Line up your objects with this light to dark color activity!
Do you know when you have these moments where your preschooler REALLY gets it? Like, adrenalin rush, super excited to complete the task? It began with Color Sort on our Breakfast Invitation Cards and moved its way right into this light to dark color activity.
As my preschooler eagerly sorted shades of blue and different shades of green, it led to a couple of questions.
Which shade of blue is the darkest?
Which shade of blue is the lightest?
And Whammo! – This quick and easy Breakfast Invitation was born. Quick and easy, use what you already own.
This light to dark color activity has two parts!
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Part One:
- Divide your white paper roll in half.
- Collect different items in your home that are blue.
- Collect different items in your home that are green.
- Label your paper Shades of Blue on the left.
- Label your paper Shades of Green on the right.
- Allow your preschooler to sort the objects.
RELATED: Find this particular activity on our Breakfast Invitation Cards. Read our FAQ here.
Did that color activity take off?
Now, let’s amp up the Breakfast Invitation.
Ask your preschooler:
Which shade of blue is the darkest?
Which shade of blue is the lightest?
Part Two:
- Taps down the white paper roll.
- This time, write the words lightly ———> dark.
- Pick one color.
Ask your preschooler:
How can you arrange these objects from lightest to darkest?
Now take a step back.
Allow your preschooler time to process the question and manipulate the items. You may notice your preschooler make some mistakes. SIT TIGHT. Watch them self-correct as you say, “Does that look right? Let’s check.”
More troubleshooting:
Hold two items side by side. Ask your preschooler which one looks lighter than the other.
Here’s WHY this color activity is important.
Down the road, your preschooler will be asked to directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common to see which object has “more of”/”less of” the attribute and describe the difference.
In short, you are prepping your preschooler for conversations they will have in Kindergarten.
This is not to teach your child the Kindergarten standards. This is to put vocabulary in their head to feel confident about what the teacher is referring to when they hear it.
We are stacking the blocks of learning so new information stacks on prior knowledge.
What if my child isn’t ready for this?
There are so many variations for sorting colors! You will love how simple these are to set up and how fun they are to play.
- Primary Color Hunt
- Pick a Color – Under two
- Run and Sort
- Color Sort – Under two
- Pom Pom Color Sort