Activity: Colorful Language

Provide opportunities to build your child's self-esteem and language acquisition skills by introducing new "colorful" languages in fun and meaningful ways.

Materials:
Provide examples of each color listed below by using crayons, objects, and color pictures

Directions:
Before using each color to make a rainbow in the Take It Further activity below, have fun learning new language color words:

Talk about It: Ask your child to share ideas about what it feels like to know a new language. Then talk about how learning another language can be helpful at home, in your community, and while visiting places where different languages are spoken.

Take it Further: Use new language and color savvy to make a colorful rainbow. Look at a picture of a rainbow then draw a rainbow with 10 sections. The rainbow you/your child designs will be an original so don't worry about it looking just like a picture. Color each section and label the colors (using markers, glitter pens) with the English, French, Italian, Spanish, or all of the color words listed in the activity above. Be sure to practice naming and identifying these new words in everyday spoken language as often as possible. One great way to do this is to share new language with family and friends! Option: Use glue and colored yarn to fill in each rainbow section.

With a Group: Play a fun matching game using the color words listed above. Use poster board, fabric, wide ribbons, colored streamers, or painted objects to match colors to written color word signs. Matching games can be timed or played as individual challenges. Be sure to reinforce new language by encouraging children to use the color words in spoken language each time you meet and use color words.