Gemma, from Scotland, created this fun activity to teach her daughter, Mila, about colours. Let’s take a closer look…
What did you do?
This is something I made at home to teach our little one (17 months old) her colours. It has evolved: starting as a sheet of paper and small pieces of paper with matching colours. She kept trying to rip the main piece of paper. So I cut the squares out and stuck them in a piece of cardboard we had. She started ripping them off the cardboard. So the final one is drawn on a canvas board and these are still the original small pieces of paper.
I used acrylic pens for all colours. To avoid the small pieces getting ripped or ruined by tiny hands, mouths, etc I have now covered them in sellotape.
I have sat with her most days for 10-30mins (depends on her mood as she is a very active girl always on the go) and within 2-3 weeks she has been getting them all correct and has even repeated a few of the names of the colours.
She has even climbed up to the dining table and started doing them herself!!!! 🥰
When we first started it was harder to keep her attention but what I learnt that encouraged her was after each one she got correct I sang one of her favourite nursery rhymes. I.e if she matched yellow we sang twinkle twinkle little star, for purple incy wincy spider, etc. This evolved to just being able to do the colours without songs.
When she was fussy and getting a bit destructive with it I would just put it away and try later as I felt she wouldn’t be receptive to learning them.
It has proven to be an effective way for her to learn and she has fun. Enjoying the singing and she really loved the cheers she got when getting them correct. So from this, I will look to see if it will also be effective to teach her shapes next and take one area of her learning at a time.
Tell us about yourself…
My name is Gemma, from Scotland. Mila is our first child and she is 1 year old (17 months right now).
As this is our first child every day is a learning day and we are just enjoying watching her grow and develop. With my husband being a key worker I am extremely grateful for furlough to allow me to look after an extremely active 1-year-old. Although it is frustrating and difficult not getting to see friends or family this time together is precious and it won’t be forever.
Do you have any tips for other parents?
We put so much pressure on ourselves and this right now is hard with trying to keep up with social media mums and dads. Don’t!!!! Are you able to to do an art project with your child? – fantastic!
Have you let your little one empty every toy out and run around wildly to get 5 mins to have a cup of coffee. Fantastic and enjoy that coffee you deserve and truth be told they probably love that playtime as much as making a picture. Plus it will tire them out.
Do what you can do! One day I post amazing adventures/ creations and the next day there’s no post. Why because I am in my Pj’s all day, watching Frozen 2 or Moana for the hundredth time just getting through the day, cleaning up toys and making sure she has enough food and water.
Has our community helped?
I am so happy we have the Facebook community I have created salt dough handprints, neon word art, collected leaves, etc from lockdown walks made art with them, made potato stamps, etc. It is certainly keeping me going and inspiring me.
