip to main content

NewFolks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Teaching toddlers colors should be fun – here’s how

The world is fun of bright and interesting colors, and as your little one steps into his or her toddler years, the time is ripe for learning what all those different shades are. So, when should toddlers know their colors? Around 18 months of age is when toddlers begin to notice everything around them has different colors, shapes and sizes, making that a perfect time to start introducing your toddler to colors through play. Two years of age to three is when toddlers begin to grasp the different colors and are able to identify them. Teaching toddlers colors should be a fun and exciting experience, without relying on the use of flashcards. There are an abundance of cool ways to teach toddlers colors that are pleasurable for both you and your toddler.

Be verbal

A straightforward way to draw a toddler’s attention to colors is to talk about them. Tell your toddler the shirt is red as you put it on in the morning or that the duckie in the bathtub is yellow. Mealtime is also an ideal opportunity to point out colors. Make it a point to identify the colors of the foods your toddler is eating at each meal. For example, red apples, a yellow banana or an orange clementine. Doing this throughout the day helps young children learn to identify the different colors in their daily environment.

Related Videos
Toddler reading book with mom
Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

Books

Reading daily to toddlers works to develop speech and other important developmental milestones, including color recognition. Add a few color-oriented books to titles you read together and make them available at home or in the car. Rereading books is a definite do with toddlers. As they become familiar with the text, toddlers will imitate it, which is a pre-reading milestone. Here are some fun color books to share with your toddler.

Puzzles

Color puzzles specifically designed for toddler hands are a perfect pick for getting toddlers to recognize colors. The puzzle pieces are large enough so you don’t have to worry about toddlers choking. Wooden puzzles can easily be manipulated by toddlers. While completing the puzzle, verbally identify the colors as your toddler puts in each piece. Jumbo floor puzzles with colors on them are another method to get toddlers thinking about colors as they working fine and gross motor skills.

Sorting objects by color

A wonderful hands-on activity to get toddler hands moving and working with colors is sorting. Sorting toys are a fun way to teach colors, but you can also do sorting activities with other objects around the house, especially food. Fruit Loops are yummy to eat and useful to sort by color before snacking. After grocery shopping, toddlers can help organize the fruits and veggies by color before the foods get put away. Play food can also be used for sorting. Rainbow bears are a preschool and early childhood classroom mainstay. The colorful bears are used to teach children colors, counting, and basic addition and subtraction. The bears are helpful to use at home for color sorting activities, too, but a parent or caregiver should be nearby because toddlers still like to put toys in their mouths.

toddler girl having fun playing with finger paint
Zwiebackesser/Shutterstock

Finger painting

Sure, finger painting with toddlers is messy, but it is an awesome way to get little fingers working and bring colors to the forefront for kids. Finger painting outside makes for easier cleanup, as does covering surfaces with newspaper and giving your child a smock.

Easel

An easel specifically designed for toddlers is a super fun way to get toddlers drawing and creating with colors. Many two-sided easels have a chalkboard on one side and a whiteboard on the other. Stick with different colored dry erase markers and chalk. Larger sizes are easier for toddlers to grasp.

toddler girl getting creative on a wall in the house
KayaMe/Shutterstock

Sidewalk chalk, markers and crayons

Your toddler’s crayons won’t quit, and crayons and markers are fantastic for teaching colors and developing fine motor skills. Don’t bother with coloring books unless your child shows an interest. Toddlers mostly like experimenting with markers and crayons on paper. Make sure the markers and crayons are larger for little hands and non-toxic. Have a supply of different scrap paper and construction paper for your toddler to draw on. It’s probably not a good idea to leave toddlers alone with markers or crayons unless you want their latest masterpiece on your wall or furniture. Keep a supply of paper and crayons in a go-bag. It’s a great activity while waiting in restaurants. When the weather is pleasant, head outside to the driveway or sidewalk and let toddlers have fun with sidewalk chalk. While your toddler is drawing, be sure to identify the different colors.

Once your child reaches about 18 months, the world he or she sees starts to open up as toddlers begin to recognize colors, shapes, texture and the differences in the world around them. Toddlers love to explore and learn. Teaching toddlers about colors is fun for kids and parents. As you and your toddler move through the day, talk about the colors of familiar objects. This helps to develop color recognition skills. Books, toys, food, puzzles and other everyday objects are a lesson in color right at your fingertips.

Editors' Recommendations

8 best movement and music activities for toddlers: Get them engaged (and tired)
toddler girl and her dad having fun with music and movement activity

Music can inspire a workout, improve mood, and make the workday glide along. For toddlers though, music is a bit more important. Exposing toddlers to music actually helps with brain development as shown by this study completed by the University of Southern California's Brain and Creativity Institute. Music stimulates the area of the brain that is responsible for speech and language development, as well as reading skills. Movement should be a vital part of a toddler's day because it helps to hone gross motor skills.

Gross motor skills come into play in a variety of physical activities like walking, running, jumping, and catching. Combining the two into fun activities for toddlers is a win-win. Music and movement activities help a toddler's mind and body develop. Of course, engaging in active movement activities also makes toddlers sleepy for those afternoon naps, and of course, bedtime. Here are eight entertaining music and movement activities to get toddlers excited and tired.

Read more
The best travel potty seats for toddlers on the go
Have a travel potty seat in tow whenever your toddler needs to go
Toddler with stuffed bear on potty-training seat

Potty training is an important stage in your toddler's development. Some toddlers begin showing signs they're ready to potty train as young as 18 months, while others aren't ready until they're around 3 years old. It's important to wait until your little one is ready, otherwise, the potty training process will be extremely difficult for both of you. When your toddler is ready, you'll need a travel potty seat. Having a travel potty seat helps keep toilet training consistent when you're on the go.

Thankfully, potty seats are available in a range of hues and patterns. Involve your toddler in the decision-making process. This makes your little one feel like the take-along potty seat is something they are going to use a lot. When it comes to picking the right travel potty seat, portability is of utmost importance for on-the-go use. Many modern potty seats fold up for compact storage and simple transport for busy parents. Let’s explore some of our favorite travel potty seats.
Best overall
Gimars Folding Potty Training Seat

Read more
Why peekaboo baby is a great game to play with your little one
When do babies play peekaboo? You should start playing as soon as possible
toddler playing game

We all play the same adorable baby games when there's an infant around. Peekaboo is one game that's always at the top. Your grandparents played it with your parents, your parents played it with you, and now you’re playing it with your child. But what’s the deal with the peekaboo baby game? Why do babies absolutely love this simple game?

Could it be that during a game of peekaboo, baby brains are undergoing some sort of important developmental process? If you’ve read any literature on infant development, you could guess that, yes, peekaboo definitely plays a role in your child’s development. Here’s everything you need to know about this game and why you should play it with your mini human. 

Read more