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Home » Reading Ideas » Language Activities for Preschoolers: Rainbow Climb

Language Activities for Preschoolers: Rainbow Climb

March 4, 2015 •

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We have a colorful theme for this week’s Playful Preschool Series .  It is time to think Spring and explore rainbows.

This literacy activity is packed with color, language play and a good dose of gross motor exercise!

Rainbow Language Activity

Rainbow climb is a fun language activity to help preschoolers build vocabulary.

Full Disclosure:  This post contains affiliate links.

Why We Chose This Language Activity

Watching young children discover and expand their vocabulary is one of the most rewarding parts of working with preschoolers.  Using descriptive words (color words, size words, shape words, etc.) in daily conversation is one of the language goals we have for little ones.

My kids are all about rainbows right now.  In fact, they designed about 80% of this game!

Setting Up and Playing

Materials Needed: rainbow rug (We found our rug in the Dollar Spot of Target.  You could also use a paper rainbow.), construction paper (rainbow colors), index cards, markers

1.  Tape the construction paper rectangles together to create a long ladder road.  Let the kids help by cutting the tape to build fine motor skills.

2.  Attach the paper ladder road to the floor to prevent slipping.  Then, place the rainbow rug at one end.

language activity to build vocabulary

3.  On each index card write a color word.  Use two more index cards to write “small” and “large”.  Also, draw an empty black pot on one index card.

It is time to play!  The goal is to reach the rainbow by naming objects that match color and size cards drawn.

The player chooses a card from the color stack and one of the size cards.  Name an object that is the color drawn and the correct size.  For example, a green card and a big card could be a tree, lawn or a car.  If the answer is correct, the player moves ahead one space.

language activity for building vocabulary with a rainbow theme

If an empty pot is drawn, the player moves back to start.  Play continues until the player reaches the rainbow.

Lots of language development in a fun playful preschool activity!

Continue the language development with some of these fun rainbow read-aloud books.
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert is a great book for building vocabulary about things we would find  growing in a garden for each color of the rainbow.

Read A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman and then invite your child to tell you what he would do if he had his own rainbow.

For even more spring resources for preschoolers, grab our Spring Literacy Unit.  It’s four weeks of literacy learning complete with dramatic play printables, circle time songs, and more.—>Get the Spring Preschool Literacy Unit Here.

preschool spring lesson plans

Keep reading.  Visit the links below for more great rainbow ideas from the #playfulpreschool team!

Rainbow Letter Formation Sticky Wall by Still Playing School

Rainbow Sensory Bin by Tiny Tots Adventures

Inventing Their Own Songs to Encourage Creativity by Capri + 3

Rainbow Domino Game by Rainy Day Mum

Rainbow Patterns with Blocks by Mom Inspired Life

Scented Rainbow Science and Sensory Play by Fun-A-Day

Preschool Engineering with Rainbows by Natural Beach Living

Design a Rainbow Technology Connection by The Educators’ Spin On It

Disappearing Rainbow Colors by Learning to Walk

Creating Salty Rainbows with Preschoolers by Life Over C’s

Rainbow Ice and Salt Experiment for Preschool by Powerful Mothering

Did you get your free list of Books Kids Will Beg You to Read?

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Filed Under: Reading Ideas Tagged With: vocabulary

About Jodie Rodriguez

Jodie Rodriguez is a mom of two young boys and an early childhood/elementary educator with over 20 years of experience. Jodie's passion is helping parents, teachers, librarians and anyone else interested in nurturing and reaching ALL of our youngest growing readers.

Comments

  1. Alecia says

    March 9, 2015 at 9:10 pm

    Your rainbow mat is so cute and this activity can be used to learn so many other fun concepts as well. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

  2. Catherine @ Story Snug says

    March 9, 2015 at 7:25 am

    This is such a fun game. Have pinned it 🙂

  3. Nicolette Roux (Powerful Mothering) says

    March 5, 2015 at 8:02 am

    LOVE it! I was just thinking about making something with patterning

  4. Natasha says

    March 4, 2015 at 10:31 pm

    I love this idea! We have been working on size a lot lately.

  5. Theresa says

    March 4, 2015 at 9:01 am

    This is a great game! I love that it encourages kids to think on their feet.

    • Jodie Rodriguez says

      March 6, 2015 at 8:08 am

      Thanks Theresa, with two little boys I’m constantly thinking of movement activities that we can use as vehicles to learn!

  6. Danielle says

    March 4, 2015 at 8:17 am

    My son would LOVE this! The rainbow mat is perfect for this too. Great activity!

  7. Kim says

    March 4, 2015 at 8:10 am

    What a fun idea! I love that it’s easy to put together and really helps kids connect the different vocabulary words!

  8. Devany says

    March 4, 2015 at 6:39 am

    I almost bought that same mat! Love it!

  9. Cerys says

    March 4, 2015 at 3:46 am

    I love the idea and your rainbow mat is so cute.

Trackbacks

  1. Rainbow Activities for Preschool - Preschool Inspirations says:
    February 23, 2021 at 6:00 am

    […] Rainbow Climb – Growing Book by BookI don’t know about you, but I love when my kids can learn through games and movement! With this activity, your kiddos get to practice language and vocabulary skills while climbing a rainbow to a pot of gold. Sound exciting? Of course it is! Your little leprechauns will be so excited when they reach that pot of gold.  […]

  2. Fine-Motor Rainbow Art for Preschoolers - Life Over C's says:
    February 13, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    […] Language Activities for Preschoolers: Rainbow Climb by Growing Book by Book […]

  3. Super Fun and Engaging Scented Rainbow Science for Preschoolers says:
    February 25, 2019 at 11:16 am

    […] Language Activities for Preschoolers: Rainbow Climb by Growing Book by Book […]

  4. Rainbow Domino Game says:
    March 4, 2015 at 2:26 pm

    […] Language Activities for Preschoolers: Rainbow Climb by Growing Book by Book […]

  5. Scented Rainbow Science and Sensory Play - Fun-A-Day! says:
    March 4, 2015 at 2:20 pm

    […] Language Activities for Preschoolers: Rainbow Climb by Growing Book by Book […]

  6. Fine-Motor Rainbow Art for Preschoolers says:
    March 4, 2015 at 7:50 am

    […] Language Activities for Preschoolers: Rainbow Climb by Growing Book by Book […]

  7. Rainbow Snow Sensory Bin | Tiny Tots Adventures says:
    March 4, 2015 at 7:26 am

    […] Language Activities for Preschoolers: Rainbow Climb by Growing Book by Book […]

  8. Preschool Science Experiments: Disappearing Colours says:
    March 4, 2015 at 7:05 am

    […] Language Activities for Preschoolers: Rainbow Climb by Growing Book by Book […]

  9. Rainbow Ice and Salt Science Experiment for Preschool says:
    March 4, 2015 at 5:59 am

    […] Language Activities for Preschoolers: Rainbow Climb by Growing Book by Book […]

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