We all have them. They may not all be colorful, but they dwell in the corners of our homes. They make our husbands cringe at the thought of picking them up at the store solo. You guessed it –Tampons. We all know their intended purpose- but did you know, they can also help your child identify colors? A certain brand that shall remain nameless recently came out with BRIGHT, colorful tampon wrappers. And hey, before I weird you out too much, let me get you up to speed on my current living situation. Having moved from Texas to New York, we are now living in a hotel for 2 months, with 2 weeks to go. We came with only what fit in our van. I’m trying to get creative with toys here, people. The first time my 2-year-old came running out with the box of tampons and dumped them out on the couch, I started to say “No, no,” but then decided my energy level was too low to fight it. I’d just hide them better next time. That was until Harrison exclaimed “Geen!” (Green). Wow. How long had I been working on colors with him? Months? How many times had I asked, “What color is your shirt?” only to have him reply with an incorrect guess? And here he is, using the most random green thing in the whole hotel room as his triumphant moment of mastery over color identification. Well hello tampons, welcome to the toy room. They make their appearance from time to time, and whenever they do my son and I spend 15 minutes joyously naming off color after neon color. Wonderful! Now, I understand that some of you may be looking for a more traditional approach to teaching colors. I still love all those ways- crayons, books, clothes, street signs, while shopping... they are all great. Keep colors on your mind, and I promise your child will pick up on them before you know it.
Here are a few additional tips:
- Use their favorite things. For instance, my son is O.B.S.E.S.S. E. D. with matchbox cars. They have to come everywhere with us. He plays with them all day long. So, what better way to help him learn colors then with a few of his favorite things? When I go out shopping for new cars (because we all know they get lost ever so easily) I look for bright, colorful ones. Now Harrison makes sure to say “green car, red car, etc.”
- Pick colorful toys that serve multiple purposes. We have magnet letters on our fridge that are bright, primary colors, which I love because we can work on both at the same time. Bingo! Look for puzzles, books, flashcards, or toys that are going to kill two birds with one stone.
- Ask the question multiple ways. Instead of always saying “What color is this?” be sure to mix it up. “Which one is blue? Is this yellow or green? Can you bring me the red one? Can you find something orange?”
- Work on it. All the time. Before you know it, your child will be spouting them off everywhere you go.
At the end of the day, this is all just supposed to be fun. It is a way to bond with your child, as you get the satisfaction of teaching them something! Enjoy it, and your child will enjoy it too!
By Gust Blogger Joanna from The Bragging Mommy
