Color hunts are bright and colorful and engage young learners like no other. Not to pick favorites, but this primary color toy hunt is just the best. Once my preschoolers could identify the colors red, blue, and yellow, this primary color activity was ON. And I am here to share it with the world. Yup, it’s that good! This simple idea for toddlers and preschoolers screams, play with me!
Why is this color hunt for preschool so important?
By Kindergarten, children using the Common Core will sort and classify objects into given categories. At home, we can begin to familiarize our preschoolers with math vocabulary, such as sorting and classifying!
Try to add the words sort and classify to your daily conversations:
Watch your child sort red and green apples by color as they play Apple Scoop and Sort.
Chat about big and little when you play sticker sort.
Mention when you notice your child sorting by color, such as, “Oh, I see. You are sorting by color! How did you know that the counting bear went on this line here?”
See that? Color activities typically begin with everyday items you already own. Toddler activities are best kept simple to invite ways to play through learning!
RELATED: Have you seen these 35+ Brilliant Color Activities?
Craving a calmer morning?
Breakfast Invitations are simple learning games that begin the day with play.
Learning and sorting colors begin with movement and play.
When early learners can learn through play, their guard is down, and they are more willing to take risks.
Learning through movement and play is the magic we need!
Kids need the chance to play risk-free and expand on prior knowledge. They also need a chance to make decisions based on the world around them.
Early learners MUST have a chance to dive deep into play prompts to advance fully! We can implement play activities for kids at home!
Let’s set up this primary color toy hunt.
- Layout a large piece of white paper.
- Tape the four corners onto the ground.
- Label three sections red, yellow, and blue.
- Option one: Grab a basket and quickly walk around your home. Add anything red, yellow, or blue to your collection.
- Option two: Ask your child to collect red, yellow, and blue toys they can find around the house.
- Invite your child to color sort and count the toys found.
Indoor activities for kids like this are low prep and super fun for toddlers and preschoolers. It can help inspire more play at home, something we can all benefit from.
Simple supplies
Like most Days with Grey activities, we repeat the same activity supplies. Here, we only need a large paper roll and a pack of markers. I’ve learned to keep a pack for myself so the cap is always put back on when finished using. (toddler problems)
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Washable Markers
Share these markers with your kids, or keep them for yourself. I am not one to judge; I like my own pack too.
White Paper Roll
This paper is a staple in our home. Place it on the table or a verticle surface. So many uses!
Why did my preschoolers love cleaning up this color activity?
Because we made it fun by calling out a color.
Drum roll, please…cleaning up this color activity was fun for my preschoolers! My two-year-old and four-year-old enjoyed the cleanup. GASP!
Cue my best announcer voice:
Okay,…who has yellow?
Grab all your yellows and put them back in the house. Do you remember where these came from?”
Who wants to press start on my phone timer to see if we can beat our time?
Cleanup can be a drag, but having different voices and a timer surely helps. I wrote this guide on encouraging cleanup to share a few more of my ideas that have helped over the years.
My oldest child wanted more fun
This color activity extended on its own! My four-year-old enjoyed this activity SO much that he wanted 3 more colors added. To extend this color-sorting game, we added three additional colors! My preschooler went around collecting, sorting, and PUT AWAY the objects! (gasp!) A serious winning situation!
Ready to dive in? Let the primary color indoor hunt begin!
FAQ
Examples of gross motor activities are balancing on a curb, jumping or hopping to different circles, hula hooping, or kicking a ball. Toddlers and preschoolers have plenty of time to develop the large muscles in their bodies as long as we give them opportunities to do so. Here are the best gross motor activities for kids.
I begin the day with play starting the boys with a Breakfast Invitation. This sets the intention for the day. But nothing is harder than kids reminding you all day that they are bored. When they do, I remind them that they can play or help me clean. Use these activity cards for kids to spark ideas.
Begin teaching your toddler colors by saying color words throughout the day as you hand a banana; share that the banana is yellow. When you offer a cup, use the color word before handing it to your child. You may say you’d like me to put milk in the blue cup. Use these color activities for kids to get started.