An English colour hunt for children

One of the easiest ways to practise English colours with your child is a colour hunt: you say a colour, the child finds something in that colour, and you name it together. Three colours are enough for the first game: red, blue and yellow. The goal isn't to memorise every colour or to run fast, but to connect a word the child hears with a real object.

This post explains how to grow the game in three stages, the short sentences you'll use, and how to carry it into everyday life. It suits preschool and the first years of primary school, and you can start with a child who knows no English yet.

Five minutes of preparation

Paint one large patch of colour on each of three sheets of paper: red, blue and yellow. Put six objects in those colours on the table, for example a red sock, a red building brick, a blue book, a blue lid, a yellow pencil and a banana. Two objects of each colour give the child a real choice. Keep everything within easy reach. If you haven't got something in the right colour, a simple drawing works too. Keep the number of objects small in the first game; the child should be able to see every option at a glance.

The sentences you'll use

• “Find something red.”
• “Is it blue?”
• “Yes, it is.”
• “No, it isn't. It's yellow.”
• “Well done!”

These five sentences are enough for the whole game. Don't expect your child to say all of them; you say them first, and the child answers by pointing or nodding. Over time, children usually start saying the colour word on their own, and later a short sentence such as “It's red.”

Stage one: a hunt at the table

Play the first turn yourself. Hold up the red sheet and say “Red”, then say “Find something red”, pick the sock yourself and put it next to the sheet: “A red sock!” In the second turn, let your child choose. Each time an object finds its place, say its name with the colour: a blue book, a yellow pencil. When all six objects are in place, swap roles: your child holds up a colour and you do the finding. Children enjoy directing an adult, and it gives them a real reason to say the colour. Now and then pick the wrong object on purpose; your child shouting “No!” can be the best moment of the game.

Stage two: a hunt around the room

Once the three colours feel familiar, take the hunt into the room and add one colour: green. Now the objects aren't laid out; your child looks around and finds them: a cushion, a toy car, a plant pot. You can add a new sentence too: “Can you find something green?” When your child brings something, ask “What is it?” If they don't know the word, say it yourself: “It's a green cup.” Three objects per round are enough at this stage. If the room feels too big, make the area smaller: “Find something blue on the sofa.”

Stage three: a hunt from the window

With a child who speaks more confidently, take the hunt to the window or on a walk. This time your child says what they've found: “I can see a red car.” You add your own: “I can see a white cloud.” The sky, cars, doors and trees offer natural chances for new colours: white, black, green, brown. Taking turns to name one thing each turns into a small conversation. If your child says it in Turkish, accept the meaning and say the English once: “Yes, a black cat!” You don't have to ask them to repeat it.

When your child gets stuck

When an object in the wrong colour arrives, don't take it away straight away. Hold the colour sheet next to it and ask “Hmm, is it red?”; comparing helps your child notice the difference themselves. If there's no answer, offer two options: “Red or blue?” Don't insist on one correct answer for an object with two colours; your child can point to the part they mean. If your child gets bored, stop and bring it out again another day. Ten minutes is long enough for the first games.

Spreading colours through the day

After the hunt, connect colours to everyday tasks. While getting dressed, ask “Blue socks or red socks?” At snack time, with a plate of fruit, say “Give me something yellow, please.” In the bath, sort toys by colour. These short, repeated moments let your child hear the game's words in other places too. If you'd like to reinforce colours with a listening game, the true-or-false activity at the end of this post offers short colour sentences: “Grass is green.” “The sun is blue.” You read, your child listens, and you decide together.

Colours are among the easiest of a child's first English words to show; you'll find other word groups, such as animals, toys and food, in first English words for children. If you're wondering how to plan English at home by age, the parents' guide to teaching English at home shows the whole picture.

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