What’s The Right Age To Start Teaching Kids About Colours?

What’s The Right Age To Start Teaching Kids About Colours?

9 Sep 2022 | 5 min Read

Reema Shah

Author | 740 Articles

A child’s well-being and development are what every parent wishes for. They want to ensure that their child’s development is on the right track. Hence as new parents, you might have questions like whether your child is growing up well or you are doing things right. One such question is when can parents start teaching kids about colours.

Kids love colouring and painting. Colouring is one of the best ways to start teaching them about different colours. However, it can be a messy affair so make sure you have natural baby wipes handy to clean those messy hands. Here are some fun activities for teaching kids about colours and also the right age to start teaching them about colours.

When Do Kids Learn About Colours?

For most kids, their ability to recognise colours develops between the ages of eighteen months and two years. Toddlers are curious in learning everything about the world they live in. They are like little sponges, who will absorb all the information you give them. While they don’t understand the concept, children are mostly able to tell the different hues apart at this age. 

As per The Centers for Disease Control, a four-year-old child should know multiple colours. However, that doesn’t mean you should force your child to learn them all. When kids learn colours, some learn faster, but some need more help and persuasion as well to learn. So even if your child can recognise at least two or three colours, it indicates they’re on the right track developmentally.

kids activities to teach colours
One of the importance of colour for kids is them being able to recognise objects and improve their cognitive skills / Image credit – Canva

Ways To Teach Children About Colours

Identifying colours and their names help children develop their visual and cognitive skills. Now that you know when to start teaching kids about colours and at what age should they know colours, you’ll need to try some ways to help your child learn about colours. The world is full of colours, which makes it easier for your child to learn the different colours.

The first tip is to start with the primary colours, as it will help your child identify the different gradients later. Here are a few ways you can help when kids learn colours-

1. Primary Colours

When you teach kids about colours, it’s best to start with the basics. Let them learn how to recognise the primary colours first. If you start with all colours at once, the several different colours on the gradient might confuse them. The three primary colours are red, yellow and blue. You can even make them try colouring pages while you are teaching kids about colours.

2. Sort Toys

Sorting is a great way to introduce your child to the world of colours. You will want to start with the primary colours again when kids learn colours so that the child doesn’t get confused. Take three large boxes and label them red, yellow and blue. It also helps if the boxes are also in the same colours.

You can gradually add more colours to your child’s painting sessions as they learn the names of more colours. colouring activities are a great way to help children learn about colours. 

3. Make Use Of Each Setting

From mealtimes to playtimes, there are opportunities to learn about colour everywhere. Point out the different colours in their lunch or dinner. Ask your child to name the colours of different objects during playtime. For example green trees, blue sky, white clouds, red apples and more. 

4. Teach Kids About Colours While Dressing Up

If your little one is particular about choosing outfits and prefers particular colours, your question of when kids know colours is solved. So, use this opportunity to teach kids about colours when they’re dressing up. Allow your child to choose their outfits and name the colours.

5. Try Science Experiments

There are some simple science experiments for kids like the magic milk experiment and the rainbow volcano experiment which are fun and effective to help children learn about colour. Plus, it also introduces children to basic science concepts too.

importance of colour for kids
When parents start teaching kids about colours, it is important to understand that each child has their own learning pace / Image credit – Canva

Things To Keep In Mind When Kids Learn Colours

For grown-ups learning colours might seem straightforward, but it’s more than just memorising the names of colours. Identifying a colour is also important when kids learn colours. So, parents must ensure that their child can identify and match the corresponding colour when the colour’s name is called out.

Each child is different and they learn at different paces. So don’t worry if your toddler is not able to identify all the colours. As a parent, you can start teaching them about colours early, however, don’t push them, and make it fun. 

Cover image credit – Canva

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