 Whether your early childhood students know their colors or are still learning them,
these age-appropriate sites will grab their attention and keep it. The online activities reinforce emerging literacy
skills while providing practice in computer mouse use. Included: Suggestions for identifying
the best preK-2 sites.
Finding online activities for pre-readers in your PreK-1 classroom can be a real challenge. These Web-based games on identifying colors have been selected with your students in mind. Each has audio prompts as well as non-verbal cues to indicate what a child should click on next. The games not only increase color awareness, but help students use the mouse and practice basic navigation skills.
Enchanted Learning's Color Activities
Enchanted Learning, with its many online resources and printable materials, remains one of the top choices for K-6 teachers. Keep in mind, however, that several resources are now available for paid members (although many still are free). Begin with the "I Love Colors" online book, where teachers can choose from dozens of printouts on each color. Some resources are available in ten other languages. Then try the "What Do I Say?" animal book; each page contains an animal painted one color and a rhyme about that animal. This would be best used on a projector or TV monitor because there is no audio to go with the book. Dozens of other color-related quizzes, games, information sheets, also are available, so be sure to spend time just playing around and seeing what might be best for your classroom.
Storyplace Pre-School Library
Presents Colors
Storyplace is a Web site of original audio books and related activities created by North Carolina's Charlotte/Mecklenburg County Public Library. Among the topics covered is a section on colors. Begin by having students click through the "Color the Rainbow" story. Note that use of large green arrows makes it easy for students to "read" the book on their own. Students will need help getting to the supplemental activities which include a "What Color Is It?" interactive game show and a color match game. This site is great for ages 4 and up (with lots of elementary stories for older students).
Literacy Center Color
Activities
Literacy Center is one of the top early childhood sites for a number of topics -- letters, numbers, shapes, and colors. Audio prompts use adult voices and are clearly articulated, making the site good for use with ESL students or for those with hearing impairments. Students can click a color on a color wheel and see and hear the color word. A matching and concentration game for colors also are included. This site is best for very young students (2-4 years old) due to its simplicity, ease of navigation, and limited subject matter.
Fisher-Price
Colors and Shapes
With only one color-based game, this site has more limited value than the others. An online character asks students to paint a shape a certain color. Students click the color, then click the shape. The use of audio prompts makes this easy to complete for younger students, but they will need a basic understanding of shapes. Also, if the wrong color or shape is selected, no audio or nonverbal cue tells the student to try again. Still, the simple design and navigation make up for those small problems.
The following Web sites contain color identification games that, although helpful for some students, didn't make
our top pick list. Be sure to see the notes below each to determine which may be best for your class.
- Rats Color Game. This activity -- resembling a video game -- requires that students use keyboard arrows to move a rat back and forth. That might be too advanced a skill for students aged 3-5.
- Live and Learn Colors.With no audio prompts, this game requires that students know how to read such words as "Go back" and "Try again."
- Learning Colors and Shapes. Again, without audio or nonverbal prompts, students must be able to read "Which of these shapes is a blue triangle?" That might be too difficult for younger students.
- Primary Games Colors Word Search. This basic word search, which requires students to circle the words red, purple, and so on within a block of letters, might be best for students with advanced reading skills.
- Crayola Color Match N Madness . Most of Crayola's online activities do not actually have anything to do with colors. This color match game is much like the class concentration game, but colors include "sky blue" or "forest green" and might therefore be too confusing for younger students.
- Lil Fingers My Colors Story Book. This easy-to-navigate
story about colors includes no audio or supplemental activities.
Learn about more great sites for students, parents, and educators by visiting Education World's Site Reviews Archives.
Article by Lorrie Jackson
Education World®
Copyright © 2006 Education World
01/10/2006
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