Allie did a color matching activity very similar to this one over a year ago, but I recently this variation at a daycare when I went to pick up my friend’s child. I had to make it as the perfect multi-level learning activity for my home.
All you will need are clothespins, paint, marker, scissors, and posterboard.
I traced an upside down large mixing bowl to get my big circle. Then I sectioned it into 8 pieces, but you can do as many as you like. I painted each section a different color.
As I painted the sections I made sure that I painted a clothespin for each color as well. You will see two of each in the photo because I made two sets (and then had to make a third).
I wrote the names of each color in the section. I also wrote the names of each color on the clothespins.
I gave the kids the circles with the clothespins already attached to the appropriate sections. I asked them to pull off all of the clothespins and put them in a pile. They loved pulling them off, maybe a little too much.
Then I told them to match the clothespins to the colors on the wheel. I demonstrated one match up to really show them, too. After all I was dealing with 2 two year olds. My daughter started right at it.
This activity is great for matching, learning colors, and motor skills. Our foster child has trouble doing the pincher hold, so this activity was more for him to work on motor skills and hand-eye coordination (not so much on color matching). Oh, and it is working. He is getting better every time we play this activity. Eve his therapists have noticed a big difference. We will get the color matching down, one day. 😉
My daughter is learning to match and get more familiar with her colors. But it doesn’t hurt to build those motor skills, either.
This activity is requested constantly at my house. The littler ones have so much fun playing with it that I had to make one for my four year old son, too. I am hoping we will have our colors down as sight words. We should as much as we play this.
So there you have it, an activity that can be done by different ages and developmental stages (including special needs). Here is my daughter so proud of her completion. I know that you can’t tell from the picture, but she is very happy and proud.
maria says
She looks very proud and so she should! What a great activity to match and learn colours!
.-= maria´s last blog ..Learn Through Play- word and picture matching games for iPhone =-.
Eliss says
This is great! I’ll be making one tonight!
Laura says
Thanks for sharing. I am starting my first year of teaching preschool (taught bigger kids before having my own kids.) This will be great for the week that I am supposed to teach colors and do eye hand coordination activities.
.-= Laura´s last blog ..August Giveaway at Laura’s Left Hook =-.
Sam says
Oh, I like this one. Boo needs help with his fine motor skills, and he adores colours, so this is an excellent match. Thanks!
.-= Sam´s last blog ..Review- There was an old lady who swallowed a fly =-.
Jessie says
Wow! What a great idea!
CraftyRachel says
What a great idea! I have to try this with my 23-month-old. He loves clothespins and colors. This will be great for fine motor skills. Thank you!
.-= CraftyRachel´s last blog ..Homemade Pesto =-.
Aishah says
I made it, the children love this:
http://cinta-rasul.blogspot.com/
http://cinta-rasul.blogspot.com/2010/08/menyiapkan-wheel-of-learning.html
Miss Pippi says
Fantastic! Thank you for sharing.
Erica says
Love this idea, we did something similar, but now I’m thinking of painting my clothes pins! Thanks for sharing, love your site.
.-= Erica´s last blog ..Supply List for Letter of the Week =-.
Shauna says
Just made some for my kids at work! Can’t wait to have the kids start using them! Thanks for the idea 🙂
Lisa says
What a great multi-age activity! I just featured it on my blog and linked back to your post!
Lisa
Criss-Cross Applesauce