Preview draft. Activities have not been tested with caregivers.
Learning · The activity desk
Octopus color search
Find matching colors among a group of drawn octopuses.
Let's play →
A little plan for play
Open interactive activity →Add to play journal →What you need
Paper and large child-appropriate crayons in two colors.
Age: 3–5 years; choose for the individual child.
Stay with the child throughout. Check the space and supplies, including anything within reach of younger siblings. Skip any activity that is unsuitable. Stop if a child puts non-food material in their mouth or becomes distressed. Use intact books, full sheets of paper, a large child-appropriate crayon and a clean, dry towel. Follow product labels; remove torn paper and keep broken crayons and caps away from children. Adult handles and stores supplies.
Set up: An adult draws three simple octopuses, colors two alike and one differently, and makes a matching color swatch nearby.
Adult's role: Stay beside the child and name the colors without requiring a reading response.
Let's make it happen
- Point to the color swatch and say its color together.
- Find each octopus that matches the swatch and point to it.
- Choose another color and draw a new octopus together.
Make it simpler: Draw two octopuses in different colors and find one match.
Clean up: Put away crayons and save or recycle the drawing.
Follow the child's pace and allow them to point instead of naming colors.