Click here to read Color Activity for 2 Year Olds with Straws and Cotton Swabs on Hands On As We Grow®
This super simple color matching activity is full of fine motor fun that is perfect for 2 year olds to explore while working on color recognition!
There is something about insertion (putting things into other things) fine motor activities that captivates toddlers.
Add vibrant colors and some textures and it’s sure to be an activity win!
To be honest I thought of this one when I was watching my toddler at 18 months having a blast with cotton swabs and funnels!
I saw some other moms doing similar color matching activities with their 2 year olds and I knew we just had to give it a go.
To Make This Color Matching Activity for 2 Olds You’ll Need:
- Medium sized paper straws (I had white ones)
- Cotton swabs (white)
- Markers (permanent are even better if you have colourful ones)
- Scissors
If you have medium sized straws that are already colored then that’s a bonus! I only had white with black stripes. So we worked with what we had.
The key is to make sure your child will be able to push the cotton swab through the straw.
If it’s too small your children may not be capable of inserting it.
If it’s too big your toddlers may get frustrated that the straw won’t stay on.
I find most paper straws are the right size where I live, in Canada. But I also know they sell smaller sized ones in other places.
How to Prepare Your Color Matching Activity for Toddlers
The first thing I did was choose 8 colours my 2 year old is fairly comfortable with matching.
Then I colored in one straw and 4 cotton swab tips in each color.
I left these for about an hour to dry as best they will.
Next I cut the straw into 4 sections.
I didn’t measure. Just cut it in half and then half again.
Once you have finished coloring and cutting the straws and gathered the equal number of colored cotton swabs your matching activity is ready for some toddler play!
Not exactly a fast prep. But it is super easy!
You definitely don’t have to be crafty to pull this teaching activity off.
Matching Colors with Straws and Pom Poms Activity for 2 Year Olds
I set this out for my 2 year old in a nice neat container and showed her how to match the colors and insert the cotton swabs.
Maisie was instantly interested in doing this with me.
She got right to work finding matching colors and sticking the cotton swab through the straw.
After completing 3 color matches, my 2 year old decided they should all go on the floor!
Fine with me.
In reality this allowed her to sort and match the colors with more ease than the way I had done it.
The easier the learning opportunities the better when teaching children.
We talked a lot about what the color was and if she could find another one of the same color.
How do I teach my 2 year old colors?
I have found that the main way my toddlers learn new things like colors is repetition.
She plays happily beside me. And half the time isn’t interacting with me. Meanwhile I continue to teach by simply naming the colors she picks up or asking if she can “find another blue one.”
I keep it simple but she is taking all the information in and because she is the one holding it when I say the color she is continually making more connection.
Talking about what we are doing is the key. With colors, shapes, numbers, letters and everything else.
Maisie is really good with her colors so was able to name and match them quite easily.
it’s not her first rodeo!
The main challenge for Maisie was actually the fine motor portion of the process.
There were learning curves on how to hold each piece and how to push it just the right amount so it didn’t just pop out the other side.
My determined 2 year old worked very hard matching one cotton swab color to its swab and pushing it just the right amount.
After she had completed about 5 color matches, Maisie decided to start doing all of one color before moving onto the next color.
She worked on the pink ones first one by one and then gathered all the orange straws and swabs together to start matching them up next.
Maisie must have stayed focused on this activity for almost an hour with little kitten distractions and interruptions here and there.
To stay focused on one activity like this colors one for that long is most impressive for a 2 year old if you ask me.
Tell me I’m not the only one who finds that most of my activities with my kids last less than 15 minutes.
Repeat this Activity Again, and Again
Our little DIY color matching activity was so successful with my 2 year old that I popped it all into a zipper folder and added it to my busy activities!
I keep these handy for when I just need a few minutes to get something done.
I also love to take a couple of these to appointments with long waits in a waiting room, or even a Sunday church service.
This isn’t exactly the kind of activity you want to pull out in the car or at a restaurant. Far too many small pieces to drop and get lost.
When Maisie completed matching the last color she lined them all up in a rainbow!
Of course she is only 2 years old so doesn’t remember what colors come next, so I helped her by placing the first one of the next color and then she would match them up from there.
As far as she was concerned, she had made a beautiful rainbow all by herself!
She was so proud of her accomplishments!
I just love when an activity can boost confidence while also teaching.
Especially when your kids think they are just playing and having fun.
What kinds of activities have you done lately with straws or cotton swabs?
Would love to hear your ideas too!
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