Rainbow Activities - Part I

Here's the first batch of rainbow-y activities I put together for James. Really they're not so much about rainbows as they are just really colorful! :)

Numbers:
Lego counting. This is an oldie but goodie; one that I created ages ago. You can download my template here, if you're interested.

Lacing number beads. (These are awesome - you can buy them here.) It's amazing how kids change in what seems like a blink of the eye. A few months ago James was either unable or unwilling to do any kind of lacing. Now he's a lacing machine! He has spent a good 20 minutes here and there working on these. He says "I knitting!" whenever he does it. He sees me knitting all the time and often asks to learn - I can't wait to teach him in a couple of years.

Bead counting. I used a paint tray and those little magnetic numbers you can stick on the fridge. My lovely friend, Karen, sent me these (and the tray!) from Puerto Rico!

Counting fish. Click here to read more about these fun little fish I made.

Letters:
Alphabet puzzle. I put this out because James loves it - he knows the sequence of the alphabet, so it's not as though he's learning anything new, but I'm a believer in repetition and let's not forget that puzzles are great for improving fine motor skills!

Memory/match game. I found a pack of these Noah's Ark calendar inserts at a local teacher's supply store. I use calendar inserts all the time because they're so versatile. In this case, I wrote James' name in both capital and lowercase letters. He'll have to flip them over to find the matches and then arrange them to spell his name. I think he'll do fine with the letter matching, but the name spelling may be a challenge. We'll see!

We used our rainbow playdough to spell out the word 'rainbow'. These letter cookie cutters were money well spent - we use them all the time! You can buy a set here.

Tracing the alphabet with colorful pencils. I think James is really going to like this. We've already worked with tracing letters in a sand tray, and since I don't have metal insets at my disposal (yet!) I'll have to make due with this. I love the Lyra colored pencils in the roll-up case I made. A bit pricey, but trust me - they are so much nicer to work with than regular ol' colored pencils.

And just a little shout-out: be sure to visit Confessions of a Homeschooler for TONS of 'R' rainbow-themed letter and number printables!

Books:
Let's Paint a Rainbow, by Eric Carle is a simple, but cute book. I think it's out of print though - I found it at the thrift shop.

Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister. James really liked this book and I was pleased to find out it has been adapted into an educational series with topics on counting (available in Spanish, too!), opposites and colors.

Planting a Rainbow, by Lois Ehlert. This is lovely book and a must have for anyone.

Eating the Alphabet - another Lois Ehlert book (we love her!) - this one inspired me to create this...

A rainbow of fruit muffin tin meal! Strawberries, oranges, pineapple, kiwi, blueberries, grapes and some pink lemonade! :) As the last two books point out, nature is FULL of rainbows!

Click here for Part II of our rainbow activities.