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DISCOVER · STAY PLAYFUL PROJECT

Color Detectives

Look a little closer. There is a whole rainbow hiding in everyday places.

  • Ages 3+ with a grown-up
  • 10 minutes
  • Free activity
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A LITTLE PREPARATION

Before you begin

Choose one familiar room or a safe outdoor area with a grown-up. Stay together and look without touching unfamiliar plants or objects.

What you’ll need

  • No supplies needed. Point to discoveries instead of collecting them.

A chance to practice

Practice observation, describing, and comparing everyday objects.

GO AT YOUR OWN PACE

Let’s give it a try.

  1. Pick your detective spot

    Choose a small area you can explore comfortably. You can stay seated and look around, explore a picture, or take a short walk together.

    What can you see from where you are?

  2. Find something warm

    Look for something red, orange, or yellow. Point to your discovery and describe it. There is no need to pick it up or move it.

    Is it bright, pale, shiny, or soft?

  3. Find something cool

    Look for something blue, green, or purple. Notice its shape and size too. If colors are tricky to tell apart, choose something round or striped instead.

    How would you describe it to a friend?

  4. Compare two discoveries

    Choose two things you found. Look for one way they are alike and one way they are different. Objects can share a color but have very different shapes.

    What is the same? What is different?

  5. Swap detective roles

    Describe something without naming it. Let your partner look and guess, then swap. On your own, choose a new object and invent three clues for it.

    Can you give a clue about its shape?

  6. Notice one more thing

    Find a detail you did not notice at first: a tiny pattern, a shadow, or a new shade. Keep looking together after you put the screen away.

    What surprised you today?

Make it your own.

Make it simpler

Search for one color together. Name or point to just two discoveries.

Try a new challenge

Find several shades of one color and describe how they differ.

Play your way

Search by texture, pattern, size, or shape. Use a familiar picture if exploring a room is not comfortable.

Stay Playful Project · stayplayfulproject.org/play-and-learn/color-detectives/