Little Explorers: Colors and Math Games

You can turn anything into a math game and it’s fun! Playing games will help your little one learn the names of colors and math skills like sorting, logic and matching. Plus, they’ll learn school readiness skills such as taking turns and following directions.

Try these activities at home

Use colorful sticky note squares to play a matching game

Tape a sticky note to the back of a plain white sheet of paper. If the child is young, start with just two or three pairs of colors. Mix them up, turn them color side down and lay them out in rows.

Let your child turn two squares color side up. Do they match? If not, turn them color side down and it’s the next person’s turn to look for a match. Take turns until all matches are found. 

You can use this type of sticky notes game for a variety of other fun math and matching games.

Here are some ideas you can use to match sticky notes:

• Numbers and pictures (one star under the number “1”; two rectangles under the number "2”)
• Numbers and number words (the number “one” matches the number “1”)
• Shapes and sizes (sticky notes cut into shapes and then matching in different sizes)
• Colors and words (the word “green” matching with a green sticky note)

Matching and sorting colors with everyday objects

Using everyday objects that you can find in your home is a great way to encourage fun math games with your little one.

Use an empty bin to encourage your child to find objects around the house that are the same color. Then you can sort out all the items that are blue and see how they are used.

• Are any of them used in the kitchen?
• Are any of them clothes and you can wear?

There are endless ways to have fun with this type of game.

Reading about colors and concepts is another great way to learn

Let's look at colors!

View Full List

For families searching for great books about feelings, self- and emotional regulation, and learning about colors, shapes and similar concepts.

View Full List

Interested in more STEAM activities for ages 2-5? Check out the Little Explorers programs on the Events page.